Prince William's Eventual Coronation Will Reportedly Be Much Different From King Charles'

The coronation of King Charles III in May 2023 put the spotlight on the entire British monarchy, and one family member in particular. William, Prince of Wales, immediately moved up to first place in the line of succession, reminding the world another new king is on the horizon. In fact, there are hints King Charles may abdicate the throne amid his recent cancer diagnosis so he can focus on his health and on enjoying his senior years quietly with Queen Camilla. A source recently told In Touch Weekly, "Charles can't help but consider stepping down instead [of carrying on], for the sake of the monarchy, meaning William and Kate will be crowned king and queen much sooner than anyone expected."

Whether William's rule begins in the near or distant future, the prince is already thinking about his own investiture ceremony, and it's said he wants to make some significant changes. The In Touch source said that if the king steps down, "they won't have an elaborate coronation — William thinks his father's was over-the-top anyway. William and Kate don't want all the traditional pomp and circumstance that make them seem out of touch, so it would be scaled down significantly."

True, Charles did make some changes to the traditional service when he was crowned, most notably including clergy from Buddhist, Jewish, Muslim, Sikh, and other faiths in the procession, and promising to "be a blessing to [people] of every faith and belief."  William will likely do the same — and more.

For most of the world, King Charles' coronation was the first time they had ever seen a British monarch being crowned. (And those who were alive for the late Queen Elizabeth's 1953 ceremony may have been too young to remember.) It was the moment Charles had been preparing for literally all his life, and he made the most of it. Though his ceremony was shorter and more sparsely attended than his mother's (just 2,200 were invited, as opposed to the queen's 8,251 guests), it was still a grand spectacle. The king and Queen Camilla enjoyed a coach procession down the Mall, a well-rehearsed service of hymns, speeches, and prayers, and lots of age-old traditions — make that lots. 

The procession into Westminster Abbey alone involved so many people, it took up eight pages of the official 50-page Coronation Order of Service. The royal couple were attended by eight pages — including grandson Prince George — and two Ladies in Attendance, with Princess Anne acting as Gold Stick-in-Waiting, a sort of guard.  Charles wore four different coronation robes during the proceedings, ranging from the silk Supertunica to the unadorned Colobium Sindonis. He was presented with a long list of investiture items, including the traditional scepters and orb, a sword, glove, and coronation ring. 

There was some tongue-clucking over the cost of the whole affair; the estimated $125 million seemed much too extravagant for these worrisome economic times. It's said Prince William felt the same way, so expect a much more budget-conscious ceremony when his time comes.

Don't expect Prince William's coronation to be totally bare-bones; even a "slimmed-down" ceremony has to include certain elements. Since it's a religious ritual, it will have to include the traditional Protestant order of service in a church setting. William will need to take an oath, be anointed behind a special screen, and wear the St. Edward's Crown for a few moments as he receives final blessings.

But the prince will likely cut out other portions of the service, according to The Mirror editor Russell Myers. "I don't think he will have a coronation anywhere near what we saw with Charles's," he said in an interview. "We talk about the glitz and the glamour mixed in with the thousand-year-old ceremony — I can't see how he, as a modern man, will want to give that sort of indication of his personality." Among the elements the prince is predicted to cut is the "homage to the people," in which British citizens are asked to verbally swear loyalty to the monarch and his heirs. Perhaps he'll also trim down the guest list, the processional, and the music to make the ceremony shorter and less stuffy.

Sources told In Touch Weekly the Prince and Princess of Wales will "likely do the religious ceremony and a small reception, likely for less than $15 million." While that's still more than we commoners spend on our own parties, this would send the message William is making good on his promise to be a relatable king.