Crowning History
The combination of continuity and change has always been central to the genius of coronations, reassuring us that the past is being honoured, yet reaffirming the new order of things.
The combination of continuity and change has always been central to the genius of coronations, reassuring us that the past is being honoured, yet reaffirming the new order of things.
“Germany ceased to have Kings when the Germans ceased to be a Kingly people.” Such could be said of any nation in Europe, or her daughter nations across the seas. Let us pray and work to deserve better than the rulers we now have.
No matter how much King Charles tried to diversify, it was clear he was going to trip up at some point. And as is so often the way in drama, the denouement of the balcony scene served as his undoing. You could almost hear the media scream “where is the diversity?”
King Charles said he was particularly pleased that celebrations were “as happy, safe and enjoyable as possible.”
Despite worries that the coronation ceremony would be riddled with modernist innovations, it proved remarkably in keeping with tradition.
While the world watches the coronation of the new King of the United Kingdom and the 14 commonwealth realms, on the other side of Europe some will be thinking about the disappearance of their own monarchical traditions.
The Princess Royal’s reference to the “genuine benefits” provided by the monarchy indicates she is not worried about its future.
One reason why we forget that the ideal of monarchy expressed in the British coronation rite was once the ideal of all Europe. The ideal has survived no-where else.
Palace insiders say the event will be “very small beer indeed,” in comparison to the coronation of 1953.
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