At the coronation of King Charles III on May 6, 2023, King Charles and Queen Camilla reached Westminster Abbey earlier than planned. This unexpected arrival, combined with the delayed arrival of Prince William, Princess Kate, and their two younger children, resulted in a momentary logistical adjustment at the momentous occasion.
In his book “The Making of a King: King Charles III and the Modern Monarchy,” royal biographer Robert Hardman writes that the King and Queen were at the venue awaiting the arrival of key family members who were supposed to be there before them. According to tradition, the Prince and Princess of Wales and their offspring were to enter eight minutes prior to the King and Queen. However, they were a minute and a half late, a delay that went unnoticed by the attendees inside the abbey.
The timing issue added a touch of tension to an already tightly planned day. King Charles III voiced his dissatisfaction with the timing issue to Sky News, stating, “We can never be on time… There’s always something… This is boring.” This situation highlights the pressures that come with being under constant media watch.
Hardman’s book cites multiple theories about the cause of the delay. Some believe that the Prince and Princess of Wales filming a coronation video could have contributed to their tardiness, while others surmise that the King’s early arrival, which disrupted the planned order of the procession, was the cause.
The organizers of the event were forced to quickly adjust, modifying the entry sequence so that the Prince and Princess of Wales and their children followed the King and Queen instead of leading as originally planned.
Despite these minor adjustments, the coronation ceremony proceeded without any additional issues. Prince William honored his father, acknowledging his position in the line of succession. Interestingly, Prince George served as a Page of Honor, becoming the first future monarch to hold an official role in a coronation service.
The day concluded with Prince William, Princess Kate, and their children joining King Charles III on the Buckingham Palace balcony, emphasizing their significant roles in the continuing evolution of the royal family.
