Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

Coronation of King Charles III: Celebrating 1000 years of Westminster Abbey's link to royalty

Westminster Abbey has a rich history of coronations, beginning with the documented crowning of King William I in 1066

Coronation of King Charles III: Celebrating 1000 years of Westminster Abbey's link to royalty

For nearly a thousand years, Westminster Abbey has held a vital role in the history of Britain's royal family.

The story of the abbey dates back to the 960s when a Benedictine monastery was established on the site. King Edward the Confessor ordered the construction of a stone church in the 1040s, which underwent major enlargement.


In 1245, King Henry III initiated the development of the Gothic abbey that stands today in central London. Its construction was intended to provide a venue for the coronation and burial of monarchs.

Coronations

Westminster Abbey has a rich history of coronations, beginning with the documented crowning of King William I in 1066. This tradition has endured for centuries, with King Charles III set to become the 40th monarch crowned in the church.

The coronation will take place on the Coronation Chair, which was crafted in 1300-1301. The chair once enclosed the Stone of Scone, also known as the Stone of Destiny, a centuries-old symbol used to crown the kings of Scotland.

In 1950, the stone was stolen by Scottish students in a daring raid, accidentally breaking it in two. In 1996, amidst rising nationalist sentiment, the stone was symbolically returned to Scotland. However, for the upcoming coronation, the Stone of Scone will be brought back from Edinburgh Castle to Westminster Abbey.

Weddings

The Westminster Abbey has played host to numerous royal weddings, with the first documented one being that of King Henry I and Princess Matilda of Scotland in 1100. However, most of the weddings took place since World War I.

King George VI and Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon, Charles's grandparents, tied the knot in the abbey in 1923.

His parents, Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, also exchanged their vows in the church in 1947, bringing a sense of hope to the post-World War II recovery period.

Princess Margaret, Charles's aunt, and his siblings, Princess Anne and Prince Andrew, also chose the abbey as their wedding venue.

The most recent royal wedding in the abbey was in 2011 when Charles's eldest son, Prince William, married his university sweetheart Kate Middleton.

Only 14 years prior to William's wedding, he attended his mother Diana's funeral in the same church following her untimely death in a Paris car crash.

Famous burials

The abbey has served as the final resting place of 30 kings and queens, with King Edward the Confessor being the first in the line in 1066. The last monarch to be buried here was King George II in 1760.

The abbey also holds the remains of approximately 3,330 individuals, including many famous names from British history such as Charles Dickens, Geoffrey Chaucer, Samuel Johnson, Rudyard Kipling, Alfred Tennyson, Henry Purcell, William Wilberforce, Laurence Olivier, Thomas Hardy, and eight former prime ministers.

In 2018, the ashes of the renowned astrophysicist Stephen Hawking were interred between the graves of Isaac Newton and Charles Darwin. Several other notable figures have memorials within the abbey, such as Jane Austen, Benjamin Britten, Noel Coward, Francis Drake, Edward Elgar, Martin Luther King Jr., and Oscar Wilde.

Additionally, the abbey houses a memorial stone for wartime Prime Minister Winston Churchill near the west entrance, alongside the Tomb of the Unknown Warrior, which represents all fallen British troops. Queen Elizabeth II and her mother left their wedding bouquets on the tomb as a sign of respect.

Royal peculiar

The Collegiate Church of St Peter, Westminster -- commonly known as Westminster Abbey -- holds a special status as a "royal peculiar", meaning it is exempt from any ecclesiastical jurisdiction other than that of the monarch, who is the supreme governor of the Church of England.

Despite its historic significance and grandeur, the abbey can only seat around 2,200 people on a regular basis due to a screen separating the nave from the choir.

However, for Queen Elizabeth's coronation, specially-erected tiers allowed around 8,250 people to attend.

For King Charles' coronation, around 2,000 people are expected to attend due to modern health and safety restrictions.

Despite its role in major royal ceremonies, the abbey remains a working church, holding regular services open to the public.

(With inputs from AFP)

More For You

Ramadan 2025: Top 5 airlines

Airlines worldwide are crafting special Ramadan experiences for fasting travellers

iStock

Ramadan 2025: Top 5 airlines offering the best in-flight Ramadan experiences

So, imagine, the sun melts into the horizon, painting the clouds in hues of liquid gold, and at 40,000 feet, a traveller leans back as a tray appears before them with dates and steaming Arabic coffee. Now, there is a faint whisper of cardamom in the air. The cabin hums softly, the world stretches endlessly below, and for a moment, time stops. It’s a moment woven with culture and tradition, dipped in luxury, and wrapped in the quiet magic of Ramadan in the skies.

Boom! You wake up! But guess what? It is not a dream anymore!

Keep ReadingShow less
Michael Theo

The Love on the Spectrum star makes his acting debut in BBC One’s new comedy

Getty Images

BBC star Michael Theo opens up about workplace bullying before ‘Austin’ debut

Michael Theo, star of BBC One’s new comedy Austin, has opened up about the difficult experiences he faced before breaking into acting. The Australian actor, who first gained recognition on Love on the Spectrum, described one of his previous jobs as the most stressful period of his life due to relentless bullying.

Theo recalled working at a kitchen manufacturing company, where he spent long hours sanding doors and handling hazardous chemicals. Instead of support from his colleagues, he was met with cruel insults. “I was called names every day. One person even told me I was a waste of oxygen,” he revealed. The experience took a toll on his mental well-being, but he never gave up on his dream.

Keep ReadingShow less
Tesco Clubcard Changes: Update Your App Before the Deadline

The digital Clubcard offers convenience and flexibility

Getty

Tesco Clubcard changes: Customers urged to update app before Monday deadline

Tesco has issued an urgent call for action to millions of its Clubcard users, advising them to update their Tesco Shopping & Clubcard app before Monday, 31 March 2025. The supermarket giant is rolling out an important update to improve data protection and online security, and failure to update the app by the deadline will leave customers unable to access their digital Clubcard benefits.

Update to ensure enhanced security

The upcoming changes are being implemented to enhance the security of customer data and improve overall protection. Tesco has highlighted the importance of this upgrade, as it seeks to safeguard customer information and keep their online shopping experiences secure.

Keep ReadingShow less
SRH vs DC IPL 2025: The Ultimate Clash Between Hyderabad and Delhi

Both teams are coming off contrasting results in their previous games

Getty

IPL 2025 - SRH vs DC: Thrilling showdown between Hyderabad and Delhi awaits

The 10th match of IPL 2025 will see Delhi Capitals (DC) locking horns with Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) at the ACA-VDCA Cricket Stadium in Visakhapatnam on Sunday, March 30. Both teams are coming off contrasting results in their previous games, and this match promises to be a gripping contest, with several exciting player battles to watch out for.

Match overview

Delhi Capitals are fresh off a thrilling one-wicket win over Lucknow Super Giants. Chasing a formidable 210, DC's middle-order showed resilience, with Tristan Stubbs and Ashutosh Sharma forming a crucial 48-run partnership after an early collapse. Vipraj Nigam’s late cameo and Ashutosh’s calm composure at the death saw DC edge out a nail-biting finish with three balls to spare.

Keep ReadingShow less
RR vs CSK

Both teams coming off contrasting starts to their campaigns

Getty

IPL 2025 - RR vs CSK: Rajasthan takes on Chennai in high-stakes battle


The electrifying action of IPL 2025 continues as Rajasthan Royals (RR) lock horns with Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in match number 11 at the Barsapara Cricket Stadium in Guwahati on Sunday, March 30. With both teams coming off contrasting starts to their campaigns, this clash promises to be a thrilling battle of experience, skill, and determination.

Keep ReadingShow less