Ten officers from the Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) participated in the coronation ceremony of King Charles III, marking the first time the Maldives Army has taken part in such an event in a foreign country. The soldiers joined about 400 troops from other Commonwealth countries in the official activities held in London.
The Maldives soldiers participated in the ceremony as members of the Commonwealth. President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih and First Lady Fazna also attended the coronation ceremony.
The coronation ceremony of King Charles III and his wife, Queen Camilla, was a once-in-a-generation royal event held at Westminster Abbey. The Archbishop of Canterbury formally crowned the King and Queen in a ceremony that followed a traditional template stretching back over a thousand years.
Charles III is Britain’s first new monarch in 70 years, succeeding his mother Queen Elizabeth II, who passed away at the age of 96 on September 8, 2022. Hundreds of high-profile guests and tens of thousands of well-wishers witnessed the royal event, despite heavy rain.
The Crown and Procession
The King is not only the head of state of the United Kingdom and 14 other countries but also holds the position of Supreme Governor of the Church of England. The monarch’s constitution dictates that the heir ascends to the throne immediately upon the passing of their predecessor. Charles III’s eldest son, Prince William, is now first in line to the throne.
The highlight of the service was the moment when the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, placed the 360-year-old St. Edward’s Crown on Charles III’s head. Media reports suggest that Charles III’s ceremony was an hour shorter than Elizabeth II’s coronation in 1953.
Following the ceremony, the King and Queen Camilla departed from Westminster Abbey in a mile-long procession with 4,000 troops and 19 military bands. Members of the royal family, including Prince William and his wife, Catherine, Princess of Wales, travelled in carriages behind the monarch as part of the procession.