King Charles III Crowned in Historic Ceremony

Facts

• Britain's King Charles III and his consort, Queen Camilla, were coronated on Saturday in a grand ceremony at Westminster Abbey in London, where royal fans crowded all the viewing areas along the 1.3-mile procession route.¹
• Officially described as a solemn religious service, the Coronation lasted for around two hours after starting at 11 a.m. local time, with the King and Queen Consort returning to Buckingham Palace shortly after.²
• Two thousand guests took part in the ceremony presided over by the Archbishop of Canterbury, including royals, celebrities, politicians, and foreign leaders. After months of speculation, Prince Harry attended the Coronation unaccompanied by his wife, Meghan Markle, and their two children.³
• This celebration wraps up months of intense planning since Charles ascended the throne of the United Kingdom and 14 other realms in September, following the death of his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, who served as monarch for 70 years.⁴
• The estimated cost of the crowning — mostly made up of security — has varied from around $60M to $125M, angering some residents amid soaring living costs. According to official projections, however, the economy would see some $1B in benefits from the Coronation.⁵
• Opinion polls conducted in April show that while 51% of adults opposed the UK government funding the celebrations, 58% of Britons support the monarchy, and 62% have a positive view of Charles.⁶

Sources: ¹CNN, ²The Telegraph, ³Independent, ⁴BBC News, ⁵FOX News, and ⁶FiveThirtyEight.

Narratives

• Pro-establishment narrative, as provided by Spectator (UK). Let alone its constitutional and religious significance as an indispensable part of the installation of the new head of state, the coronation also matters because it offers a unique opportunity for Britons to celebrate their cultural inheritance and patriotism. Fully-fledged state events like this one highlight all the jewels of the British arts to the world's admiration and display the nation's pride.
• Establishment-critical narrative, as provided by Time. Instead of this costly, medieval parade to put a hat on the head of Charles, Britain should have an election to let the people democratically choose the head of state. This ceremony is a reminder that there is no such thing as a modern monarchy, as the royals will keep recklessly spending taxpayer money while enjoying all sorts of exemptions and privileges.

Predictions