Why King Charles won’t face the Royal Family during the coronation service

King Charles won’t face the Royal Family during the coronation service as it “emphasizes” an important aspect.  

• His Majesty will be sitting in the centuries-old Coronation Chair on May 6 and he’s set to face away from the congregation.
• Instead the Chair will be played facing the High Altar of Westminster Abbey to “emphasize” a certain aspect of the service.   
• This royal news comes as a new book claimed Kate Middleton and Prince William's marriage is “not all sweetness” and they have “terrible rows” and “throw things at each other”. 

King Charles’ coronation day is drawing ever closer and many details like Queen Camilla’s coronation crown and the planned procession to Buckingham Palace have been confirmed. Although the Palace has previously declared the service will “reflect the monarch’s role today and look towards the future”, there will also be plenty of traditions upheld too. One of these focuses on the Coronation Chair and taking to social media, Westminster Abbey gave fans a unique insight into its centuries-old history, from its elaborate original decorations to its symbolism. 

Curator Dr Susan Jenkins also revealed that King Charles won’t face the Royal Family during the coronation service on May 6 as the two-meter high chair will be positioned the other way! 

“During the service itself the chair is placed on the Cosmati Pavement, facing the High Altar,” she explained. “The monarch sits with their back to the congregation. This emphasizes the religious nature of the coronation service.” 

So it seems King Charles won’t face the Royal Family or any other attendees during this part of his coronation day. In pictures taken at Queen Elizabeth’s coronation she appears sitting on the Coronation Chair facing the altar with the guests behind her. 

To her right were her Maids of Honor and in banks of seats higher up above them look to be where the Queen Mother, Princess Margaret and 4-year-old King Charles sat. Even they weren’t in her immediate eye-line during this part of the day. 

The chair is made of Baltic Oak and was originally decorated with gold and colored glass, with some bird and foliage designs still visible. On the back is a painting of a King which is all that many members of the congregation see during the service. 

It seems incredibly likely that this tradition will be upheld at King Charles’ coronation service too, especially as he is Head of the Church of England, taking religious services incredibly seriously. Just which immediate and extended Royal Family members will be left looking at King Charles’ back or side profile during this part of the coronation remains a matter of intense speculation. 

Although Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s coronation invite has been confirmed their answer remains unknown. Even if they do attend, it’s been claimed recently that Meghan and Prince Harry’s children aren’t invited.  

Meanwhile, it’s expected that the Prince and Princess of Wales will be there and that Prince George, who is second in the royal line of succession, could play a role. 

Speaking to True Royalty TV’s The Royal Beat, The Sunday Times’ Royal Editor Roya Nikkhah explained that his education could limit this role to being more “low-key”, though. 

"They are very keen, but if George does have an official role, it will be quite low-key. They are very conscious that he will return to school on the Tuesday, and they do not want him to be overwhelmed by the attention.”