During the coronation, King Charles III will participate in a long-standing traditional ceremony of England.
Buckingham Palace has revealed more details about the events that will take place during the coronation of a king after more than 70 years. The most recent coronation was that of Queen Elizabeth II in 1953. After her passing in September 2022, King Charles III ascended the throne.
Past coronations have involved many traditional rituals. However, King Charles wishes to simplify some of the more complex ceremonies this time, aiming for a more modern and streamlined approach. Buckingham Palace also stated that King Charles’s coronation will “reflect the role of the current monarch and look toward the future while still preserving long-standing traditional values.”
The anointing will be conducted in a discreet and private manner.
Above all, the King will not overlook the most sacred rite of the ceremony, which is the anointing ritual. Due to the solemnity of this ritual, the anointing will be performed in a discreet and private manner. Previously, Queen Elizabeth also adhered to this rule.
Queen Elizabeth also adhered to this rule.
Details about the Traditional Anointing Ceremony
The anointing ceremony, known as the Act of Consecration, will take place before the ordination and crowning and will be conducted by the Archbishop. At King Charles’s coronation, the Archbishop of Canterbury will anoint the King.
The tradition of anointing originates from the Old Testament, describing how Priest Zadok and the Prophet Nathan anointed King Solomon. This is also one of the medieval sacraments that emphasizes the spiritual status of the monarch.
According to the Royal Collection Trust, the Archbishop will pour holy oil from the Ampulla (a vessel) into the Coronation Spoon, which is an oval silver spoon decorated with pearls and intricate carvings. The Ampulla is a solid gold vessel shaped like an eagle, crafted in 1661 for the coronation of King Charles II.
Westminster Abbey, where the coronation will be held, stated that Ampulla and the spoon are the “most important” items used in the ceremony. Both have been in use for hundreds of years, with records of the spoon dating back to 1349. It is the only surviving piece of royal jeweler from the 12th century.
The Ampulla and the spoon are the “most important” items used in the ceremony.
During Queen Elizabeth’s coronation, she sat on the Coronation Chair while four Knights of the Garter held a golden canopy above her. It was the first coronation to be televised live, but when it came time for the anointing, the canopy was moved to obscure the ritual. According to the BBC, the Archbishop blessed her as he anointed her. Perhaps during King Charles’s anointing, the Archbishop will also offer a blessing, simply replacing the phrase “The Queen reigns over the nations” with “The King reigns over the nations.”
Traditionally, the holy oil used in past coronations has contained oil from civet cats and ambergris from whale intestines. However, the holy oil used in King Charles’s coronation is made from plant-based ingredients. The holy oil is made from olive oil and infused with fragrances from other essential oils such as sesame, rose, jasmine, cinnamon, orange blossom, benzoin, and amber. Notably, the olive branches used to produce the holy oil were harvested from two groves on the Mount of Olives, located on the eastern slopes of the ancient city of Jerusalem in the Middle East.
The holy oil used in King Charles’s coronation is made from plant-based ingredients.
The choice of oil for the coronation also carries a royal implication. Specifically, the olive oil comes from the Mount of Olives where Jesus preached. Additionally, the olive oil is sourced from the Mary Magdalene Monastery in the Garden of Gethsemane, which according to the Bible, is where Jesus was arrested and is also the burial site of King Charles’s grandmother, Princess Alice of Battenberg.
The Archbishop of Canterbury remarked: “This demonstrates the profound historical connection between the coronation, the Bible, and the Holy Land. From ancient kings to the present day, all have been anointed from this sacred place.”
