Photos of King Charles III’s coronation ceremony guests

LONDON — King Charles III and Queen Camilla had over 2,800 guests that included members of the royal family, nobility, judges, and dignitaries.

Aside from Katy Perry, there were a few celebrities. The list included Bear Grylls, Stella McCartney, Joanna Lumley, Rowan Atkinson, Nick Cave, Sam Kerr, Lionel Richie, Edward Enninful, Ant McPartlin, and Declan Donnelly.

Next heir to the throne and his family

More highlights of the coronation

The British monarchy entered a new age on Saturday.

For the first time in the history of the empire, people from around the globe were able to watch the intricacies of a royal coronation from their cellphones.

Cameras in London followed King Charles III’s every move after he left Buckingham Palace for a procession to Westminster Abbey on a rainy morning.

At 73, he ascended in September when his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, died at 96 — after her unprecedented seven decades on the throne. The 40th sovereign to be enthroned in the abbey turned 74 in November.

Members of the royal family and supporters from around the world — including U.S. First Lady Jill Biden — waited at Westminster Abbey for their arrival.

Once at the abbey’s altar, a boy approached the king, who then repeated a vow in front of his more than 2,000 guests: “I come not to be served, but to serve.”

During the ceremony, which included bejeweled relics and symbolism that goes back centuries, there was a new commitment to inclusiveness.

A Black gospel choir performed a newly composed “Alleluia.” Women, including Rev. Rose Josephine Hudson-Wilkin who was born in Jamaica, served as clergy. The king promised to serve with “justice and mercy,” and later after the sound of trumpets, the crowd followed the rousing cheer of “God Save the King!”

At the abbey, before and after the ceremony, the queen walked in and walked out behind the king and the clergy, as part of an unlikely journey to the throne.

Once the ritual was completed, the king and queen emerged from the abbey to the sound of the bells that have historically announced when a king or queen has been crowned.

Amid high security, members of the military, who had practiced for months, marched during the biggest parade in London since 1953.

The royal family traveled down a path that was surrounded by witnesses who had traveled far and wide — some of whom had camped out for days — with a resolve to witness the parade even if it rained.

The reign of King Charles IIII comes amid the Russian war in Ukraine, friction with China, rising inflation, an energy crisis, and the consequences of Brexit.

Yet to be announced on Saturday was the exact public cost of a ceremony of a symbolic head of state that represents the continuity of British royal tradition — but without the executive or political power.

The expense comes amid the United Kingdom’s weakening support of the monarchy as an institution that has evolved to operate as an independent charity.

It’s a rising feeling that Prince Harry, 38, known as a royal rebel, has come to embody.

TUMULTUOUS LOVE STORY

Camilla Parker Bowles’s journey to the crown was messy.

Camilla Shand met Prince Charles as a single woman. She wed Andrew Parker Bowles on July 4, 1973, and attended the then prince’s wedding to Lady Diana Spencer on July 29, 1981, at St. Paul’s Cathedral.

She divorced Andrew in 1995, as the public learned that she and Prince Charles had a long-time affair that had pained the Princess of Wales.

After more than 11 years of marriage and two sons, the prince and the princess got divorced on Aug. 28, 1996.

Princess Diana died on Aug. 31, 1997, in Paris, after a car crash. Her sons, Prince William and Prince Harry, were 12 and 15 years old.

Prince Charles’s second wedding was on April 9, 2005, at Windsor Guildhall. His second wife then became the Duchess of Cornwall.

It was Queen Elizabeth II’s wish that Camilla become queen consort.

On Saturday, she watched her husband go from heir to monarch. She wore an ivory silk gown by British fashion designer Bruce Oldfield that was embroidered in gold and silver. She also wore Queen Victoria’s earrings and necklace with 25 large diamonds

At the conclusion of the ceremony, she left the abbey wearing Queen Mary’s crown — except it didn’t have the Kohinoor diamond, which has a murky past that critics have come to associate with a colonial legacy of looting.

The coronation guide

PROCESSION TO THE ABBEY

The monarchs rode the Diamond Jubilee State Coach, which has modern comforts, from the palace to Westminster Abbey.

ANGLICAN SERVICE

Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby will preside over the solemn service. For the first time, Buddhist, Hindu, Jewish, Muslim, and Sikh leaders will take part in the coronation. Read more >

The oath was modified to add that the Church of England “will seek to foster an environment where people of all faiths and beliefs may live freely.”

The ceremony included anointment oil from the Mount of Olives in the Holy Land.

THE ERMINE ROBES

The king wore The Robe of State to arrive at the abbey.

During the ceremony, he changed into the Supertunica, the Robe Royal, and the Imperial Robe.

The king left the abbey wearing the Robe of Estate.

CORONATION BIBLE

While placing both hands on an Authorized King James Bible, the king said, “I Charles do solemnly and sincerely in the presence of God profess, testify, and declare that I am a faithful Protestant” and will “secure the Protestant succession to the throne.”

THE CROWNS

The king’s 2 crowns

St. Edward’s Crown: The solid gold crown weighs 4.6 pounds. It’s a replica of the original 1649 crown.

It features four rubies, 11 emeralds, 17 sapphires, 2,868 diamonds, tourmalines, amethysts, aquamarines, zircons, garnet, spinel topazes, and peridot.

It has a cross, decorated by crisscrossed arches, and a purple velvet cap. It was made for the 1661 coronation. King Charles III will never wear it again in public.

Imperial State Crown

The king wore a much lighter crown to return to the palace that features the Cullinan II, a 317.4 carats gem.

Her crown: The queen wore Queen Mary’s silver and gold crown without the Koh-i-Noor diamond that came from a mine in India thousands of years ago.

After Persian ruler Nader Shah stole it during his 1739 invasion, historians believe it returned to India in 1813 after Sikh ruler Ranjit Singh recovered it from the Afghan Durrani dynasty.

The historical record includes a document that Singh’s 10-year-old descendant Duleep Singh signed in 1849 to give away the diamond to the British.

There is also a record of Queen Victoria wearing it as a brooch and displaying it publicly in 1851 and of Queen Elizabeth II’s mother having it placed on the crown in 1937. The claims on the diamond have ranged from the Taliban in Afghanistan to Pakistan and India.

MONARCH’S RELICS

The Sovereign Orb: A cross mounted on a globe decorated with emeralds, rubies, sapphires, rose-cut diamonds, and pearls symbolizes the Christian world.

The Scepters: The Sovereign’s Sceptre with Cross features the 530.2 carats Cullinan I stone. The Sovereign’s Sceptre with Dove features rose diamonds, rubies, emeralds, sapphires, and spinels. The Queen Consort’s Rod with Dove is made out of an ivory rod and gold that features the white dove of the Holy Ghost.

The Spoon: The Archbishop of Canterbury poured the holy oil from Jerusalem into the 10.5-inch relic before anointing the king.

The Chair: The 6 feet 9 inches tall oak chair encloses the Stone of Scone, a slab of sandstone from Scotland.

MUSIC

During the service: The program for the king’s coronation ceremony included both older music and new compositions. Read more >

PROCESSION TO THE PALACE

The king and queen rode back to the palace in the Gold State Coach, which was built out of wood in 1762 under the reign of King George III.

PALACE BALCONY

King Charles III, Queen Camilla, and other members of the royal family made a public appearance in front of a cheering crowd.

Prince George, his parents, and his siblings stood by the king and queen. Prince Harry was absent.

FLYOVER

Five formations of military helicopters flew over despite the rain.

The Royal Air Force aerobatic team, the Red Arrows, followed with a short display of a trail of blue, white, and red smoke.

SECURITY

More than 9,000 police officers are expected to patrol London on coronation day, along with 2,500 law specialist members of law enforcement, including marine police. Read more >

PROTEST: Authorities expect more than 1,500 protesters to meet at Trafalgar Square. Read more >

Anti-monarchy organizations reported on social media that some of their members had been arrested during protests in London.

THE BIG HELP OUT

The three-day coronation weekend, which started on Saturday, includes a national Coronation Big Lunch and other celebrations on Sunday and volunteering on Monday.

Windsor Castle will host a concert on Sunday night that only the local BBC will be airing. There will also be different light shows and displays across the country.

On Monday, the royal family is encouraging The Big Help Out, a day of volunteering and small community events.