Coronation to usher in a very modern royal family

A contemporary ceremony. Military uniform, not outdated-looking breeches and silk stockings. And a shake-up of how the Firm operates to follow. Robert Jobson looks ahead to May 6

- Robert Jobson

THE chrism oil that will be used to anoint the King on May 6 has been consecrated in Jerusalem and sent to London and the St Edward’s crown he will wear has been re-sized, as the final touches are made for the Coronation at Westminster Abbey.

King Charles hopes the ceremony will reflect his character and the times in which he reigns. It will be a much smaller service and less expensive, than his mother’s 70 years ago, with 2,000 people inside the Abbey, as opposed to 8,000, and the congregation will be much more diverse.

Charles, at 74 our oldest king to be crowned, will of course become Defender of the Faith, ironically a title first bestowed upon the tyrannical Henry VIII by Pope Leo X in 1521 because he was a good Catholic.

Charles, as the new supreme governor of the Church of England, will promise to rule according to law, to exercise justice with mercy and to maintain the Church. He will be blessed under a canopy of golden cloth with the holy oil.

The King wants to show that he is a monarch for all his subjects, irrespective of their race or religious beliefs, and he firmly believes that inter-faith dialogue can only strengthen communities and that different faiths have “a great deal in common” with Christianity.

But all the talk of him wanting to be seen as a Defender of Faith rather than Defender of the Faith has long been abandoned. That said, Charles has made sure that leaders from different faiths will be present at his coronation.

The King has been very hands-on in the planning. Twelve newly-commissioned pieces of music will be performed showcasing talent from across the nation and Commonwealth.