In response to rising requests for Brits to be granted a special long weekend to commemorate the anniversary in May of next year, Downing Street is investigating “all alternatives” to honour King Charles III’s Coronation with a bank holiday.
On Saturday, May 6, 2019, the next king and his wife Camilla, the Queen Consort, will be crowned during a historic event at Westminster Abbey.
MPs have recommended that the event be commemorated by shifting the early-May bank holiday to Monday, May 8.
In addition to the eight bank holidays already planned for the next year—January 2, April 7, April 10, May 1, May 29, August 28, December 25 and December 28—some have even advocated for an additional one.
While Business Secretary Jacob Rees-Mogg said a bank holiday would be ‘fitting’ to honor the’splendid historic’ occasion, Labour today said relocating the early May day off would be a “wonderful idea.”
In response to calls for a three-day weekend to commemorate the Coronation, No. 10 said that the Government was “seriously evaluating” the situation.
The official spokeswoman for Prime Minister Liz Truss stated: “Obviously, this will be a momentous occasion. We are examining our options carefully. All possibilities are still on the table.
The May bank holiday was moved to coincide with the Westminster Abbey celebration with support from Labour.
A spokeswoman for party leader Sir Keir Starmer said, “That would surely be a terrific way for the UK to be able to commemorate the Coronation.”
“It might be a good idea to move the May bank holiday that is there to that weekend.”
A bank holiday would be “fitting,” according to Mr. Rees-Mogg, to commemorate the “splendid historic” event.
According to him, a bank holiday would be the most appropriate time to have a coronation, he told the BBC. However, there is a procedure that must be followed, and it must eventually get the Privy Council’s approval.
When I served as Lord President of the Council, we had to authorize bank holidays in order to relocate Christmas Day to the following Monday.
So bank holidays undergo a magnificent historical process, which I think is only fitting for a magnificent historical event like the Coronation.
Following Tobias Ellwood’s statement that “the terrible demise of our late Queen drove home just how crucial the monarchy is in giving a sense of purpose and stability for our country,”
A bank holiday will reinforce our transition to a new age, according to the statement, “There is no question that this allegiance and respect has been transmitted to King Charles.”
David Jones, a former cabinet minister, said, “To merge the two events would be appreciated by the whole country. We would all have a very unique recollection of it.
Craig Mackinlay, a fellow Conservative MP, said that he “completely agreed” that the early May bank holiday, which is presently on May 1, should be moved back a week to coincide with the Coronation.
Khalid Mahmood, a former shadow minister and Labour MP, has called for a long weekend to support Britons in celebrating their “unique” monarchy.
We can shift the holiday back to the weekend of the coronation, he remarked, since so many people have shown their support for the monarchy and Her Majesty the Queen.
“In the UK, we have a special system with the king and a separate parliament.” I support giving Britons a three-day weekend to celebrate.
Michael Fabricant, a Tory lawmaker, went a step farther and demanded a second bank holiday to commemorate the Coronation.
While it would make sense to postpone the bank holiday back a week, he argued that having two holidays would be preferable. What are our usual ones and the one to honor the Coronation of our King?
The ITV Anglia presenter Andy Ward tweeted a picture of the Daily Mail’s front page today and said: “This is not the type of headline you want to wake up to when you’ve specifically scheduled your wedding to coincide with the May 1 bank holiday!” However, other Britons were keen to avoid moving May 1. You wouldn’t dare.
Additionally, the assumption of a possible additional bank holiday had an impact on government planning, according to a story published last week in The Daily Telegraph.
Additionally, the administration earlier expressed concern that the day off may cost £1.36 billion. PwC has recently revised its calculations and now estimates that adding the additional day would really cost £831 million.
Today on Sky News, Mr. Rees-Mogg stated: “We don’t have coronations very frequently.” The fact that the Coronation is a religious event, in my opinion, is what makes it so important. It serves as a sacrament in essence.
Although he refused to speculate on a specific cost, he said that arguments about the cost could not be linked to discussions about growing salary expectations.
“I hope we see a coronation that is respectable enough for our monarch. This is a one-time expense. The most recent one marked the beginning of a 70-year rule. Since it does not occur often, it must be done correctly.
Any intention to declare a bank holiday weekend or stage any sizable celebrations surrounding the Coronation, according to a royal advisor, would be a matter for the Government.
Last night, a Downing Street source said that while “no decisions have been made,” they have not ruled out the possibility.
After considering sporting events, world events, and anniversaries, the Government, the Church of England, and the Royal Household decided on the date for the Coronation.
It had been predicted that it would happen around or possibly on June 2, 1953, which is the 70th anniversary of the Queen’s Coronation. It is thought that picking a date in May was mostly motivated by the belief that the weather would be “safer” than in June.
According to Ollie Claydon of the Met Office, “May is often a relatively consistent month” with “less rainfall and more sunlight hours” than June.
May is one of the best months of the year, therefore they are presumably also considering the rest of the UK. There is a greater likelihood of severe rain as the summer months progress.
Archie, the son of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex and Charles’ grandson, will be four on May 6, therefore the date will still conflict with his birthday.
At the very least, all London football games planned for the Coronation day will be rescheduled.
However, all other sports and the remainder of the nation’s games are awaiting instructions from the Palace to the Government, which will subsequently inform the chiefs of each sport.
After the death of the Queen, individual sports were permitted to determine whether to proceed with their events.
The whole football schedule was canceled, however a Test match between England’s cricketers and South Africa was played, while the highest level of rugby continued as scheduled.
It is uncertain whether Harry and Meghan will be invited or allowed to fly from California to attend the Coronation since guest lists for the event have not yet been finalized.
The event is being scaled down in response to the rising expense of living and to demonstrate Charles’s intention to create a more contemporary monarchy.
A post-war country hungry of pomp, the 1953 Coronation was a carnival of joy and a morale booster. The occasion was heavily influenced by the Coronation of the Queen’s father, George VI, in 1937, which was itself heavily influenced by George V’s coronation in 1911.
Royal watchers had anticipated that Charles would have a similar day of grandeur to entice tourists.
But according to Palace sources, the Duke of Norfolk, who is organizing the Coronation in his capacity as Earl Marshal, has been given the responsibility of planning a more straightforward, inclusive celebration that captures contemporary Britain.
Charles reportedly wants a smaller gathering with the duration reduced to between 90 and two hours and the number of guests reduced by 75 percent. There is also talk of a less formal dress code.
The Palace said while announcing the date yesterday that “The Coronation will reflect the monarch’s position today and look toward the future, while being entrenched in historic traditions and pageantry.”
According to insiders, the Coronation will honor the “spirit of our times” while preserving the essential components of the lengthy, traditional process that stretches back more than a thousand years.
While King Charles’ Coronation would be “smaller, thinner, and shorter than 1953,” senior royal sources took care to emphasize that it would still be “beautiful.”
It’s a Coronation, and as we haven’t had one in 70 years, it will undoubtedly be a great celebration of pomp, ceremony, and everything British, according to a source.
Another person added: “It must be firmly entrenched in the past, represent where we are now and where we are heading future.”
They said that although it would not be on the “same scale” as the Queen’s Coronation, it would have many of the same components.
The event is anticipated to pay tribute to the reality that many British families are struggling financially. It is recognized that it will still possess the proper amount of “majesty,” nonetheless.
It’s about striking the appropriate balance, one person said.
Ancient and time-consuming customs, such as giving the king gold ingots, are also expected to be abolished in order to save time. But the future Prince of Wales is anticipated to play a significant role in the event—the first time an heir will take part in the celebration in three generations.
Neither took a formal part in their parents’ coronations since Charles was only four when his mother was crowned and the late Queen was only 11 when her father was anointed.
Prince William, who is 40 years old and a full-fledged working royal, is anticipated to be a significant presence at the occasion. The Archbishop of Canterbury will officially “anoint, bless, and consecrate” Charles, who took the throne on September 8.
These elements will be present on the day as the King said he wants to represent the religious and racial diversity of the UK.