The day of King Charles III’s coronation on Saturday was momentous and full of unexpected surprises.
CNN examines some of the most notable incidents.
For the most dramatic portion of the liturgy on Saturday at Westminster Abbey in London, Charles was concealed from view.
The Archbishop of Canterbury anointed Charles on his head, breast, and hands in accordance with the Church of England’s ritual after the Dean of Westminster applied holy oil to the Coronation Spoon from the Ampulla, a gold eagle-shaped flask.
The 12th-century, silver-gilt spoon is the oldest object used in coronations. In the background, the Choir of Westminster Abbey sang the anthemic “Zadok the Priest” by George Frideric Handel, which was composed for the coronation of King George II in 1727 and performed at every British coronation since.
Once he re-emerged, the Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby placed St. Edward’s Crown upon Charles III’s head. It was the only time Charles will ever wear St. Edward’s Crown, which is reserved for the coronation of a new monarch; the crown was made for the new King’s namesake, Charles II, in 1661.
After crowning Charles, Welby shouted: “God Save the King.” Those in attendance repeated the words.
Soon after, Camilla was also crowned. Like her husband, she was anointed with holy oil by the Archbishop of Canterbury – this time in full view of the audience – before having Queen Mary’s Crown placed on her head.
Music underpinned the entire celebration, in keeping with history. Each stage was marked by either a grand choral work, an ethereal motet, an extravagant organ composition or an evocative melody, all performed by some of the most accomplished singers and musicians in the world.
King Charles and Queen Camilla entered the abbey to the strains of “I was glad,” the stirring coronation anthem written by Hubert Parry for the coronation of King Edward VII in 1902 and sung at all coronations since then.
But the old was blended with the new; Charles had asked Andrew Lloyd Webber – whose music is more familiar to audiences in the West End than congregations in Westminster Abbey – to write a Coronation Anthem, “Make a Joyful Noise,” which played after Camilla was enthroned.
And this event featured the first ever appearance by a gospel choir at a coronation; dressed in resplendent white, the Ascension Choir performed ‘Alleluia’ just before the Archbishop’s sermon.
Thousands of people had packed into Westminster Abbey.
Decked in a teal cape and cap with gold detailing, a woman in blue commanded attention as she wielded an important object of the coronation regalia – the Sword of Offering or the Jewelled Sword, before and after the investiture, when it was used. But who is she?
Penny Mordaunt is a Conservative lawmaker in the United Kingdom, and has been since 2010.
She was involved in the ceremony because, as the current Leader of the House of Commons, she is also the Lord President of the Privy Council – a body formed of senior politicians who act as the monarch’s official advisers.
The council’s president is involved in a variety of royal ceremonies, acting as a symbolic bridge between the King or Queen and the country’s elected officials. Mordaunt spoke at the Proclamation of King Charles, two days after the Queen’s death.
Queen Camilla was a regal sight in ivory, silver and gold. But who was she wearing?
Unsurprisingly, it was a British designer, Bruce Oldfield, who she has a longstanding relationship with.
Simple, tailored and cut from Peau de Soie, a silk fabric with a dull luster finish, her coronation dress was more akin to a coat dress with an embroidered underskirt as opposed to a traditional dress.
Arriving at Westminster Abbey before the service, her dress was protected by the crimson velvet and ermine Robe of State that was originally made for Queen Elizabeth’s coronation.
Peeping out beneath her dress were shoes in the same silk as her clothing, made by British designer Elliot Zed.
Never one to disappoint at royal events, Prince Louis, the youngest child of the Prince and Princess of Wales, again stole the show during segments of the coronation ceremony.
Keen-eyed viewers may have noticed the 5-year-old yawning, sitting between his mother, the Princess of Wales, and sister Princess Charlotte, but then pulling a disappearing act from the service.
It was thought the young royal might leave early, but luckily for fans, he returned before the end of the service.
For those who don’t remember, Louis gained global infamy during the late Queen’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations in June, where he was captured throwing a tantrum and covering his ears while screaming during the flypast.
Meanwhile, there was widespread speculation before Saturday as to whether Prince Harry would be at his father’s coronation.
The Duke of Sussex attended the coronation ceremony at Westminster Abbey on Saturday, sitting in the third row.
Wearing a morning suit with his military medals, Harry arrived alongside his uncles, Prince Edward and Prince Andrew, and two of his cousins, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie.
Prince Harry attended without his wife, Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, who reportedly stayed back in the US with their children on the account of Archie’s fourth birthday.
The coronation marked the first time the prince publicly met members of his family since the release of his memoir, “Spare.”
After it ended, he was seen talking and smiling with his cousins amidst a downpour, before he took a car on his own.
He did not appear with members of the royal family to greet the public from the balcony of Buckingham Palace on Saturday afternoon – a flagship part of royal events.
CNN understands that Prince Harry did not receive an invitation to join the family for this balcony moment, which featured a slimmed-down flypast by the Royal Air Force. Prince Andrew wasn’t present either.
The weather did not favor King Charles – and while crowds seemed unperturbed by the rain, it did alter plans for the traditional Royal Air Force flypast.
The display was formed only of helicopters and the colorful Red Arrows, and not the expected Typhoons, Spitfires, Hurricanes and Lancaster bombers.
But crowds instead enjoyed not one but two appearances on the balcony by the new King and Queen, who provided an encore after seemingly waving goodbye to supporters.
That wrapped up an eventful day, which had drawn thousands onto London’s streets.
