The Duke and Duchess of Clarence

Chapter Eighteen: Coronation of Charles III and Camilla

Charles walked in front with George, Oliver Cholmondeley, Nicholas Barclay and Ralph Tollemache serving as his pages, Camilla was behind him with Gus and Louis Lopes, Freddy Parker Bowles, Arthur Elliot serving as her pages.

Behind Camilla was William and Catherine, followed by Charlotte and Louis with Simon and Adeline behind them with Daphne and Sebastian drawing the procession to a close. 

The procession was led by four peers carrying heraldic standards displaying the arms of England, Northern Ireland, Scotland, and Wales, followed by the King's Champion, Francis Dymoke, carrying the Royal Standard. Camilla was also accompanied by two ladies in attendance: Annabel Elliot, her sister, and the Marchioness of Lansdowne. 

The choir sang Hubert Parry's "I was glad" as the procession made its way down the aisle in slow procession down the aisle towards the front of the aisle. 

Adeline couldn't help but feel a little emotional, she blinked back tears and smiled as Simon reached over and squeezed her hand; Daphne took hold of Sebastian's hand as they passed into the main part of the abbey and the King's Scholars of Westminster School sang "Vivat Regina Camilla" and "Vivat Rex Carolus". 

After this the coronation regalia was carried in procession to the altar and at Charles's request, the sixth-century St Augustine Gospels was also carried in the procession. 

The Coronation Chair, which housed the Stone of Scone, was used by Charles during the ceremony. For this coronation, the chair was fitted with a new seat cushion and armrests. 

Taking their seats, Adeline and William shared an emotional look as the music echoed around the abbey; this was what the British were known for, this was what they did better than everyone else in the world. 

The service, conducted by the Archbishop of Canterbury, began with the King and Queen having a silent moment of prayer before seating themselves on their chairs of estate, made for the 1953 coronation.

In a new element of the service, the king was welcomed by one of the Children of the Chapel, to which he replied that he came "not to be served but to serve". Paul Mealor's "Coronation Kyrie" was sung in Welsh by Sir Bryn Terfel. 

After this the Archbishop of Canterbury, Lady Elish Angiolini, Christopher Finney, and Baroness Amos stood facing east, south, west, and north and in turn asked the congregation to recognise Charles as king; the crowd replied "God save King Charles!" each time. 

Charles was then presented with a new Bible by the Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland. 

The Archbishop of Canterbury acknowledged the existence of multiple faiths and beliefs in the United Kingdom. 

Charles then took the coronation oath, in which he swore to govern each of his countries according to their respective laws and customs, to administer law and justice with mercy, and to uphold Protestantism in the United Kingdom and protect the Church of England. 

Subsequently, he made the statutory accession declaration. Charles then signed a written form of the oath, before kneeling before the altar and saying a prayer. 

The service of Holy Communion then continued. The Archbishop of Canterbury delivered the collect, and the epistle and gospel were read by the prime minister, Rishi Sunak, and the bishop of London, Sarah Mullally, respectively. 

This was followed by a sermon by the Archbishop of Canterbury. Charles removed his robe of state and was seated on the Coronation Chair, the coverings blocking the view of the Coronation Chair and shielding away the most sacred moment of the anointment. 

He was anointed with holy oil by the Archbishop of Canterbury, using the ampulla and a medieval spoon, the latter the oldest part of the coronation regalia. The anointing emphasised the spiritual role of the sovereign.