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King Charles III and his wife Camilla were officially crowned king and queen in a ceremony at Westminster Abbey. It was the first coronation there since Queen Elizabeth II in 1953.
Massive crowds gathered along the road to and from the ceremony to see the royals. The procession started from Buckingham Palace and went through Central London in a golden carriage pulled by eight horses.
In his first speech, Charles said he came to “serve, not to be served”.
After being presented and proclaimed as king, Charles took oaths related to his responsibilities in his new role.
The highest-ranking religious leader in Britain, Justin Welby, anointed Charles behind a large screen where nobody could see him.
Charles received symbolic items, such as swords that are many centuries old before the heavy crown was placed on his head. As he sat silently on a wooden throne with golden rods in his hands the crowd responded with “God Save the King,” and the sound of trumpets.
Inside Westminster Abbey, aristocrats, celebrities, and political leaders gathered for the ceremony. Singers like Lionel Richie and Katy Perry performed at a celebratory concert.
There were anti-monarchy protesters arrested before the procession.
The coronation cost around $125 million, and over 11,000 police officers were deployed in London for safety.
Vocabulary
- Crown – to make someone officially a king or queen of a country
- Ceremony – A formal event, especially one celebrating a special occasion
- Coronation – A ceremony where a king or queen officially becomes the ruler
- Massive – very large; giant; huge
- Crowd – A large group of people gathered together in one place
- Gather – To come together in one place or collect in a particular location
- Royal – related to a king or queen; the family of a king or queen
- Procession – A line or group of people moving together in an organized way, often for a special purpose or ceremony; parade
- Carriage – A vehicle with wheels that is sometimes pulled by horses
- Speech – When someone talks to a group of people; a message that someone reads or tells to a group of people
- Serve – To perform duties or tasks for someone or something; to work for someone
- Proclaim – to publicly announce or declare something in a clear and definite way
- Oath – A serious promise or commitment, usually made in a formal or official situation
- Role – The part or job someone has in a situation or system; position; job
- Ranking – position, order, or standing within a group of something; grade; rate; place
- Religious – of, relating to, or involved with religion, or living and worshiping according to the beliefs of a particular religion; to believe in a god or gods
- Leader – someone who is in charge of a group, organization or country; a boss or manager; a person who guides, directs, or commands a group
- Anoint – To put oil or a special substance on someone as a blessing or to show they have an important role;
- Symbolic – representative; figurative; serving as a symbol; representing something else; representing something important
- Sword – A long, sharp weapon with a handle and a blade, often used in the past for fighting; ⚔️
- Century – a period of 100 years
- Crown – a decorative headpiece/hat, typically made of gold or jewels for kings, queens and contest winners
- Throne – A special chair or seat that a king, queen, or other ruler sits on
- Rod – A long, thin, straight object, often made of wood or metal
- Aristocrat – A person belonging to the highest social class, often from a very rich family
- Perform – to entertain people by dancing, singing, acting, or playing music
- Celebratory – expressing joy and happiness during a special occasion or event
- Monarchy – A kind of government with a king or queen as the head of state or leader
- Protestor – a person who publicly shows disagreement or objection to something they think is unfair or don’t like
- Arrest – If the police arrest you, they take charge of you and take you to a police station; to use the power of the law to take and/or hold someone; detain; apprehend
- Deploy – to move soldiers or equipment to a place where they can be used when they are needed; to send, position, or put people or things in a strategic way
Quiz
Discussion Questions
- What are your thoughts on having a monarch and a royal family in a modern society?
- How important do you think ceremonial events like coronations are for a country?
- In your opinion, what are the roles and responsibilities of a king or queen in today’s world?
- How do you feel about the involvement of religious leaders in the coronation ceremony?
- Do you believe that the cost of the coronation was justified? Why or why not?
Original Story
- English teachers looking for teaching ideas, check out my post on using easy news articles for lessons.
- English learners looking for study ideas, check out my post on using news stories for English practice.
