Chants of 'God Save the King' filled the Westminster Abbey as Charles was crowned the new king of Britain. The Archbishop of Cantebury placed the royal orb and sceptres in the monarch's hands before placing the St Edward's crown on his head. The Queen Consort was crowned Queen Camilla with St Mary's crown.
The religious ceremony was made up of five key stages: the Recognition; the Oath; the Anointing; the Investiture and Crowning; and the Enthronement and Homage.
The King was crowned with St Edward's crown which was later replaced with the Imperial State Crown
"The Imperial State Crown, or Crown of State, is the crown the monarch exchanges for St. Edward's Crown at the end of the Coronation Service. The Imperial State Crown is also used on ceremonial occasions, such as the State Opening of Parliament,” the palace revealed.
Queen Camilla wore Queen Mary's crown, which was designed for the coronation of June 1911 when it contained three large diamonds, including the controversial Kohinoor which was later replaced by crystal replicas. The modern version designed for 75-year-old Camilla is minus the Kohinoor and made of a silver frame, lined with gold, and set with 2,200 diamonds, mainly brilliant-cut with some rose-cut.
While she was “anointed” with holy oil in full public view, Charles was anointed behind a cloth screen depicting a central design of a tree with branches filled with 56 leaves representing the Commonwealth of nations – including one of the leaves dedicated to India. The holy Chrism oil consecrated at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem was symbolically touched to the monarch’s head, chest and hands as part of the religious ceremony.
(with PTI inputs)