The Coronation of King Charles

Synopsis

In King Charles the Wise, Nicholas Hagger celebrated Prince Charles’s humanitarian vision and foresaw the birth of a united world. In The Coronation of King Charles he celebrates the coming Carolingian Age. The hope is that all the divisions within the UK and problems of humankind will be resolved under a new democratic World State working to abolish war, enforce disarmament, combat famine, disease and poverty, and solve the world’s environmental and ecological problems of climate change and global warming; and that King Charles, Head of a Commonwealth of 53 nation-states, will work to bring his humanitarian vision to all the world’s nations. Following the tradition of Ben Jonson’s 17th-century court masques in verse and of his own masques The Dream of Europa and King Charles the Wise, which incorporate the blend of mythology and history and five sections (prologue, antimasque, masque, revels and epilogue) found in all masques. Hagger sets the third masque in his trilogy in London's Banqueting House, where masques were performed before James I. This coronation masque contains three pageant entertainments that are viewed by King Charles before his coronation and contrast the disorder and political chaos before his reign with the order and harmony of his new Carolingian Age. His philosopher-King’s concern to benefit the lot of all humankind is applauded by the Universalist God of the One who assumes protean forms - the gods of all faiths including Biblical Israel’s Yahweh and Olympian Zeus - and cares for all creation, and watches over him. King Charles, co-author of Harmony, is shown as presiding over what promises to be an Age of Universal Harmony.

Summary

Chapter 1: The Anointing

* Overview of the Coronation Service, with a focus on the anointing ceremony.
* Explanation of the symbolic significance of the anointing oil and the role of the Archbishop of Canterbury.

Real Example:

On the day of the Coronation, King Charles III was anointed with a mixture of olive oil, musk, ambergris, and other precious ingredients. The Archbishop of Canterbury poured the oil onto Charles's head and made the sign of the cross on his brow, chest, and palms. This act symbolized Charles's divine appointment and consecration as king.

Chapter 2: The Investiture

* Process of investing the new monarch with the symbols of royal authority.
* Description of the ceremonial robes, crown, scepter, and orb.

Real Example:

Charles was invested with the imperial mantle, a magnificent red velvet robe adorned with gold embroidery. He received the Sovereign's Scepter, a golden staff surmounted by a dove, and the Sovereign's Orb, a golden sphere representing the world itself. As he put on the Imperial State Crown, the choir sang "God Save the King."

Chapter 3: The Enthronement

* Symbolic seating of the monarch on the throne.
* Declaration of allegiance by the Archbishop of Canterbury and other high-ranking officials.

Real Example:

After the investiture, Charles was led to the throne in Westminster Abbey. He sat down on the chair of state, which is known as the King's Stone. The Archbishop of Canterbury then proclaimed Charles as the rightful king and invited the peers of the realm to pay homage.

Chapter 4: The Homage

* Ceremonial act where subjects pledge their loyalty and obedience to the new monarch.
* Description of the various ranks of peers and their roles in the homage.

Real Example:

Beginning with the highest-ranking peers, each member of the House of Lords and House of Commons approached the throne and knelt before King Charles. They placed their hands between his and swore an oath to "be faithful and loyal and bear true allegiance."

Chapter 5: The Anointing

* Second anointing ceremony, this time with holy oil.
* Significance of the anointing as a symbol of divine favor and protection.

Real Example:

After the homage, the Archbishop of Canterbury anointed Charles's head with holy oil, saying, "May the Lord, who consecrates you as King over your people, so grant you all kingly graces that under your rule your people may live in peace and prosperity."

Chapter 6: The Communion

* Religious ceremony where the King and Queen receive bread and wine as a symbol of their covenant with God and his people.
* Explanation of the liturgical significance of the communion service.

Real Example:

King Charles III and Queen Consort Camilla received communion at the altar in Westminster Abbey. The Archbishop of Canterbury presided over the service and offered prayers for the new monarch and the nation.

Chapter 7: The Crowning

* Culmination of the Coronation Service, where the new monarch is officially crowned.
* Description of the elaborate ceremony and the symbolism behind it.

Real Example:

As the organ played "God Save the King," the Archbishop of Canterbury placed the Imperial State Crown on Charles's head. The crown, weighing over two kilograms, is adorned with thousands of precious stones and is a symbol of the sovereign's authority and the unity of the realm.