King Charles III and his wife, Queen Camilla, were crowned in London Saturday, in a grand spectacle, awash with pomp and ceremony.
More than 2,200 guests from across the world, including from Romania, joined the royal family at the historic Westminster Abbey for the first coronation in 70 years. Thousands of spectators lined the streets to watch the procession through the city.
The ceremony featured medieval traditions but also included modern touches — with non-Christian-faith leaders playing an important role. Charles seeks to project a more inclusive image at a time when younger generations, and many Commonwealth countries around the world, are questioning the future of the monarchy.
Heir to the throne Prince William and his wife Catherine, the princess of Wales, were accompanied by their three young children. The youngest, Louis, 5, charmed audiences with his yawns and waves.
Harry also attended but was seated in the third row and did not appear on the Buckingham Palace balcony.
The coronation represented a key moment for Camilla who was denied a church wedding to Charles because of her role in the divorce. On Saturday she was anointed and crowned queen.
Thousands of anti-monarchy demonstrators protested in London’s Trafalgar Square. Half a dozen were detained by police.
Romania was represented by President Klaus Iohannis and his wife and Princess Margaret and husband, Prince Radu.
Her father, the late King Michael was forced to abdicate when the communists swept to power after World War II.
„I am honored to be in London today to take part in the celebrations on the occasion of the coronation of His Majesty King Charles III,” said President Iohannis on Friday on Facebook. “It is a historic moment and a celebration of the traditions of the British monarchy.”
„Today’s coronation in London connects the past with the present, a 1,000-year historical tradition. It is a tradition that has continued through wars, cataclysms, revolutions and fundamental changes. His Majesty King Charles is crowned after nearly six decades of devoted service to the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth. All my life I have witnessed his devotion to the Crown and the nation,” Princess Margaret, the Custodian of the Crown said in a message on Saturday.
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