How King Charles III's Coronation Honored His Late Father Prince Philip
King Charles III honored his father, Prince Philip, during his May 6 coronation two years after the monarch's passing. All the details on the special performance that paid tribute to the late royal.
By Brett Malec | E! News ••
NBCUniversal Media, LLC
Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh with their children, Charles, then-Prince of Wales, Prince Edward, Prince Andrew, Princess Anne celebrating their silver wedding anniversary at Buckingham Palace.
Prince Philip may be gone, but he's certainly not forgotten.
During his coronation at Westminster Abbey May 6, King Charles III included a special tribute to his late father, who passed away in April 2021 at age 99.
The Byzantine Chant Ensemble performed Greek Orthodox music during the ceremony as a tribute to the late Duke of Edinburgh, who was born in Greece 1921. He was born a member of both the Greek and Danish royal families. The Byzantine Chant Ensemble's performance was part of a large set of musical pieces created especially for Charles' historic day.
In total, 12 pieces of new music were commissioned for Charles and Queen Camilla's coronation, with many being personally selected by the king to showcase talent from across the United Kingdom and Commonwealth. Some of the works included the Coronation Anthem by Andrew Lloyd Webber, a Coronation March by Patrick Doyle and an organ solo embracing musical themes from countries across the Commonwealth by Iain Farrington.
Webber previously explained the inspiration for his commissioned work of art, titled "Make a Joyful Noise."
"I am incredibly honored to have been asked to compose a new anthem for The Coronation," the Tony Award-winning composer stated in February. "My anthem includes words slightly adapted from Psalm 98. I have scored it for the Westminster Abbey choir and organ, the ceremonial brass and orchestra. I hope my anthem reflects this joyful occasion."
The official royal harpist, Alis Huws, also performed in recognition of the Charles' relationship with Wales. Formerly the Prince of Wales, Charles spent a semester studying Welsh at Aberystwyth University in his youth.
Charles' accession to the throne occurred on Sept. 8 when his mother Queen Elizabeth IIdied at 96 after reigning over the monarchy for 70 years. The 74-year-old was formally proclaimed king by the Accession Council on Sept. 10.
The coronation is strictly a religious ceremony that dates back to 1154.
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Britain’s King Charles III and Queen Camilla wave to the crowds from the balcony of Buckingham Palace after their coronation ceremony, in London, Saturday, May 6, 2023.
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Britain’s King Charles III and Queen Camilla, along with their pages and other working royals, wave to the crowds from the balcony of Buckingham Palace after their coronation ceremony, in London, Saturday, May 6, 2023.
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The military procession, the largest of its kind since the 1953 Coronation of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, makes its way down The Mall towards Buckingham Palace during the Coronation of King Charles III and Queen Camilla on May 6, 2023 in London, England.
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King Charles III and Queen Camilla sets off from Westminster Abbey on route to Buckingham Palace during their coronation on May 6, 2023 in London.
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King Charles III and Queen Camilla sets off from Westminster Abbey on route to Buckingham Palace during their coronation, May 6, 2023 in London, England.
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Protesters at Trafalgar Square hold signs and shout as King Charles III and Queen Camilla pass by in the state carriage after the coronation ceremony on May 6, 2023, in London, England.
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The Coronation Procession passes along The Mall to Buckingham Palace following the coronation ceremony of King Charles III and Queen Camilla in central London.
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Anne, Princess Royal, takes part in a procession following the coronation ceremony for Britain’s King Charles III and Queen Camilla on May 6, 2023 in London.
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King Charles III and Queen Camilla sets off from Westminster Abbey on route to Buckingham Palace during the Coronation of King Charles III and Queen Camilla on May 6, 2023 in London, England.
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Britain’s Prince Louis of Wales travel back to Buckingham Palace with his parents from Westminster Abbey in central London on May 6, 2023, after the coronations of King Charles III and Queen Camilla.
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Prince William, Duke of Cambridge and Catherine, Princess of Wales depart from the Coronation of King Charles III and Queen Camilla on May 6, 2023 in London, England.
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King Charles III and Queen Camilla sets off from Westminster Abbey on route to Buckingham Palace during the Coronation of King Charles III and Queen Camilla on May 6, 2023 in London, England.
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Britain’s Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex looks on as King Charles III leaves Westminster Abbey after the Coronation Ceremonies in central London on May 6, 2023.
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King Charles III departs the Coronation service at Westminster Abbey on May 6, 2023 in London, England.
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Penny Mordaunt leads King Charles III wearing the St Edward’s Crown during his coronation ceremony in Westminster Abbey on May 6, 2023 in London.
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Britain’s King Charles III wearing the Imperial state Crown, and Queen Camilla, wearing a modified version of Queen Mary’s Crown leave Westminster Abbey after the Coronation Ceremonies in central London on May 6, 2023.
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Prince William, Prince of Wales touches the St Edward’s Crown his father’s, King Charles III during the King’s Coronation Ceremony inside Westminster Abbey on May 6, 2023 in London.
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King Charles III with the St Edward’s Crown on his head at the Coronation Ceremony inside Westminster Abbey in central London on May 6, 2023.
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King Charles III is crowned with the St Edward’s Crown at the Coronation Ceremony inside Westminster Abbey in central London on May 6, 2023.
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King Charles III receives the St Edward’s Crown as he sits on the Coronation Chair, over the Stone of Scone, during the coronation ceremony at Westminster Abbey, London, Saturday, May 6, 2023.
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Queen Camilla is crowned by Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby during her coronation ceremony in Westminster Abbey, on May 6, 2023 in London, England.
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King Charles III during his coronation ceremony in Westminster Abbey on May 6, 2023 in London, England.
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King Charles III attends his coronation at Westminster Abbey on May 6, 2023 in London, England.
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From left: Britain’s Prince William, Prince of Wales, Princess Charlotte, Prince Louis and Britain’s Catherine, Princess of Wales attend the coronations of Britain’s King Charles III and Britain’s Camilla, Queen Consort at Westminster Abbey in central London on May 6, 2023.
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Britain’s Prince George of Wales, center, at Westminster Abbey in central London on May 6, 2023, ahead of the coronations of his grandfather, Britain’s King Charles III.
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King Charles III and Camilla, Queen Consort, at their coronations at Westminster Abbey, in central London on May 6, 2023.
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King Charles III and Camilla, Queen Consort, attend their coronations at Westminster Abbey, in London, May 6, 2023.
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Prince George, left, with King Charles III during the Coronation of King Charles III and Queen Camilla on May 6, 2023 in London, England.
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Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex attends the Coronation of King Charles III and Queen Camilla at Westminster Abbey on May 6, 2023 in London, England.
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Camilla, Queen Consort, arrives ahead of the Coronation of King Charles III and herself on May 6, 2023 in London, England.
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Prince Louis and Princess Charlotte arrive ahead of the Coronation of King Charles III and Queen Camilla on May 6, 2023 in London, England.
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Catherine, Princess of Wales and Prince William, Prince of Wales arrive at the Coronation of King Charles III and Queen Camilla on May 6, 2023 in London, England.
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Catherine, Princess of Wales and Prince William, Prince of Wales arrive with Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis at the Coronation of King Charles III and Queen Camilla on May 6, 2023 in London.
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Prince Edward and Sophie, Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh, arriving with Lady Louise Windsor, right, and the Earl of Wessex, left, at the Coronation of King Charles III and Queen Camilla on May 6, 2023 in London, England.
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King Charles III travelling in the Diamond Jubilee Coach built in 2012 to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the reign of Queen Elizabeth II, flanked by over a thousand Armed Forces route liners and The Sovereign’s Escort of the Household Cavalry sets off along the Mall from Buckingham Palace on route to Westminster Abbey for the Coronation of King Charles III and Queen Camilla on May 6, 2023, in London, England.
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King Charles III and Camilla, Queen Consort seen in the Diamond Jubilee Coach built in 2012 to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the reign of Queen Elizabeth II at Buckingham Palace ahead of the Coronation of King Charles III and Queen Camilla on May 6, 2023, in London.
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Princess Charlotte of Wales travel in the state car during the Coronation of King Charles III and Queen Camilla on May 6, 2023 in London, England.
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Prince Edward, Duke of Edinburgh, Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh and James Mountbatten-Windsor, Earl of Wessex attend the Coronation of King Charles III and Queen Camilla on May 6, 2023 in London, England.
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First lady Dr. Jill Biden, and her granddaughter Finnegan Biden, ahead of the Coronation of King Charles III and Queen Camilla on May 6, 2023 in London, England.
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Katy Perry and Edward Enninful arrive at Westminster Abbey ahead of the Coronation of King Charles III and Queen Camilla on May 6, 2023 in London, England.
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Representatives of the Commonwealth realms arrive in Westminster Abbey ahead of the Coronation of King Charles III and Queen Camilla on May 6, 2023 in London, England.
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Former Prime Minister Tony Blair, Cherie Blair, former prime minister Gordon Brown, Sarah Brown, former prime minister David Cameron, Samantha Cameron, former prime minister Theresa May, Philip May, former prime minister Boris Johnson, Carrie Johnson, former prime minister Liz Truss and Hugh O’Leary seen ahead of the Coronation of King Charles III and Queen Camilla in Westminster Abbey on May 6, 2023 in London, England.
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From left: Haakon, Crown Prince of Norway, Crown Prince Akishino, Jayde Adams, Crown Prince Frederik of Denmark, Princess Kiko, Crown Prince Alexander of Serbia and Mary, Crown Princess of Denmark attend the Coronation of King Charles III and Queen Camilla on May 6, 2023 in London, England.
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King Vajiralongkorn and Queen Suthida of Thailand attend the Coronation of King Charles III and Queen Camilla on May 6, 2023 in London, England.
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Bhutan’s King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck and wife Jetsun Pema arrive at Westminster Abbey in central London on May 6, 2023, ahead of the coronations of Britain’s King Charles III and Britain’s Camilla, Queen Consort.
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From left: Queen Anne-Marie, Pavlos, Crown Prince of Greece and Marie-Chantal, Crown Princess of Greece attend the Coronation of King Charles III and Queen Camilla on May 6, 2023 in London, England.
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From left: King Felipe VI of Spain, Queen Letizia of Spain, King Philippe of Belgium and Queen Mathilde of Belgium attend the Coronation of King Charles III and Queen Camilla on May 6, 2023 in London, England.
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Flag bearers during the Coronation of King Charles III and Camilla, Queen Consort, on May 6, 2023 in London, England.
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A view of preparations at Westminster Abbey in central London on May 6, 2023, ahead of the coronations of Britain’s King Charles III and Britain’s Camilla, Queen Consort.
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The Orb, the Sceptre with Dove and the Imperial State Crown are brought to the thrones before the coronation of King Charles III and Queen Camilla at Westminster Abbey, on May 6, 2023 in London, England.
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Members of the anti-monarchist group Republic stage a protest close to where Britain’s King Charles III and Britain’s Camilla, Queen Consort will be crowned at Westminster Abbey in central London on May 6, 2023.
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Supporters of the Republic pressure group protest against the coronation on the edge of Trafalgar Square at the top of Whitehall on May 6, 2023 in London, England.
William, who's first in line to the throne, will present his father with the Stole Royal and the Robe Royal during the ceremony while George will walk in the procession and carry Charles' robes inside Westminster Abbey.
William and Kate previously gushed about their first-born's role in the event. "His parents are very excited and delighted that he is a page," a spokesperson for the couple said a statement April 14. "It's something that his parents have thought long and hard about and are very much looking forward to — and I'm sure George is too."
Jay Gray looks ahead to the coronation of King Charles this weekend in England.
