With the coronation of King Charles III less than two weeks away, it’s a ho-hum deal to the majority of Canadians after the great flourish to bid a final farewell to his long-popular mother, Queen Elizabeth II.
According to a Leger poll, a majority of Canadians surveyed, at 67%, were indifferent to King Charles, compared to only 12% who said it was good that he was monarch.
Just 13% of those surveyed said they felt a personal attachment to the monarchy, but more than half said it’s the right time for the country to reconsider its ties with the institution.
The new sovereign ascended the throne following the death of his mother Queen Elizabeth II last September. Now, he is due to be crowned May 6 alongside Camilla, Queen Consort, during a symbolic ceremony at Westminster Abbey, which will be conducted by the Archbishop of Canterbury.
Buckingham Palace has said the event will be modernized to reflect the monarchy’s present-day role but will still retain the “longstanding traditions and pageantry” seen at Queen Elizabeth’s coronation in 1953.
A guest list of 2,200 will get to see up-close what’s in store once the event kicks off next month.
Yet, despite the event being well within view, Canada has not indicated who would be sent, perhaps in reflection of the controversy of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to stay in a uber-posh $6,000-per-night hotel room in London while attending the Queen’s funeral.
Whether out of love for Britain’s monarchy or mere fascination with the nation’s most recognizable family, millions of eyes will be on King Charles on coronation day.
Charles will travel with Queen Camilla from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Abbey — for 900 years, monarchs have been crowned at the London landmark.
The royal couple will be traveling in the Diamond Jubilee State Coach, a carriage with surprisingly up to date modifications such as air conditioning and electric windows,
Inside the Abbey, Charles will be seated in the Coronation Chair, or Edward’s Chair, and he will be holding the sovereign’s scepter — a gold rod with amethyst monde, diamonds, rubies and emeralds — which represents control over the nation. He will also have the sovereign’s orb, a golden globe with a cross on top.
Charles will be asked during the ceremony if he will govern the U.K. and other nations of the Commonwealth with law and justice and if he will maintain Christianity in the nation, the London Telegraph reported.
But the monarch is also taking steps to act as a defender of all faiths, and include other religious groups in the big event to reflect a more diverse contemporary Britain.
During the ceremony, Charles will be anointed with chrism oil that was made in Jerusalem in March using olives harvested from two groves on the Mount of Olives, at the Monastery of Mary Magdalene and the Monastery of the Ascension.
He will then be blessed and consecrated by the Archbishop before having St. Edward’s Crown — a solid gold headpiece adorned by over 400 gemstones, including rubies and sapphires — placed on his head. Camilla will be crowned with Queen Mary’s Crown, which has been reset with the Cullinan III, IV, and V diamonds from Queen Elizabeth II’s personal jewelry collection.
Pomp and circumstance will never be far from view.
Carolyn Harris, a historian and commentator on the Royal Family, says King Charles appears to be working hard to connect with the public by interacting with people from all walks of life.
She said this effort is also evident on the royal social media accounts, where staff have responded to public questions about the coronation and published a behind-the-scenes video of Charles and his wife Camilla, the Queen Consort, reviewing notes on a train during a recent official visit to Germany.
“This very early part of this reign, we see efforts to make his role more accessible,” she said.
Whether it will impress Canadians will be another story.
