What is Operation Gold Orb? Coronation ceremony date for King Charles III set for 2023, to be scaled down affair
LONDON, ENGLAND: After the demise of Queen Elizabeth II on September 8, the former Prince Charles automatically became King Charles III. In his very first address as the king, Charles expressed his sorrow over his mother’s death. The 73-year-old also wished to move forward. The plan for the king’s crowning ceremony has been laid out and has been dubbed ‘Operation Gold Orb’.
With Queen passing away, King Charles is set to ascend to the throne in a formal ceremony on September 10. However, his actual coronation might not take place before 2023. It is also being reported that the coronation of the new King will be scaled down at Westminster Abbey. For the unversed, the crown ceremony of Queen Elizabeth II was a lavish affair costing close to $1.8 million which approximately adds up to $53 million It was also the first to be televised.
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What is Operation Gold Orb?
According to The Daily Mail, ‘Operation Gold Orb’ is the secret codename given to the coronation ceremony of King Charles III. It is reported that the UK government keeps a plan locked and loaded for every major royal family-related event. The Queen's death, for example, was known as Operation London Bridge. It is reported that the ceremony is not expected to take place before next spring. The coronation will be on hold until the royal mourning period has ended.
The sources spilled the beans the ceremony would be “shorter, sooner, smaller, less expensive and more representative of different community groups and faiths.” The date of the coronation ceremony, which will be a public holiday, will be confirmed in the next few months.
It is being reported that the coronation will reflect the religious and cultural diversity of the country and will mark a significant departure from the crowning of his mother. The guests at Westminster Abbey might be limited to 2,000. It is reported that the service will be “far shorter because you have to consider Charles’s age”, said a source.
Queen Elizabeth II in February 2022 released a statement where she expressed her wish for then-Prince Charles' wife, Camilla Parker-Bowles, to take the title of "Queen Consort" once he takes the throne. Camila will likely be crowned alongside King Charles III in a similar but simpler ceremony with her new title. The last time a queen consort was crowned was in 1937 when Queen’s mother, Elizabeth, sat alongside George VI.
The Queen, during the formal opening of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting at Buckingham Palace, publicly backed King Charles to take on the role in 2018. She said, "It is my sincere wish that the Commonwealth will continue to offer stability and continuity for future generations and will decide that one day the Prince of Wales should carry on the important work started by my father in 1949."