Last minute King Charles coronation change - TV cameras banned from filming ‘sacred’ part of ceremony

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King Charles has chosen to ban TV cameras from filming one of the ‘most sacred’ parts of the coronation ceremony.

Television cameras will be banned from capturing the moment the King is anointed with holy oil before being crowned at Westminster Abbey. King Charles has reportedly chosen to shield himself from public view during this part of the ceremony, instead deciding to “respect his relationship with God”.

According to royal insiders, Charles has instructed organisers to follow the tradition of previous monarchs for the moment when the Archbishop of Canterbury pours holy oil from the ampulla onto the Coronation Spoon, anointing the sovereign on the hands and head. Previously, the King had been in favour of the public witnessing the historic moment, but plans have changed at the last minute.

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During the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II, the late Queen was shown seated in the Coronation chair, under a canopy which was placed over her and held by the four Knights of the Garter, before being shielded from public view for the anointing by the Archbishops. The moment of anointing with the holy oil happens just before the investiture and crowning.

A Buckingham Palace source told the Mirror: “This is the most holy and sacred of the entire ceremony, where monarchs who have gone before have been upheld. The King takes his role and relationship with God extremely seriously and will continue with the anointing as it has been carried out before in full.”

According to the Royal Collection Trust, the tradition of being hidden during the anointing goes back to the Old Testament where the anointing of Solomon by Zadok the Priest and Nathan the Prophet is described. For the service, holy oil will be contained in the Ampulla, made from gold and cast in the form of an eagle with outspread wings.

The route King Charles will take on the day of the coronation has also recently been announced and will see the King travel in special carriages from Buckingham Palace, along the Mall to Trafalgar Square, along Whitehall to Parliament Square and then to Westminster Abbey. He will then be crowned King inside Westminster Abbey.

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King Charles has made a last minute change to the coronation King Charles has made a last minute change to the coronation
King Charles has made a last minute change to the coronation | POOL/AFP via Getty Images

When is the coronation of King Charles III?

The coronation of King Charles III, will take place on Saturday, May 6. The event will be followed by a coronation concert on Sunday, May 7 and a bank holiday on Monday, May 8.

Will Prince Harry attend the coronation?

Buckingham Palace has confirmed Prince Harry will attend the coronation of King Charles III. However, Prince Harry’s wife, Meghan Markle, will remain in California with the couple’s two children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet.

What time will King Charles’ coronation start?

The coronation ceremony will begin at 11am and last just over an hour. Following the ceremony, Charles and Camilla will depart Westminster Abbey at around 1pm.

The King and Queen are expected to arrive back at Buckingham Palace around 1.30pm. A full breakdown of timings was released by the government, including when a balcony appearance would be to watch the flypast.

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How to watch King Charles’ coronation

The coronation will be broadcast live throughout the day on BBC and ITVKirsty Young will lead the BBC’s live coverage of the coronation, along with Huw Edwards, while ITV’s coverage will be presented by Julie Etchingham and Tom Bradby, who will guide viewers through a day of pageantry and celebration.

The coronation will also be publicly broadcast at more than 50 big screen sites across the UK.

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