Countdown to the coronation: The weekly column by royal expert Michael Begasse
Coronation of King Charles: Amazement at the guest list
Our royal expert Michael Begasse (right) provides information every week about the coronation of King Charles on May 6th
RTL
by Michael Begasse
In the British nobility – a good week before the coronation of King Charles (74) – there is a mixture of honest astonishment, personal disappointment, but also slight malicious joy: the ‘peers’ – as the high nobility is called – are amazed that the old König actually makes good on his announcement and makes the ceremony in Westminster Abbey tighter, more modern and closer to the people.
But if “only” 2,000 guests are invited instead of 8,000 as in 1953, and a lot of normal citizens at that, that also means that one or the other lord, some earl in distant Scotland or an insignificant marquess from the country just doesn’t get an invitation has; and the coronation – just like you on RTL – has to watch live on TV at home. And one or the other aristocrat may feel a certain glee that there were also tons of cancellations from European royals who, for various reasons, will not be there in London on May 6th.
In the video: Michael Begasse is looking forward to this highlight
01:31 min
King Charles’ coronation in 2023
Michael Begasse is looking forward to this highlight
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Future regents come to London
That the uncrowned monarch of Great Britain invited other queens and kings at all is a surprise in itself, as this has never happened before. The fact that, for example, Margrethe II of Denmark – now the longest-serving queen in Europe after the death of the Queen – just like King Harald of Norway or Queen Silvia of Sweden, gave Charles a royal basket is a pity, but in no way annoys the king . Because that’s how the future regents of the British neighboring countries come to London and meet there with William and Kate, the next royal couple of the island.
Haakon of Norway, with his Mette-Marit, will replace the ailing father, Frederik of Denmark will replace the aged mum (in rehab after back surgery) with the glamorous Mary. And instead of Queen Silvia, King Carl Gustaf of Sweden is bringing Crown Princess Victoria with him. The future Queen of the Netherlands is also allowed to appear on the big royal floor for the first time, because King Willem-Alexander and his Máxima are accompanied to London by Catharina-Amalia. What an event! Here the crown prince generation is warming up to take over the crown and scepter anywhere in Europe in the foreseeable future.
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Royal history is being written
And for King Charles, the best coronation gift would be if the future queens of Sweden and the Netherlands and the future kings of Norway and Denmark would say to each other at some point: “You remember, back in 2023, at the coronation of King Charles in London …” Royal history will be written on May 6th. The elderly monarch knows that and it allows him to overlook the fact that one or the other aristocrat in his kingdom is “not amused” about not having received an invitation.
Yours, Michael Begasse
There’s even more about King Charles on RTL+
Charles had to wait 74 years for the British crown. The documentary “Prince Charles – For Wales, the Crown and the Eternal Legacy” looks back on the life of the eternal heir to the throne in the shadow of his mother, Queen Elizabeth († 2022) – available here in the stream on RTL+.