Current:Home > MarketsKing Charles III has a rainy coronation day – just like his mother's. Here are other similarities and differences between the ceremonies. -AssetVision
King Charles III has a rainy coronation day – just like his mother's. Here are other similarities and differences between the ceremonies.
View
Date:2025-04-17 14:41:00
Some people say rain on a wedding day is good luck – but what about a coronation day? Well, it rained for Queen Elizabeth II's coronation in 1953 and it is raining during the coronation for her son, King Charles III.
According to weather records for June 2, 1953, the morning began with clouds and "spot or two of rain" which became heavier. The cloudy weather continued throughout the day and it was cold for June, according the U.K.'s Met Office.
As journalist Ellen Castelow wrote for Historic U.K.: "The only problem on the actual day was the typical British weather…it poured with rain!"
During King Charles III coronation on May 6, a tent was propped up at the entrance of Westminster Abbey to shield guests from the rain. The weather was 57 degrees Fahrenheit and rainy, which was expected to persist until the afternoon.
There are some other similarities between the two coronations. Both monarchs assumed the role after their parent died, but their coronations were held months later. Queen Elizabeth II's coronation was not held for more than a year after her father, King George VI died in 1952. King Charles III is being coronated about eight months after his mother died.
At 74 years old, King Charles III is the oldest person to be crowned a British monarch. Queen Elizabeth II was not the youngest, but she was just 25 years old when she became the monarch. She was also Britain's longest-reigning monarch — and one of the longest-serving monarchs in the world — serving for more than 70 years until her death last year at 96.
Both were coronated at Westminster Abbey, as is customary, but there were some differences. Charles' wife, Camilla, will be crowned alongside him. She was initially given the title of queen consort, but coronation invitations referred to her as queen. Charles' father, Prince Phillip, was not crowned in 1953 with Queen Elizabeth. But he was by his wife's side for most of the momentous day.
Charles' ceremony is smaller than his mother's – with around 2,000 guests, compared to her 8,000. The regalia they wear will be different, as will the oath Charles recites and the procession route they take back to Buckingham Palace.
But once back at the palace, senior members of the royal family will gather on the balcony for their signature photo op, just as Queen Elizabeth II did on her coronation day.
- In:
- King Charles III
- British Royal Family
- Queen Elizabeth II
Caitlin O'Kane is a digital content producer covering trending stories for CBS News and its good news brand, The Uplift.
veryGood! (85618)
Related
- EU countries double down on a halt to Syrian asylum claims but will not yet send people back
- DeSantis Promised in 2018 That if Elected Governor, He Would Clean Up Florida’s Toxic Algae. The Algae Are Still Blooming
- With Revenue Flowing Into Its Coffers, a German Village Broadens Its Embrace of Wind Power
- Revisit Ariana Grande and Dalton Gomez's Love Story After Their Break Up
- As Trump Enters Office, a Ripe Oil and Gas Target Appears: An Alabama National Forest
- Jamie Lee Curtis Has the Ultimate Response to Lindsay Lohan Giving Birth to Her First Baby
- The Complicated Reality of John F. Kennedy Jr. and Carolyn Bessette's Tragic, Legendary Love Story
- Why Kate Winslet Absolutely Roasted Robert Downey Jr. After His Failed The Holiday Audition
- 'Most Whopper
- Ariana Grande and Dalton Gomez Break Up After 2 Years of Marriage
Ranking
- Friday the 13th luck? 13 past Mega Millions jackpot wins in December. See top 10 lottery prizes
- Chicago’s Little Village Residents Fight for Better City Oversight of Industrial Corridors
- Minnesota Emerges as the Midwest’s Leader in the Clean Energy Transition
- How Wildfire Smoke from Australia Affected Climate Events Around the World
- McKinsey to pay $650 million after advising opioid maker on how to 'turbocharge' sales
- Ohio Environmentalists, Oil Companies Battle State Over Dumping of Fracking Wastewater
- Wildfire Haze Adds To New York’s Climate Change Planning Needs
- Revisit Ariana Grande and Dalton Gomez's Love Story After Their Break Up
Recommendation
US wholesale inflation accelerated in November in sign that some price pressures remain elevated
Massage Must-Haves From Miko That Take the Stress Out of Your Summer
Carlee Russell Found: Untangling Case of Alabama Woman Who Disappeared After Spotting Child on Interstate
California Bill Would Hit Oil Companies With $1 Million Penalty for Health Impacts
Rylee Arnold Shares a Long
Vying for a Second Term, Can Biden Repair His Damaged Climate and Environmental Justice Image?
Fossil Fuel Companies and Cement Manufacturers Could Be to Blame for a More Than a Third of West’s Wildfires
The Financial Sector Is Failing to Estimate Climate Risk, Say Two Groups in the UK