The Coronation of King Charles III may be the last grand ceremony the public will witness. According to Dr. Robert Morris, an honorary professor at University College London’s Constitution Unit, Prince William may end up ditching the ceremony altogether.
“It seems very likely that William might prefer his father’s style of coronation if, that is, he would want a coronation at all,” Morris told Express.co.uk. “We are the only European monarchy that still has a coronation, and William and/or the government of the day (which controls the monarchy) may decide for whatever reasons that the day of Coronations is over.”
Morris argues that the ceremony itself does not “make” the monarch, as the heir succeeds immediately on the death of their predecessor, making it optional by law. However, there is a statute that governs the wording of the Coronation oath.
Craig Prescott, a professor of law at Bangor University and expert in constitutional and political matters, concurs. He suggests that this year’s Coronation introduced some “very big changes” and the Prince of Wales may build on that idea.
“It might be that this is the last coronation of this sort, that William’s coronation might be even simpler and slimmed-down compared to this, which, itself, is a slimmed-down version of 1953,” Prescott said.
Prescott believes that William is more “modern” compared to his father, which means he could modernize the monarchy, making it “simpler.” Morris, in this regard, adds, “There could, for example, be a new, secular ceremony where the monarch would swear to his power to support the constitution, see that justice was upheld with mercy, and support the freedom of everyone to practice their own religion or none.”
Both Morris and Prescott suggest the possibility of a new, secular ceremony, in which the monarch pledges to support the constitution, uphold justice with mercy, and protect religious freedom. William’s more modern approach to the monarchy may lend itself to a simpler and more contemporary coronation.
It remains to be seen what Prince William’s decision will be, but it is clear that he will have options. Whether he chooses to follow tradition or to create something entirely new, the future of the British monarchy is in his hands.
