Coronation Drama: All Of The Scandals Surrounding King Charles’ Big Day

There have been quite a few controversies leading to King Charles' Coronation. Find out everything you need to know about all the drama here.

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May 6, 2023 5:18AM EDT
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King Charles III is crowned with St Edward's Crown by The Archbishop of Canterbury the Most Reverend Justin Welby during his coronation ceremony in Westminster AbbeyThe Coronation of King Charles III, London, UK - 06 May 2023
EDITORIAL USE ONLY. These photographs shall not be used after 0001hrs January 1, 2024, without prior, written permission from Royal Communications. After that date further licensing terms will be available. The portrait should be used only in the context of Their Majesties' Coronation. The photograph is provided to you strictly on condition that you will make no charge for the supply, release or publication of it and that these conditions and restrictions will apply (and that you will pass these on) to any organisation to whom you supply it. There shall be no commercial use whatsoever of the photograph (including by way of example only) any use in merchandising, advertising or any other non-news editorial use. The photograph must not be digitally enhanced, manipulated or modified in any manner or form. King Charles III is pictured in full regalia in the Throne Room at Buckingham Palace, London. The King is wearing the Robe of Estate, the Imperial State Crown and is holding the Sovereign's Orb and Sovereign's Sceptre with Cross. He is seated on one of a pair of 1902 throne chairs that were made for the future King George V and Queen Mary for use at the Coronation of King Edward VII. These throne chairs were also used in the background of the 1937 Coronation of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth II, and by King Charles III and Queen Camilla at Westminster Hall to receive addresses from the Speakers of both Houses of Parliament last year. Picture date: Monday May 8, 2023. PA Photo. See PA story ROYAL Coronation. Photo credit should read: Hugo Burnand/Royal Household 2023/PA Wire King Charles III coronation, Buckingham Palace, London, UK - 08 May 2023
EDITORIAL USE ONLY. These photographs shall not be used after 0001hrs January 1, 2024, without prior, written permission from Royal Communications. After that date further licensing terms will be available. The portrait should be used only in the context of Their Majesties' Coronation. The photograph is provided to you strictly on condition that you will make no charge for the supply, release or publication of it and that these conditions and restrictions will apply (and that you will pass these on) to any organisation to whom you supply it. There shall be no commercial use whatsoever of the photograph (including by way of example only) any use in merchandising, advertising or any other non-news editorial use. The photograph must not be digitally enhanced, manipulated or modified in any manner or form. King Charles III and Queen Camilla are pictured with members of the working royal family: (left to right) the Duke of Kent, the Duchess of Gloucester, the Duke of Gloucester, Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence, Princess Anne, King Charles III, Queen Camilla, the Prince of Wales, the Princess of Wales, the Sophie Duchess of Edinburgh, Princess Alexandra, the Hon. Lady Ogilvy, Prince Edward. Picture date: Monday May 8, 2023. PA Photo. See PA story ROYAL Coronation. Photo credit should read: Hugo Burnand/Royal Household 2023/PA Wire King Charles III coronation, Buckingham Palace, London, UK - 08 May 2023
Image Credit: Tim Rooke/Shutterstock

  • King Charles will celebrate his Coronation on Saturday, May 6.
  • In the lead-up to the big day, there’s been some controversies relating to the ceremony.
  • Some other controversies include whether Prince Harry and Meghan Markle would attend and outside vandalism.
  • During the Coronation, some protesters gathered outside of Westminster Abbey to express their disapproval for the ceremony.

King Charles’ Coronation will undoubtedly be one of the most memorable days in recent history for the United Kingdom and all over the world. While it’s being meticulously planned and organized, there have been various pieces of drama that have surrounded the whole ordeal, whether it’s the rift between the Royal Family and Prince Harry and his wife Meghan Markle, or some backlash to the cost of the whole thing.

Even though it will surely be a beautiful day of celebration for the Royal Family, some of the drama is hard to ignore. Even during the Coronation, some protesters gathered alongside supporters to express their disapproval. Ahead of the Coronation, we’ve rounded up some of the controversies that have been discussed in the lead-up to the big day.

Coronation Protests

Anti-monarchy protesters gather outside of the coronation. (Mark Thomas/Shutterstock)

As crowds gathered to watch the ceremony, not everyone was there to show love. In addition to the many loving supporters hoping to catch a glimpse of the Royal Family, some protesters also gathered to show their disapproval for the ceremony, per People. Some people with signs reading “Abolish the Monarchy” and “Not My King” were seen in the crowd. In addition, some anti-monarchy protesters have reportedly been arrested, per Variety. The Metro Police tweeted a statement sharing that they had made arrests. “A significant police operation is under way in central London. We have made a number of arrests in the area of Carlton House Terrace. The individuals have been held on breaching the peace,” they tweeted.

Coronation Jewels Controversy

There’s been some controversy relating to one of the diamonds removed from Camilla’s crown. (Arthur Edwards/WPA Pool/Shutterstock)

Aside from King Charles and Queen Camilla, one of the largest attractions during the Coronation ceremony is the Crown Jewels. Camilla’s choice of her crown has caused a little bit of controversy. Traditionally, the queen consort has a new crown commissioned for the Coronation service, but instead, Camilla decided to have some adjustments made to Queen Mary’s crown. Queen Mary was the consort to King George V, who was Queen Elizabeth’s grandfather.

One of the modifications that will be made to the crown includes removing a replica of the Koh-i-Noor diamond, which was set in the crown in 1911, according to ABC News. The 105-carat jewel was given to Queen Victoria in 1849, but the Royal Family obtaining the gem has been subject to controversy. It was given by Sikh Emperor Maharaja Duleep Singh, but it has been reported that he was forced to give it, because his mom was being held prisoner by the British, per Time. 

Camilla has decided to replace the diamond with the Cullinan III, IV, and V diamonds, but there has still been backlash regarding the Koh-i-Noor diamond and international calls for it to be returned. A member of the Bharatiya Janata Party in India called for the gem to be returned in a 2022 statement to The Daily Telegraph. “The coronation of Camilla and the use of the crown jewel Kohinoor brings back painful memories of the colonial past,” they said. “Recent occasions, like Queen Elizabeth II’s death, the coronation of the new Queen Camilla and the use of the Koh-i-Noor do transport a few Indians back to the days of the British Empire in India.”

Prince Harry & Meghan Markle Attending

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle hold hands at King Charles’ 70th birthday celebration. (Tim Rooke/Shutterstock)

Whether Prince Harry and his wife Meghan Markle would be present at the Coronation has been a subject of discussion for months, especially following the media coverage surrounding his memoir Spare, where he detailed strife between himself and some other members of the Royal Family and Buckingham Palace, including the difficult relationship that he and his wife have had with the media.

Surrounding the release of his book and the Netflix docu-series Harry And Meghan, the Duke of Sussex did not shy away from sharing his feelings about his dad and brother Prince William, which reportedly led to a rift between the family. Around the time of both releases, Harry sat down for a series of interviews, and he explained that at the time, he wasn’t currently on speaking terms with his dad or brother. “We haven’t spoken for quite a while,” he told Anderson Cooper in a January interview. “The ball is very much in their court.”

In the lead-up to the Coronation, Prince Harry kept things open-ended on whether he’d attend his dad’s big day. He revealed that there was still time to figure out if he’d go or not during a January interview with ITV. “The door is always open. The ball is in their court. There’s a lot to be discussed and I really hope they’re willing to sit down and talk about it,” he said. Since the headlines about the family drama, there have been reports about attempts by family members to try to make peace between the Duke of Sussex and his father and brother, including that the family wanted Harry and William to have a sit-down and that Charles has been speaking to his son on a regular basis.

After many reports about whether or not the Duke and Duchess of Sussex would attend the Coronation, it was finally revealed that Harry would roll solo to the event, without his family. Buckingham Palace announced that he would attend in a statement. “Buckingham Palace is pleased to confirm that The Duke of Sussex will attend the Coronation Service at Westminster Abbey on May 6th,” the decree read. “The Duchess of Sussex will remain in California with Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet.” Coincidentally, May 6 is also Prince Archie’s fourth birthday, but neither Meghan nor Harry has explained why he is going to the event alone.

Coronation Price Tag

King Charles’ Coronation is estimated to cost between $63 and $125 million. (David Hartley/Shutterstock)

One of the other big controversies that has cropped up surrounding the Coronation is the cost of the whole event! While the cost-of-living continues to increase in the UK, there has been some talk about the way that taxpayers’ money is being used to fund the Coronation. While Charles’ Coronation is reportedly more scaled down from his mother’s, it’s still estimated to cost between £50 and £100 million (or $63 million to $125 million USD), according to the BBC. The cost is more than the estimated price tag on Royal weddings, per Brides.com. While a Coronation is a rare event for the British public, some critics have called out the spending of that money which could go towards other public amenities, according to Time. 

Coronation Penis Vandalism

While some of the scandals related to decisions going back to the Firm, some of the other controversies have come from outside of the family, including an immature prank by someone who used a lawnmower to draw a giant penis on the lawn of the Royal Crescent. The grounds of the Royal Crescent in Bath, England is expected to hold one of the largest Coronation celebrations, but someone did take the opportunity to draw the phallic symbol in the grass, which can be seen in aerial photos of the grounds. It’s not clear if there’s an investigation or if anyone has been accused of drawing the penis, per The New York Post. 

The Coronation Service of Their Majesties The King Charles III and The Queen Consort was attended by a congregation of more than 2,200 guests, including Members of the Royal Family, international representatives from over 200 countries, and approximately 100 Heads of State. The hand painted invitation, which was shared via the Royal’s Instagram, was sent to all guests. Notably absent among the guests were US President Joe Biden, though his wife, First Lady Dr. Jill Biden, attended, and Duchess of Sussex, Meghan Markle, who stayed in America with Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet.

In the official announcement for the King’s coronation made back in October 2022, Buckingham Palace promised that the coronation would “reflect the monarch’s role today and look towards the future, while being rooted in longstanding traditions and pageantry.” The Archbishop of Canterbury performed the official crowning of Charles with St Edward’s Crown and the crowning of Camila with Queen Mary’s Crown at Westminster Abbey on Saturday, May 6.