King Charles III (74) will not be crowned until May 6th, but preparations for the ceremony are already in full swing. So have Patriarch Theophilos III. (70) and Archbishop Hosam Naoum (50) in Jerusalem blessed the chrism oil with which the king is to be anointed. A series of images published on the British royal family’s official Instagram channel documents the ritual.
As can be seen from the caption, olives from the groves of the Monastery of Mary Magdalene and the Assumption Monastery were used in the production of the oil. King Charles III. a special connection: it is the burial place of his paternal grandmother, Princess Alice of Greece (1885-1969).
The oil’s recipe is based on that of Queen Elizabeth II’s coronation oil (1926-2022) and has a long tradition. King’s wife Camilla (75) is also to be anointed with it.
The logo for the coronation is already there next to the oil. It will be used at street festivals, on social media and on souvenirs and features an image with flowers in the shape of the Edwardian crown. There is a rose for England, a daffodil for Wales, a thistle for Scotland and a shamrock for Northern Ireland.
The floral design in wine red and dark blue underlines the “spring optimism” and reflects the king’s love of nature, quoted the Buckingham Palace designer Sir Jony Ive (56). It continued: “The design was inspired by King Charles’ love for the planet, nature and deep concern for nature.”
The coronation ceremony will take place on May 6th in London’s Westminster Abbey. On the day there will also be a carriage procession and the traditional appearance of the royal family on the balcony of Buckingham Palace. A music concert and light show is scheduled at Windsor Castle on Sunday 7 May. On May 8th, the British will have an additional public holiday with events in honor of people who do voluntary work.
