The Prince of Wales, William, is already planning his coronation – and while we won’t know a date until he ascends to the throne, it’s pretty normal for him to get stuck in.
Prince William isn’t jumping the gun when it comes to being the heir, it’s just what the royal family do. Major events, like this, take years to plan, so it’s common practice to have some sort of structure in place before the day comes.
Following King Charles‘ footsteps, Prince William’s coronation will likely take place on a date months after he becomes the monarch. Logistically, whether Charles abdicates the throne or passes away, the nation and The Firm wouldn’t be in a position to crown William quickly.
Here’s everything we know so far for the future king’s special day.
Prince William coronation plans
Prince William is also hoping his own coronation will be more modern than his father’s, which was steeped in tradition.
Sources told People magazine that his ceremony will be “relevant”, and was inspired by Charles’ switching things up from when his mother was crowned queen decades earlier.
An insider also told The Times: “He’s taking stock, he’s thinking ‘that was a supreme success and it was because Pa altered things.
“I’ve got to be cognizant of how that evolution happens in my day. What is it that stays? What do I need to change? What will our relationships with the realms and the Commonwealth be then?’ I don’t think he’ll be taking the filleting knife to it, but he will be checking it is sharp.”
A historical part of Charles’ coronation saw everyone who attended to swear their allegiance to the monarch. Initially, they would recite the following during the ‘homage of the people’: “I swear that I will pay true allegiance to your majesty and to your heirs and successors, according to law. So help me God.” However, King Charles toned this down, and Prince William wants to ditch it completely at his own coronation.
Aside from getting prepped for the big day ahead of time, he’s reportedly ‘anxious’ about it.
Royal author Tina Brown wrote in the New York Times: “The almost simultaneous news of Charles’ cancer has put William and Catherine in frightening proximity to ascending the throne just when they had hoped for a span of years to parent their children out of the public eye.
“The prospect of it, I am told, is causing them intense anxiety.”
Traditional location
Although Prince William wants his coronation to be ‘different’ and modern, to unify the nation, he doesn’t want to start all over.
William is reportedly ‘committed’ to being crowned at Westminster Abbey, the location for almost every prince and princess’ coronation since 1066 and William the Conqueror’s coronation.
Westminster Abbey, founded by Edward the Confessor as his royal burial church in 1066, is steeped in royal history. King Henry III re-built the Abbey church in the 13th century and it’s mostly the same as what you see today. Only two monarchs have not been crowned at the Abbey since the 11th century, including Edward V and Edward VIII.
It’s not exactly owned by The Firm, but to the sovereign alone, after Queen Elizabeth I founded the present Collegiate Church of St Peter Westminster (or Westminster Abbey) in 1560.
Aside from coronations, it has also hosted 16 royal weddings, including Prince William and Kate Middleton’s in 2011.
Trained by Queen Elizabeth II
Even if he wants to add his own spin on it, he’ll stick to some traditions.
Historian Gareth Russell told The Royal Beat: “I think he is a reformer, I don’t think he’s a radical in the way some people hope he will be or fear that he will.”
But he added the public “will see a very different coronation”.
The show also discussed how the heir learned a lot from the late queen throughout her record-breaking reign. King Charles also adapted his coronation celebration by seeing what worked for his mother, and Prince William is expected to follow suit.
Royal Central editor June Woolerton said Charles “took what had worked for mum in a different context, and turned it into a coronation”. This included a concert, volunteering day and setting it up for a weekend with a Bank Holiday for the nation.
Prince Harry may not be invited to William’s coronation
The royal feud between the brothers is no secret. Prince Harry practically aired out the royal family’s dirty laundry in his memoir Spare in 2023.
The rift has worsened over the years, and royal commentator Roya Nikkah believes the Duke of Sussex will be snubbed when it comes to invites. If their relationship mends over time, perhaps he’ll be at his brother’s side.
“If, god forbid, we were to have another coronation in the next few years, would Harry be there? I don’t think William would invite him,” she said. “And I don’t think Harry would come. That’s an extraordinary thing, isn’t it?”
What will Prince William be called when he is king?
We won’t know what name the Prince of Wales will choose until the day comes, but typically monarchs use their own.
Charles opted to become King Charles III, and his heir could be Prince William V.
Historically, only three monarchs have ruled under a different name. First, Queen Victoria, who had been christened Alexandrina Victoria, ruled under Victoria. Her son followed her footsteps in 1901, and chose King Edward VII over Albert. At the time he explained he wanted only his father to be associated with the name Albert within royal history.
The third was Queen Elizabeth II’s father, named Prince Albert. He ascended to the throne after his brother Edward abdicated the throne in 1936 to be with the woman he loved, Wallis Simpson. He was known as King George VI and was persuaded to take the same regal name as his father, George V, to avoid any links with Germany with the impending Second World War.
Therefore, on probability, Prince William will be known as King William V when he takes the thrown, unless he decides to go against tradition for his coronation.
Will Kate Middleton be crowned when William is king?
Yes, Princess of Wales, Kate Middleton, will be crowned alongside William when the prince becomes king.
Kate will be known as Queen Consort Catherine, but similarly to Camilla, over time this will just be Queen Catherine for ease.
Currently, Camilla is queen consort, but if she were still alive when William takes his father’s place, she would have a new title. Historically, this was Queen Dowager, although in most cases it never came to be.
For example, Queen Elizabeth II’s mother Elizabeth, the spouse of a ruling monarch (King George VI), became the Queen Mother. However, it’s unlikely this title will be handed down to Camilla out of respect of William and Harry’s mother, Princess Diana, who died in 1997.
Camilla was crowned alongside her husband at Charles’ coronation, and the same will happen to Kate.