King Charles III has taken the Coronation Oath and becomes the first monarch to pray aloud at his coronation.
In his prayer on Saturday May 6, 2023 at Westminster in London, he asked to “be a blessing” to people “of every faith and conviction.”
As Charles became King on the death of his mother, Queen Elizabeth II in September 2022, the coronation is the formal crowning of the monarch.
In the ceremony that lasted about two hours, Charles officially crowned, presented with an array of ceremonial objects and recognised as King by various representatives of the British state.
At 12:02 pm, the Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby placed the solid gold St Edward’s Crown on Charles’s head as a sacred and ancient symbol of the monarch’s authority.
Cries of “God Save the King” rang out from the 2,300-strong congregation at Westminster Abbey and trumpet fanfares sounded at the climax of the solemn religious confirmation of his accession.
Outside, ceremonial gun salutes blasted out across land and sea while bells pealed in celebration at churches across the country.
But even before Charles, 74, and Queen Camilla, 75, left Buckingham Palace for a rainy procession to the abbey, police arrested dozens of protesters using new powers rushed onto the statute book to crack down on direct action groups.
The anti-monarchy movement Republic — which wants an elected head of state — said six of its organisers were detained, while climate activists Just Stop Oil said 19 of its number were held.
Nigeria’s President Muhammadu Buhari led a team of African leaders at the coronation
