I managed to wake up just as they were entering the church. I found a way to watch a British broadcast so I'm not hearing any American talking over as they are prone to do.

So much music, so many gold-robed clergy, such a variety of colours, with people dressed up as if going to a smart wedding. And 4000 armed forces people marching very precisely. Gorgeous pageantry, which England has always excelled in.

It was a great occasion.  

I chose to watch Norwegian TV, which used the BBC pictures - a much better idea than insisting on getting a spot for their own cameras. There were translated subtitles on most of the set wording. If the English had been hard to understand, I would have preferred English subtitles, but it wasn't hard at all. The Archbishop had a good and clear voice, so there was nothing I didn't get of what he was saying, nothing blurred or slurred. Same with the King's voice. A few 'thou's and 'thy's made no problem.

There were discreet Norwegian comments, nothing intrusive, mostly some explanations of what was going on while nothing was being said. Perhaps I can find the original BBC version too and have another look there as well, later. Lots of it is worth watching more than once (at least for someone who doesn't need to go to work ).

All the gold and jewels - splendid uniforms and clothing - solemn words and lovely music. Really worth spending some of my time on. I noticed once, probably while the King and Queen were on the balcony, where the armed forces gave them three hurrahs - the camera was close enough to the commander that I could see him giving commands to all to take their hats off (including the bearskin hats) and then lift them high for each hurrah. Great precision. Yes, they're so good at all that.

One thing that stood out was the lady holding the sword. Aside from this being the first time women got to participate, her outfit was stunning. Does anyone know what the significance of the colors are for that outfit? 

With the addition of women, I know some of the outfits have never been seen before. 

From https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/royal-family/penny-mordaunt-conservative-mp-outfit-designer-b2334257.html

Penny Mordaunt, Leader of the House of Commons and Lord President of the Privy Council, was the surprise star of King Charles III’s coronation with her fierce outfit and stoney-faced sword-bearing.
[...]
The politician wore a teal caped dress designed by luxury ready-to-wear brand Safiyaa, embroidered with a fern motif, which is a nod to the privy council. The teal colour, called “Poseidon”, is a reference to her Portsmouth constituency.
[...]
The 50-year-old politician was chosen Leader of the House of Commons and Lord President of the Privy Council, a formal body of advisers to the sovereign, on 6 September 2022.

She had told another journalist that "she had been doing press-ups ahead of the big day and had practised using a weighted replica."

I think she did a great job, and I agree that her outfit was stunning. But probably no historical significance about it. Perhaps only reasonable, as no woman had ever been in that position before?

I figured there wasn't historical significance, but I figured they picked the color and fern for a reason. thanks! I love they specifically tied it back to her constituents.

In the article I linked to above, they also say,

A source told The Sunday Times last month: “She is paying for [her outfit] herself as there is no budget for it, and no question that any taxpayers’ money should be spent on it. Penny has said that after the coronation she might sell it and use the money to fund future uniforms for women.”

I guess she should be able to sell it for a considerable sum now!

Posted by: @varna

I guess she should be able to sell it for a considerable sum now!

Penny Mordaunt might also be able to put her dress in a museum, when there are such museums in London, in particular, featuring different costumes from history, & when the Coronation & her part in it was definitely historic. I noted the really puffy sleeves of the yellow dress, worn by the singer, Pretty Yende. One of my daughters said that particular dress was worn for operatic emphasis, when it make the singer easier to see. 

The Archbishop had a good and clear voice, so there was nothing I didn't get of what he was saying, nothing blurred or slurred. Same with the King's voice. A few 'thou's and 'thy's made no problem.

But what about the Latin, the Greek, the Irish Gaelic, the Scottish Gaelic, not to mention the Welsh, as I say, a little mischievously? Not that I noticed them all that much, myself, when I was often too busy watching what happened, & when the words went rather quickly.  

Despite the rain, I really loved the processions, when not only the Diamond Jubilee Coach was used, but also Jim Frecklington's State Bicentenary Coach as well, bringing back from Westminster Abbey, the Duke & Duchess of Gloucester. I noticed the doors of that Bicentenary Coach showed the Commonwealth of Australia coat of arms, unless I was seei  ng things. The Princess Royal rode back from the Abbey. As Gold Stick-in-waiting, she was to lead that return procession. 

It was a most splendid ceremony and very moving — I believe the UK is the last remaining monarchy in Europe that actually has a full-on coronation ceremony like this, and when people ask "Why??" or suggest it's a waste of money... I honestly reckon it justifies itself well enough. And it's a very long-standing tradition, as shown in this famous illustration of the coronation of King Harold in the newly-built Westminster Abbey in 1066! (Which, as all students of English history will remember, induced one William of Normandy to come calling via Hastings later that year... )

So much could be commented on and already has been, but I'll just remark on a couple of things I thought were very special. At the anointing, which is the part that's never shown to the public, it was awesome to hear Zadok the Priest — I think I've mentioned that that was composed by Handel for the coronation of King George II in 1727 and has been played at every British monarch's coronation since then!! — but, as a needleworker myself, I was most taken by the beautiful embroidery on the screen that shielded the King from view. You can read a bit about it and see close-ups of it here. I hadn't realised on the day that the leaves of the tree have the names of the Commonwealth nations on them, which makes it even more meaningful to me as an Australian. But what I especially love is the quote at the bottom of the screen — "All shall be well and all manner of thing shall be well." That's from Julian of Norwich, a 14th-century female English visionary whose writings, known as Revelations of Divine Love, are very dear to me and many others. I assume Charles is also familiar with her and chose the quote himself.

The other moment that most stood out to me was when Prince William came to kneel and pay homage, and he kissed his father on the cheek as he stood up — and you could just see in Charles's face at that moment, how deeply moved he was and how much love there is between father and son. That I think was the most special of all.

@courtenay: I was most taken by the beautiful embroidery on the screen that shielded the King from view. You can read a bit about it and see close-ups of it here. I hadn't realised on the day that the leaves of the tree have the names of the Commonwealth nations on them, which makes it even more meaningful to me as an Australian.

Yes, it wasn't until your link gave me the chance to see the detail on that screen up close, that I realised what you meant, and thank you. And it wasn't just the fourteen countries who are constitutional monarchies with Charles III as their King on those embroidered leaves. It was all the 54 Commonweath countries, which is much better to think about, at the moment, when King Charles III was already elected in 2018 to succeed his mother as Head of the Commonwealth. 

Most other coronations have gone, when there has been a pronounced secularisation of the role of a monarch, throughout Europe, since WW2, at any rate. Though a monarchy was reinstated in Spain, after the death of General Franco, King Juan Carlos I had a somewhat reduced role as Head of State, compared to his forebears. When Felipe VI became Spain's new King in 2014, he had little more than a swearing in, with a sitting of Parliament as witness, if I remember right. Even USA gives their presidents somewhat more impressive inaugurations. 

Only UK retains a link with the Church of England, when its monarch is Defender of the Faith & the Temporal Governor of the Church of England, with the Archbishop of Canterbury the Spiritual Head of the Church of England, when that particular role would demand an ordained priest. None of UK's monarchs have been ordained priests, which explains why the late Queen could become Governor of the Church of England, even though at her accession, women couldn't be priests at that time. I learned from the BBC coverage that the first English coronation was for Edgar the Peaceful in Bath Cathedral, which must therefore have been older than Westminster Abbey. 

Posted by: @waggawerewolf27

I learned from the BBC coverage that the first English coronation was for Edgar the Peaceful in Bath Cathedral, which must therefore have been older than Westminster Abbey. 

It is! Edgar was crowned in Bath Abbey in 973 AD, whereas Westminster Abbey was completed in 1066, just in time for the coronation of Harold, the last Anglo-Saxon king before the Norman Conquest. Most of the present-day Bath Abbey dates from later than that, though — here's a short timeline of people and stories from its history. Bath is one of my favourite cities in England (or anywhere else in the world) — it's THE most beautiful city I have ever seen anywhere, honestly — and the Abbey is one of my favourite buildings in it, so I hope no-one will mind me taking your comment on this slightly off-topic digression...  

Yes, we have been to Bath, & I agree it is a very interesting city, with those Regency terraced houses, not to mention the Highgrove shop, there. I wish I'd gone into the Cathedral, to have a look, but we had to keep moving, when we were on a bus tour, & were having lunch at a pub called the Red Lion, 🦁 at a place called Lacock Abbey where they also have a tithe barn, before returning back to visit Stonehenge & London. We visited the Roman baths, there, the reason why Bath is called in Latin, Aqua Sulis, but I had to find a camera shop to get batteries & a chip for my battered camera, & nearly lost this camera when I left it at the Red Lion when we went for a walk to the tithe barn. Fortunately, I recovered it, in time, before the bus left for London.  

It seems that King Charles III and Queen Camilla will be facing another coronation of sorts. When in the first week of July, the Honours of Scotland will be put in use, to crown King Charles as King of Scots we may see it. Nothing as fancy as his London coronation, but this time he will be crowned in Edinburgh's St Giles, I should imagine. 

Posted by: @waggawerewolf27

It seems that King Charles III and Queen Camilla will be facing another coronation of sorts. When in the first week of July, the Honours of Scotland will be put in use, to crown King Charles as King of Scots we may see it. Nothing as fancy as his London coronation, but this time he will be crowned in Edinburgh's St Giles, I should imagine. 

Do you know whether thy will use the Stone of Destiny again? It may be more of a hassle moving that down to St Giles than moving the crown and the rest of the Honours of Scotland, though.

I don't know, for certain. But when the Stone of Destiny (or the Stone of Scone, which is what it is usually called) was shifted to London for the Coronation on May 6th, it may have been already shifted straight to St Giles, for the Scottish formalities. St Giles is only at the other end of The Royal Mile from Edinburgh Castle, which was built on top of a volcanic crag, & is where the Scottish Honours are usually held. St Giles is at the bottom of the hill, near to the old Holyrood Palace, over the road from the relatively new Holyrood Parliament for Scotland, itself. Holyrood Palace is where Mary, Queen of Scots lived, when she returned from France, in 1561.

I don't know much about this coronation, & the only reason I know anything at all about it, is because I read Daily Express articles, when we also get the weekly print copy of the International Express, locally, in Australia. I have a fleeting recollection of hearing, sometime or the other, that the Scots were disappointed that Elizabeth II wore only day clothes for her own Scottish coronation, in 1953. Maybe, in Scotland, they will all wear kilts, which might be something to see, when as Duke of Rothesay, and therefore the heir to the throne, the now King Charles was the only one who was allowed to wear the style of tartan that went with that name & title.  

I hope I am not posting too soon, but I hope it is justified by the news I bring, about this Scottish coronation on July 5th, as follows:

The government of Scotland has announced that the crowning of King Charles and Queen Camilla will be honoured on July 5 - during Scotland's Royal week - with special processions and a church service in Edinburgh.

The event will essentially be another coronation but with an unmistakable Scottish twist.

It will begin with the Honours of Scotland - which includes the crown of King James V of Scotland, a sceptre and a sword of state - being collected by a People's Procession "involving around 100 people representing aspects of Scottish life" from Edinburgh Castle.

This procession, along with the Royal Regiment of Scotland (the only Scottish line infantry of the British Army), will then make its way to St. Giles' Cathedral.

Meanwhile, a Royal Procession will also travel to St Giles' Cathedral from the Palace of Holyroodhouse.

Members of the public will be able to watch both processions along the Royal Mile.

Once inside the cathedral, a National Service of Thanksgiving will take place and King Charles will be presented with the Honours of Scotland.

Following the service, a 21-gun salute will be fired from Edinburgh Castle and the Royal Procession will head back to the Palace of the Holyroodhouse.

Unfortunately, I don't know if it will be televised, something that would be useful to know. My information comes from  Australia's Sky News, today. I don't know how much is known about it in England, New Zealand, Canada or elsewhere.