What happens next is the absolute heart of the ancient rite: the anointing. Abbott slept in this chair 5-6 July 1800.') And even though it has been refurbished over the centuries, the Coronation Chair still bears graffiti, including this cheeky carving: 'P. (Fun facts: The BBC calls the chair the oldest piece of furniture still used for its original purpose in the U.K. Then the monarch puts his hand on a Bible and takes an oath to uphold the law and be a 'faithful Protestant.' (In addition to being Britain's head of state, he's also the head of the Church of England.)Īfter the oath, the king's glittering golden robes will be removed, and he'll sit on an ancient wooden chair in front of a high altar. There may be trumpets and exclamations of 'God save the king!' (In past coronations, it was only the aristocrats in the room who were asked to do this.) First, the public - even people watching on TV from home - will be asked to swear allegiance to King Charles.

It will take place behind the anointing screen.Īfter a procession into Westminster Abbey and presentation of the regalia, the more than 1,000-year-old coronation ceremony will get underway. The most important moment in the coronation is the unction, the sacred act of anointing a monarch with holy oil, which signals that the monarch has been chosen by God. The anointing screen, handmade by the Royal School of Needlework, is blessed in front of a small congregation in the Chapel Royal at St.

Rose by Jewels Arthur