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Edinburgh Live
Edinburgh Live
National
Rebecca Russell & Abbie Meehan

King Charles' coronation 'will only be a quarter of the size of Queen Elizabeth's'

As the countdown to one of the biggest days in 2023's calendar begins, the new King will be readying himself for his coronation.

A number of adaptations have been revealed for the ceremony, with several more expected before the big day, reports MyLondon. The monarch will be officially crowned alongside his wife, the Queen Consort Camilla, on Saturday May 6.

It has been reported recently that the King's coronation will be shorter than the late Queen's, and the guest list to be shortened from 8,000 - in 1953 - to just 2,000. Despite the ceremony being a deeply Christian event, Buckingham Palace confirmed that there will be representatives from all faiths and denominations present.

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It was previously suggested that the shortening of the ceremony was down to the cost of living crisis, however, it was revealed that the King is fully supportive of the "pomp" that will best show of the UK - and the soft power that the Royal Family has on it.

It was also reported previously that the coronation would be streamlined to best echo the challenges face by many people across the UK. But, it is now thought that the monarch is fully supportive of a smaller ceremony too - while also showcasing Britain's military talents on the world's stage.

Managing editor at Majesty Magazine, Joe Little, told MyLondon: "The most noticeable thing about the coronation is that the abbey will probably have 75 per cent fewer guests than in 1953.

"Media reports suggests the ceremony – and processions to and from the Abbey – will be shorter, but that remains to be seen. We won't know about any breaks with tradition until much nearer the time."

Queen Elizabeth's coronation took place at Westminster Abbey on June 2, 1953. (Cecil Beaton/Royal Collection Trust/PA Wire)

Historian and broadcaster, Lord Roberts of Belgravia, also told the Telegraph: “We feared that after the Queen’s funeral, no one would take any notice of us for some time, but that's not true. In May, we will have the world’s attention upon us.

"The monarchy does exert great soft power and this is the equivalent of an aircraft carrier when it comes to international relations.”

As well as the guest list being slashed, another reported change is that the length of the coronation will be shortened from three hours to just one. In retrospect, the modern changes should not be too challenging to achieve.

During the late Queen's coronation, the grand procession route was five miles long and took 45 minutes to pass a stationary point. It also included more than 40,000 UK and Commonwealth service personnel.

It also saw ten Commonwealth prime ministers, led by Sir Winston Churchill, ride in open top carriages - a tradition that will almost certainly not be repeated and hasn't been for any large-scale royal events in recent years.

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