What is a Coronation?

A coronation is the formal investiture of a monarch with their regal powers. It is a grand, celebratory event in which the monarch is presented with royal ceremonial objects, such as the Crown Jewels, and it is where the crown is physically placed on the sovereign’s head, in front of many thousands of very important guests. 

While the objects used in each sovereign’s coronation may have changed from time to time, the way the English coronation of monarchs has taken place has remained nearly the same for almost a thousand years. This year, we will bear witness to the Coronation of His Majesty King Charles III – the first coronation of a sovereign to take place in the United Kingdom since that of Queen Elizabeth II in 1953.
 

Additional resources and useful links:

• Discover more resources created in partnership with the London Grid for Learning, including exclusive film footage inside St James' Palace and Westminster Abbey and information on how to enter the national art competition.
• Explore the Historic England "Story Map" to find key locations on the 1953 procession route for Queen Elizabeth II's coronation.