On this historic day for the United Kingdom, the British press gives pride of place to King Charles III and the monarchy. At the top of all English newspaper websites, photos of the new sovereign, crown on head. Sometimes in Westminster Abbey, sometimes alongside Queen Camilla at the top of Buckingham’s balcony. The enthusiasm is such that the English had not known a coronation for seventy years, during the coronation of Elizabeth II in 1953.
Much – if not all – of English press headlines celebrate the new royal era under Charles III and Camilla. The Telegraph pays tribute to the long shunned couple by captioning: “The King and Queen go down in history as he hoped: together”.
Most British newspapers are publishing a “souvenir edition” this morning, in memory of this historic day. This is the case of the Mail on Sunday which features a photo of the royal couple staring into each other’s eyes, and title: “The look that says: Honey, it was a triumph!”
The Sunday Express is betting on a passage from the national anthem: “Happy and Glorious”.
The American press also devoted part of its pages to the new king. In the Washington Post one can read that Charles III is the “monarch whose concerns and priorities correspond to the time”. Between his passion for the environmental cause and his fight against global warming. Convictions that did not leave him on this great day during which he did not hesitate to challenge the Brazilian president on the state of emergency in the Amazon. For the American newspaper, “the monarchy is seen as an institution of emotional support” and embodies “continuity” in the context of a difficult economic crisis in the United Kingdom.
By becoming king, Charles III inherits a kingdom, but also a monarchy and “in good financial health”, informs The Wall Street Journal. In an article, the American newspaper is interested in the real estate portfolio in full swing of the sovereign thanks to the “soaring in asset prices” and “the low interest rates of real estate”. “One thing is certain, the monarch’s annual income is significantly higher than it was ten years ago,” he summarizes.
In France, the few newspapers which publish on Sundays have also left a good place for the coronation. Le Journal du Dimanche title “The Crown”, in reference to the famous series broadcast on Netflix. The weekly interviewed former Prime Minister Tony Blair and returned to “the challenges of a nonconformist king”.
The Parisian gives him only a blindfold to the event, by titling “a traditional and modern coronation at the same time”. Finally, Ouest France soberly indicates on the front page: “A royal couple for the United Kingdom”.
But the King and Queen aren’t the only ones making headlines. Kate and William also caused a stir with the press. The Princess of Wales has drawn particular attention. “Dazzling”, “radiant”, “the Princess of Wales has shown us that the future of the monarchy is assured”, comment various newspapers about her outfit. The Daily Mail particularly welcomes the “touching nod to his late mother-in-law”, Lady Diana, through a set of pearl and diamond earrings.
A few other amusing anecdotes also dot the newspaper sites. Prince Louis – as usual – made the gallery laugh. “It does not disappoint,” writes The Telegraph. The five-year-old did his family proud with an enthusiastic rendition of the national anthem. Her ‘VERY lively’ and ‘incredibly cute’ appearance on the Buckingham balcony was also noticed by the Daily Mail.
The members present to greet the delirious crowd at the top of the balcony of the palace were also few, criticizes La Repubblica. Between the various scandals that shook the monarchy and the king’s desire for a “light” monarchy, the balcony has never been “so little frequented”, comments the Italian newspaper.
However, for some newspapers, this coronation day was not without a gray area. If for The Times the music played is considered “at the height of the occasion”, the Guardian described the ceremony as “interminable”, in particular because of Justin Welby’s sermon, which was “at the limit of unintelligibility “. So much so that Prince Louis disappeared for a long time. “Lucky”, quips the newspaper. “The only time he looked vaguely happy was when the gospel choir was singing,” it also read.
On this historic day, where all the smallest details are filmed, scrutinized and commented on, the attitude of the monarch did not escape the radar. “Why did Charles look so brooding?” asks the Guardian, when The Times headline: “King Charles looked stuffy and anxious”. In its Sunday version, the venerable British daily also plays sobriety on the front page, simply titled: “Coronation of King Charles III”.
During the ceremony in Westminster Abbey, Charles III seemed concentrated and only sketched a few smiles. A single touching moment, when Prince William pledged allegiance to his father, marked the memories. “Thank you William,” whispered the king, his eyes clouded with tears of emotion.
How can we talk about an event in the English monarchy without mentioning Prince Harry? Since his retirement from royal life and the publication of his bloody book on his family, the youngest son of Charles III has been presented as a “pariah” by the English press. “Relegated to the back pews”, writes The Times – in third place – in the abbey, he only made a dark and express appearance. As soon as the ceremony was over, he “ran all smiles to Heathrow” to join his wife who remained in Los Angeles, reports the Daily Mail. Result of the races, “he will not appear in any official portrait”, underlines The Telegraph.
References to the few anti-royalist demonstrations in the crowd of the royal procession are surprisingly rare in the pages of English newspapers. Despite the 52 arrests by the police on the sidelines of the coronation, the English monarchy ultimately showed no weakness and proved that the continuity of Queen Elizabeth is assured.
