Well, it’s official, England has a newly crowned King.
King Charles III and his wife, Camilla, have made it through their coronation and all the drama that comes with it.
There was quite the lead up to the festivities, with more than a handful of celebrities taking to instagram and twitter to voice their dissent against the coronation, especially in light of the housing crisis the UK is currently facing. There were also arrests following protests of the event, with the BBC saying that Metro Police had always had intentions on carrying out these arrests.
Several celebs were also rumored to have declined to perform at the post-coronation concert. However, Lionel Richie and Katy Perry came through in the eleventh hour to put on a show. Tom Cruise also made an appearance.
The official coronation portrait of King Charles was unveiled on Monday. If the pose looks familiar, it’s because it’s similar to the one his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, struck for her own coronation portrait. Both are a departure from previous monarchs’ portraits that feature the new queen or king standing while holding the orb and scepter.
If you were looking for news about Prince Harry and his involvement in the ceremony, it’s been reported that he left immediately after the coronation to fly back to California to celebrate the fourth birthday of his son, Archie, with wife Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, and their daughter Lilibet. Harry didn’t seem to have a spot in the proceedings, walking into the procession between his cousins, Princesses Eugenie and Beatrice. This was the first time Harry had seen many of his family members since the release of his memoir, Spare.
Also making history in this event is conservative lawmaker Penny Mordaunt, as she was the first woman to wield the Sword of Offering, an important part of coronation regalia. Mordaunt is the Leader of the House of Commons and the Privy Council, the body that acts as the monarch’s advisors.
And after it all, the crowds who had packed the streets were met with the newly crowned King and Queen as they stepped out onto the balcony to wave to their supporters.