“Not anointed to be served, but to serve”
Reflections on the Coronation of Charles III, 6-8 May 2023
Dr Lucy Dean, our Curriculum Leader and Lecturer in History for UHI Centre for History, has a a keen interest in ceremony and ritual, monarchy and kingship, gender and masculinity, coming of age and the life cycle, and material culture. Her recent research explores and analyses the cyclical process of ritual succession from death onwards through four centuries of Scottish kingship. For her, the last eight months have been awash with opportunities to reflect upon connections between past and present ceremonies.
The Stone of Destiny leaving Edinburgh Castle on 28 April 2023. (UK Government Scotland/Wikimedia Commons)
While there have been many royal celebrations marked by pomp and circumstance in the long reign of Elizabeth II, the rituals of death and accession are a particularly critical moment when power is transferred from one person to another. Occurring amid a cost-of-living crisis and the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, Charles III’s coronation has divided opinion. Unsurprisingly, there have been a lot of questions arising about the purpose and importance of such a ceremony in modernity, particularly due to the associated cost that such a public event incurs. As many commentators have already suggested, there is a narrow path to be navigated by the modern royal family to satisfy supporters and their expectations of grandeur and royal display, while also appeasing critics and demonstrating awareness of wider public opinions. So, what is a coronation and why is it important?
Have a read of this fascinating piece by Dr Dean, discussing the history and significance of traditions, both old and newly introduced.
