King Charles III’s Coronation: 11 Fun Trivia Facts

King Charles III’s coronation took place on Saturday, May 6, 2023, at Westminster Abbey. The king solemnly swore to be a faithful Protestant and serve the people. Discover the intriguing facts and trivia about King Charles III’s coronation: Did you know that the oil used to anoint King Charles III is called Chrism oil? It was created using olives harvested from two groves on the Mount of Olives, a mountain ridge east of Jerusalem’s Old City, Israel.

1. A New Reign Begins: King Charles III’s Ascension

On September 8, 2022, King Charles III ascended to the throne following his mother’s, Queen Elizabeth II, death.

2. A Royal Coronation Set in History

King Charles III’s coronation was Saturday, May 6, 2023, at Westminster Abbey. He was the 40th monarch to be crowned in this historic location.

3. United as King and Queen

King Charles III and his wife, Camilla, were crowned together as king and queen of the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth realms.

4. Embracing Diversity: A Multicultural Ceremony

The Archbishop of Canterbury conducted the coronation ceremony, which included representatives from various faiths, cultures, and communities across the United Kingdom.

5. A Shorter, Modern Coronation

The ceremony was more concise than Queen Elizabeth II’s 1953 coronation, lasting just over an hour.

6. Anointing with Holy Chrism Oil from Jerusalem

King Charles III was anointed with Chrism oil, made using olives harvested from two groves on the Mount of Olives in Jerusalem.

7. Royal Transport: From Modern to Traditional

Charles and Camilla traveled from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Abbey on the Diamond Jubilee State Coach, a modernized carriage. After the ceremony, the royal family returned to Buckingham Palace in the Gold State Coach, a more traditional and “bumpy” carriage.

8. The Royal Family’s Balcony Appearance

The royal family made a grand appearance on the balcony of Buckingham Palace following the state procession.

9. Commemorative Stamps and Celebrations

The Royal Mail issued four stamps featuring portraits of Charles and Camilla to mark the coronation. A Coronation Big Lunch and a musical celebration at Windsor Castle allowed the public to join in the festivities.

10. Encouraging Community Service: The Big Help Out

The Big Help Out initiative, scheduled for May 8, promotes community service and volunteering in honor of the coronation.

11. Bonus Fun Fact: Harry’s Short UK Visit

Prince Harry flew in from California for the coronation and stayed 28 hours. He missed the balcony appearance at Buckingham Palace and raced to the airport in his Dior coronation suit and medals.

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After the service, the Archbishop of Canterbury invited everyone to swear “true allegiance” to the monarch, sparking debate and protests. Prince William and Kate Middleton shared a cinematic social media recap of the day’s events. After appearing on the balcony, the royal couple left Buckingham Palace for a rural retreat.

Take the King Charles III Quiz!

Now that you know all about King Charles III’s coronation, how about a news quiz?

King Charles III Quiz

Royal Quiz: 7 Multiple-choice general knowledge questions about the United Kingdom’s newly crowned King Charles III. No time-limit. How smart are you today?

1 / 7

1. Who was King Charles I?

Image: Library of Congress, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons, colorized.

The "merry monarch."

The only British monarch beheaded in a revolution.

"Bloody" Charles.

The "Emperor-King."

King Charles I was the only British monarch whose rule led to the temporary abolition of the monarchy.

What Happened?

The English Civil War broke out after the king attempted to arrest lawmakers in the House of Commons in 1642, leading to the parliamentary forces of Oliver Cromwell taking rule of the kingdom. King Charles I was convicted of high treason and beheaded in 1649 in the street near Parliament. The “merry monarch” was his son, the dog-loving King Charles II, after whom King Charles Spaniel is named.

2 / 7

2. How old was King Charles III when he was crowned?

Photo: Hugo Burnand / Clarence House via Instagram

69.

74.

79.

84.

King Charles was born on November 14, 1948, making him 74 in May 2023, the month of his coronation.

3 / 7

3. When the former Prince Charles secretly nicknamed Meghan Markle “Tungsten,” what was he referring to?

Photo: Office of the Governor-General / CC BY

Her Instagram obsession.

A river in Russia.

A hard steel-grey metal.

An anti-aircraft system.

Tungsten is A hard steel-grey metal (and the name of a popular color setting for digital photos). According to a Daily Mail report, Charles secretly nicknamed his daughter-in-law Meghan Markle ‘Tungsten’ as early as 2018 because she is resilient and unbending, just like the very strong metal.

4 / 7

4. Where did Britain’s then Prince Charles and his wife, Camilla, go first on their first royal tour since the start of the coronavirus pandemic?

Image: @clarencehouse onTwitter

Jordan.

Australia.

Canada.

California.

Britain’s then Prince Charles and his wife, Camilla, kicked off a three-day visit to Jordan on Nov. 16, 2021, before moving on to Egypt. It was the first royal tour since the start of the coronavirus pandemic.

How are the UK and Jordan connected?

Jordan was established as an emirate and British protectorate in 1921 before gaining complete independence in 1946. The countries have close diplomatic and security relations.

5 / 7

5. What does the R represent in the King Charles III monogram?

Image: Buckingham Palace

Rex.

Reginald.

Richard.

Royal.

King Charles III’s monogram was revealed on Sept. 27, 2022. The monogram features the King’s initial C, R for Rex (Latin for a king,) and III for Charles III. The King selected it from designs produced by the College of Arms for use on Britain’s state documents and post boxes. This symbol replaces the E II R of Queen Elizabeth II.

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6. King Charles III was crowned on May 6, anointed with a special oil made from what?

Screenshot: GMA – YouTube

Olive oil from Israel.

Sunflower oil from France.

Coconut oil from Hawaii.

Snake oil from China.

The oil used to anoint King Charles III is called Chrism oil. It was created using olives harvested from two groves on the Mount of Olives, a mountain ridge east of Jerusalem’s Old City, Israel. The olives were pressed just outside the Palestinian town of Bethlehem, where Christians believe Jesus was born. The ceremony was held at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, where Christians believe Jesus was crucified. The March 3, 2023, event was attended by Buckingham Palace representatives. The Archbishop of Canterbury, who performed the May 6 anointing service at Westminster Abbey, said the oil demonstrates the deep historical link between the coronation, the Bible, and the Holy Land.

7 / 7

7. How many candles did King Charles III blow out on his latest birthday cake?

Screenshot: 7 News Australia – YouTube

100 candles – A century young and still reigning!

75 candles – A royal milestone!

60 candles – Just a few decades shy of a century.

1 candle for every country in the Commonwealth – That’s a lot of puff!

King Charles III, the monarch who witnessed the world change in countless ways, celebrated his 75th birthday on Nov. 14, 2023. This regal occasion was marked with a slice of cake and the launch of the Coronation Food Project, a noble initiative to tackle food waste and meet food needs. His birthday, a day of royal cheer, was celebrated one day early on Nov. 13, 2023, with a three-tiered cake.

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Sources

King Charles III’s Coronation facts are cross-checked with the world’s leading news providers. Here are some of the articles we read in preparation for this post.

• AP News: At the coronation, King Charles carries on a medieval tradition
• AP News: King Charles III is crowned at Westminster Abbey
• The New York Times: Charles Is Crowned King in Ancient Ceremony With Modern Twists
• The New York Times: At Charles’s Coronation, Everything Olde Was New Again
• Reuters: Inside Westminster Abbey during King Charles’s coronation
• Reuters: Anti-monarchists criticize heavy-handed arrests at King Charles’s coronation
• Reuters: What to expect from King Charles’s coronation on May 6
• BBC News: King Charles III: The coronation is a moment in history
• The Guardian: Royal Mail issues four stamps to mark King Charles III’s coronation
• The Guardian: King Charles’s used clothes: palace details vestments for the coronation