God save the king? As King Charles III prepares for his coronation, the monarch is facing backlash for a variety of reasons — many of which are pegged to his special day.
Charles, 74, took over the throne in September 2022 after the death of his mother, Queen Elizabeth II. The late monarch and longest reigning ruler in British history was 96 when she passed.
While the queen’s eldest son has already begun overseeing the U.K. and the Commonwealth, his official coronation will take place on Saturday, May 6. The ceremony will be held at Westminster Abbey and the king will later take his place on the Buckingham Palace balcony alongside his family to mark the beginning of his reign.
The next day, there will be a Coronation Concert and the Coronation Big Lunch, which consists of communities sharing a meal “in a nationwide act of celebration and friendship,” per Buckingham Palace.
The nation will cap off the weekend with a Bank Holiday on Monday, May 8. That day will also be known as the Big Help Out, which will highlight volunteer work across the U.K. organized by The Together Coalition.
Although the event is meant to be one of unity and honor, Charles’ family drama has overshadowed the coronation. In the wake of Prince Harry’s book release earlier this year, the royals have been feuding with Harry, 38, and his wife, Meghan Markle, for their harsh accusations of how the Firm has treated them in the past.
Even though Harry claimed in his memoir, Spare, that his father’s team planted stories about him and his brother, Prince William, in 2019, to get “good press for Pa,” Charles is trying to move past their issues.
“King Charles is a monarch, but he’s also a father,” royal expert Angela Levin exclusively told Us Weekly in February. “He loves Harry. He might not like what he’s doing, but he loves him and there’s a weakness there for him. He doesn’t want to lose him as a son.”
Harry, for his part, revealed in January that he wasn’t ruling out a return to the U.K. to celebrate the king. “There’s a lot that can happen between now and then,” the BetterUp CIO said during an ITV interview. “But, you know, the door is always open. The ball is in their court. There’s a lot to be discussed and I really hope that they are willing to sit down and talk about it.”
The former military pilot has a big decision to make regarding his attendance for the coronation. According to royal expert Alexander Larman, Harry will alienate his loved ones for good if he forgoes the historic event.
“If he [doesn’t] go to the coronation, he’s essentially saying, ‘I am not gonna have any relationship with my family ever again,’” the journalist exclusively told Us in March, noting that he’d be “amazed” if Harry didn’t make an appearance amid the rift.
Harry’s dynamic with the family, however, is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the controversy surrounding Charles’ coronation.
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Scroll down to see all the issues that plague the upcoming event:
When Queen Consort Camilla is crowned during the coronation, she will wear Queen Mary’s 1911 Coronation headpiece. While the crown is stunning it also has a controversial past as the Koh-i-noor diamond was set at the center of the cross on the top area. The Koh-i-noor jewel was seized by the East India Company in 1849 and was then presented to Queen Victoria and made part of the Crown Jewels. India, however, has launched a campaign asking for the U.K. to return the diamond, claiming it "brings back painful memories of the colonial past.” Afghanistan and Pakistan have also laid claim to the diamond. The Palace announced in February that Queen Mary’s crown will be modified for the ceremony and the Koh-i-noor diamond will be taken out. Camilla’s headpiece will also serve as a tribute to Elizabeth once the late monarch’s Cullinan III, IV and V diamonds, which she usually wore as brooches, are set into the crown. snapshot/Future Image/U Stamm/Shutterstock;Tristan Fewings/AP/Shutterstock
Following their exit as senior royals in early 2020, Harry and Meghan, 41, have been at odds with the majority of the royal family. Tension mounted after the prince published his memoir, Spare, in January, detailing his alleged hardships at the hands of the Firm and several relatives. Despite the drama, the twosome have been invited to attend Charles’ historic day in London. “I can confirm The Duke has recently received email correspondence from His Majesty’s office regarding the coronation,” a spokesperson for the Archewell founders told Us in March. “An immediate decision on whether The Duke and Duchess will attend will not be disclosed by us at this time.” While the olive branch has been extended to the Sussexes, a source exclusively told Us in February that William, 40, and Harry are still at odds. William has yet to publicly address Harry’s remarks about him being his brother’s “archenemies” — and the book allegations made about their reported physical fights in years past. “The palace is trying to come up with solutions to keep the peace and form some kind of reconnection and unity between William and Harry. It’s now or never,” the insider at the time. “The coronation is a time to celebrate, and no one wants this dark cloud hanging over the festivities on such a significant occasion.” John Nacion/NurPhoto/Shutterstock
Prince Andrew made headlines in 2019 when he was associated with sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The Duke of York, 63, was stripped of his titles and denied allegations of sexual abuse on his part — but his relationship with his family is still a sore spot for many. Ahead of the coronation, the Daily Mail reported that Andrew will have no ceremonial role since he is no longer a working royal. The publication noted in February that Andrew is still a Knight of the Garter, which is an ancient order of chivalry. The Garter Knights have traditionally played a part in the coronation ceremonies, including Elizabeth’s affair, where four members of the group stood by her Coronation Chair during her anointing. Like Harry, Andrew’s participation in any part of the ceremony has been kept under wraps. It is unlikely, however, that the king’s brother will join him on the balcony alongside the working royals. Shutterstock
On Sunday, May 7, a Coronation Concert will take place at Windsor Castle. The lineup, however, has remained a mystery after Adele, Harry Styles, Robbie Williams, the Spice Girls and Elton John all reportedly turned down the gig. According to Rolling Stone, all of the musician’s teams declined to comment on the matter. The “Piano Man” singer’s representatives, meanwhile, confirmed to the outlet in March that John, 76, was asked to perform but declined due to scheduling issues. Alberto Pezzali/AP/Shutterstock
The palace raised eyebrows when it was announced that the coronation ceremony will take place on Harry’s son Archie’s fourth birthday. "Archie’s birthday was the last thing they thought about," royal expert Tom Bower told Page Six in October 2022. "The date was chosen because it’s just before the state opening of Parliament and Charles will want to appear as King with his crown and the whole ceremonial [robes]." If Harry and Meghan do attend the ceremony, they will most likely be without their two children as they are both so young. When Elizabeth was crowned in 1953, Charles was able to attend at the age of 4 since he was next in line for the throne. His sister, Princess Anne, however, was only 2 and therefore dubbed “too young” by the royals. That logic could be used on Archie, who will be 4, and Lili, who will be 23 months at the time of the event. Shutterstock
Critics have questioned the price tag of such a lavish event amid the U.K.’s continued financial hardships — and near avoidance of a recession. According to the Mirror, the coronation planning committee called The Operation Golden Orb committee, estimated the event will cost $123 million. The exact numbers, however, have not been released. That number is much steeper than Elizabeth’s ceremony, which is estimated to have cost $1.9 million at the time, which equates to $56 million today. In addition to the coronation costs, the U.K. will receive a Bank Holiday on Monday, May 8, which costs money to for the country’s economy. On average a Bank Holiday comes in at $2.8 billion, according to a report by Centre for Economics and Business Research. Peter Nicholls/WPA Pool/Shutterstock
Traditionally, the sovereign is anointed by the Archbishop of Canterbury using holy oil behind a cloth canopy as it is a sacred moment. The king, however, has opted to use a transparent sheet so onlookers can actually see the anointment firsthand. The decision has caused a stir among the religious sect as many think the moment should remain private and sacred. Ben Stansall/AP/Shutterstock
The Mirror reported in February that a campaign of anti-monarchy protests are being planned to coincide with the kings’ big day. After a group called Republic tried to turn Buckingham Palace into a polling station in January, the group vowed to stage further protests against the crown leading up to the coronation and on the actual day of celebration. ANDY RAIN/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock
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