History was recorded in the UK on Saturday May 6th 2023 as King Charles III formally ascended to the throne in a ceremony awash in the splendour of uniquely British pomp and circumstance.
The coronation was witnessed by millions who turned up in London from around the UK and the world and followed by further millions worldwide including right here in Cayman via live video streaming and wall-to-wall media coverage.
An official Cayman Islands delegation led by Her Excellency Governor Jane Owen and Hon. Premier Wayne Panton joined dignitaries from over 200 countries invited to witness the coronation of King Charles III.
Steeped in tradition, the uniquely and iconically British ceremony for a period overshadowed polarising debate about the relevance of the monarch in the modern era, especially with its embracing of diversity and the involvement of all faiths and ethnicities.
And the coronation was not without its elements of controversy with police arresting around 50 anti-monarchy protesters.
The elevation of the king’s wife, Camilla Queen Consort, to Queen, has also added another element to the grand occasion amidst media reports over rifts within the royal family over the decision of King Charles III to name her as Queen.
Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II died in September last year just a few months after massive celebrations marking her Platinum Jubilee of 70 years on the throne.
Royal experts have explained that “traditionally, a Queen Consort is someone who marries the monarch while a Queen is born to be the head of state. It means Camilla, 75, becoming ‘Queen’ is an unprecedented step, especially after the late Queen Elizabeth confirmed last year that she would be known as Queen Consort.”
It has further been explained that the key difference between Queen Camilla’s role, which sees her become Queen through marriage, and the title ‘Queen Regnant’, which refers to a woman who has ascended the throne and has sovereign power, is the line of succession. Only members of the royal family born in the direct line of succession can become monarchs.
The decision of King Charles III who is said to have insisted that his wife will be referred to as Queen is reported to have split opinions within the royal family and has also been subjected to considerable public debate and media commentaries.
Both King Charles III and Queen Camilla are divorcees, another departure from the strict traditions of the British monarchy.
The history and strict traditions on which the British monarch is based replete with its symbolisms have also come for rigorous scrutiny in the British and international press, on the same scale that the elaborate and complex ceremony of the coronation is held in awe and admired.
The event will have added a tremendous boost to tourism in the UK, especially the capital London, with the impact on the economy expected to have eclipsed the cost of the event.
Attention is now focused on King Charles III, what kind of king will he be and what his Carolean era will be known for.
Normally outspoken on a range of issues, especially climate change, the King is now expected to adopt a more neutral stance.
He has been quoted as saying that his duties as monarch will mean that he will longer have the time to dedicate to the many issues and charities he has championed. However, the King is expected to remain as patron of several including the Prince’s Trust which he established.
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