'WE'RE WITNESSING A NEW BEGINNING WITH CHARLES'

A LESS ARCHAIC CORONATION WILL SET THE TONE FOR THE 7S REIGN, SAYS A ROYAL EXPERT

The year 2023 marks one of the most important of King Charles III’s life. Centring on his coronation on 6 May, it’s a year that will usher in a new era for the monarchy and a time in which the King will pay tribute to his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, who died last September, and her steadfast, constant and dutiful 70-year reign.

Former royal correspondent Jennie Bond believes King Charles, 74, will use the turn of the year to enter this milestone period with “enormous enthusiasm” with his “guardian angel”, Camilla, by his side.

She says he is working “very hard” to make his coronation more “inclusive, relevant and less archaic” while ensuring it echoes the “gravity and solemnity” of the Queen’s investiture in 1953. She says, “2022 was an extraordinary and traumatic year in so many ways. It had lots of ups and downs – the Platinum Jubilee, the Queen’s passing, her funeral and the continuation of the Prince Harry and Meghan saga.

“What we’re all witnessing with the New Year is the end of an era and the true beginning of a new era. The job is now securely Charles’s and he will forge through the year with enormous enthusiasm.

“He has such a strong work ethic and he will clearly be looking towards the coronation. Whether it’s actually an event he’ll enjoy is probably questionable. It’s clearly going to be a big event, as witnessed by the Cabinet meeting recently that suggested it’s going to be even more enormous than the funeral of the Queen in terms of state attendees.”