There’s a huge coronation moment Queen Elizabeth experienced thanks to Prince Philip but their son King Charles won't get to enjoy at his ceremony in May.
- The late Queen Elizabeth got to enjoy the excitement of a major first during her coronation day after encouragement from Prince Philip.
- His Majesty won’t get the same kind of experience at his coronation as this moment has now become something fans are accustomed to.
- This royal news comes as we revealed King Charles is set to receive a new wedding ring in a matter of months thanks to long-standing tradition.
Plenty of King Charles’ coronation details will honor centuries-old royal traditions, from the use of St Edward’s Crown to crown His Majesty to the planned procession to Buckingham Palace for an iconic balcony appearance. However, not every aspect will be mirroring those of the late Queen Elizabeth’s big day or the coronations of previous monarchs. There’s actually a major coronation moment Queen Elizabeth experienced thanks a lot to Prince Philip’s encouragement. And it’s one that King Charles won’t get to enjoy in the same way on May 8 for a very simple reason.
Known for being a history-maker as Britain’s longest-reigning monarch, Queen Elizabeth’s coronation in 1953 was a breakthrough moment as it was the first to be televised. According to the Royal Family website (opens in new tab), “27 million people in the UK (out of the 36 million population watched the ceremony” on TV. A further 11 million reportedly listened on the radio as Princess Elizabeth became Queen Elizabeth II.
The excitement surrounding it was immense and given that this was a royal first, this unprecedented moment could never be captured again by King Charles, whose coronation will now be the second ever televized. In the seven decades that have passed since the Queen’s big day, broadcasting royal events has become much more commonplace and to be expected.
From Prince William and Kate Middleton’s wedding to the Queen’s funeral and a Service of Thanksgiving for Prince Philip, people across the world are now accustomed to tuning into the Royal Family’s most joyful and most poignant occasions alike. This means that although King Charles’ coronation will be televised in May, the anticipation surrounding the broadcast will never be quite the same as the huge coronation moment Queen Elizabeth experienced.
The live broadcast of the Queen’s coronation is understood to have been something that Prince Philip took a big part in convincing her to approve. He was Chair of the Coronation Commission in charge of the arrangements for the day. As revealed by the Royal Collection Trust (opens in new tab) Prince Philip “particularly encouraged the live television broadcast of parts of the Coronation Service at Westminster Abbey”.
Meanwhile, The Guardian (opens in new tab) has previously claimed that following the broadcast of the Queen’s coronation was a “royal ratings hit” and allegedly led to an increase in the number of TV sets in the UK. For those wondering how to watch King Charles’ coronation it’s believed that there will be multiple platforms and channels in the UK and US with commentary from experts and hosts.
Although King Charles won’t get to experience the magnificence of a coronation being aired live for the first time in history, his ceremony will likely be the first British coronation many people have ever seen.
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The best King Charles coronation memorabilia, gifts and souvenirs - from hand-decorated mugs to decorative cake tins
Browse our selection of the best King Charles coronation memorabilia, from mugs to tea towels and more
