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Coronation planning in 'complete chaos' amid 'very frantic' last-minute changes

Author
news.com.au,
Publish Date
Wed, 12 Apr 2023, 4:27pm
The eyes of the world will be on Westminster Abbey as King Charles III is crowned. Photo / AP
The eyes of the world will be on Westminster Abbey as King Charles III is crowned. Photo / AP

Coronation planning in 'complete chaos' amid 'very frantic' last-minute changes

Author
news.com.au,
Publish Date
Wed, 12 Apr 2023, 4:27pm

Concerning new details about the latest plans for聽聽have painted a picture of 鈥渃omplete chaos鈥 behind the scenes.

According to the UK鈥檚聽The Mirror, with just over three weeks to go, organisers are now in a 鈥渞ace against time鈥 with major issues cropping up and wreaking havoc on the structure of the May 6 event.

The eyes of the world will be on Westminster Abbey as King Charles III and Camilla, Queen Consort are crowned in the historic ceremony, which has been scaled back from more than three hours to an intended 90 minutes.

However, according to聽The Mirror, the one rehearsal so far 鈥渙verran significantly鈥, prompting fears that audiences will begin to switch off.

聽鈥淚t鈥檚 all very frantic, complete chaos to be frank,鈥 an insider told the publication.

鈥淭here is a plan, which is supposed to be the blueprint of how the day should operate, but things are changing daily, which is causing massive headaches.鈥

However, another royal source eased concerns somewhat, telling聽The Mirror聽that while it would 鈥済o down to the wire鈥, there was 鈥渉uge confidence鈥 everything would go to plan on the day.

The source added: 鈥淭his is naturally a huge event and the important point is everyone is pulling in the right direction.

聽鈥淭he King and Queen Consort want it to be perfect, as does everyone involved, which is why everything is being done to make it so.鈥

The Mirror聽also reports that Charles and Camilla have been practising their roles in a mock-up abbey, built inside Buckingham Palace for the occasion.

But the timing of the ceremony isn鈥檛 the only issue plaguing organisers.

Will they or won鈥檛 they? Harry and Meghan haven't yet confirmed whether they will attend the May 6 coronation. Photo / AP

Will they or won鈥檛 they? Harry and Meghan haven't yet confirmed whether they will attend the May 6 coronation. Photo / AP

Seating plans still unconfirmed due to Harry and Meghan

Seating plans for the event are yet to be arranged, reportedly largely due to Prince Harry and Meghan Markle having not yet confirmed their attendance. The RSVP cut-off date was April 3, and the king鈥檚 son and daughter-in-law have so far given no formal indication of whether or not they鈥檒l be there.

鈥淭here have been lengthy discussions between the Sussexes and the palace, there is a time crunch on this, of course,鈥 a royal insider told聽Page Six听谤别肠别苍迟濒测.

鈥淚t鈥檚 such a historical event and it鈥檚 hoped that Harry and Meghan will be there.鈥

However, the final call ultimately rests with Harry, with a source telling the publication: 鈥淎ll families are difficult, but this is no normal family, of course. Harry has a lot of questions about how the event will work.鈥

鈥楻eal fears鈥 king will stumble

There are also concerns the king may stumble in his ceremonial robes, which would be seen by an estimated TV audience of about 100 million.

The Mirror聽claims that, during one of his fittings, Charles remarked on the weight of the elaborate outfit, sparking 鈥渞eal fear鈥 among aides that he might struggle to walk up to the Chairs of State, where he and Camilla will need to go after being crowned.

As a result, craftsmen were recently called in to build a ramp to the chairs, which sit in the centre of Westminster Abbey.

Prince Andrew鈥檚 fury

A decision over whether the disgraced Prince Andrew should be permitted to wear the grand velvet robes and insignia which accompany his role as a Knight of the Garter is yet to be made 鈥 which has reportedly left him furious.

The Duke of York stepped back from royal duties in 2020 after becoming embroiled in a sex abuse scandal, and last year paid a multimillion-dollar settlement to his accuser, Virginia Guiffre. He has denied any wrongdoing.

While Andrew is expected to attend the coronation itself, it鈥檚 understood he will not hold a central role and may be ordered to wear a simple morning suit.

The Princess of Wales is reportedly considering ditching her tiara for the big day. Photo / Getty

The Princess of Wales is reportedly considering ditching her tiara for the big day. Photo / Getty

Royal women in tiaras

A source told聽The Mirror聽that, despite months of notice, 鈥渋ndecision between the households鈥 has led to conflict over what tiaras the royal women will be wearing on the day.

鈥淪enior female royals were only informed of outfits this week, prompting a rush to finalise fitting arrangements,鈥 the insider said.

It follows a recent聽People聽magazine report that, 鈥渨hile conversations around the decision鈥 for Catherine, Princess of Wales to wear a tiara were 鈥渙ngoing鈥, she would possibly forgo the headpiece in line with Charles鈥 aim to modernise the event and create a more low-key atmosphere.

It鈥檚 understood that British MPs have also been asked to dress in a less formal manner in keeping with this goal.

Coronation route squabbles

The Mirror聽reports that the Saturday service will begin at 11am and finish at 12.45pm, local time, with the king鈥檚 procession leaving Westminster Abbey at 1pm and heading back to Buckingham Palace.

Earlier this week, the palace announced that the king and queen would be taking a shorter route, about a third of the 7.2-kilometre procession undertaken by Queen Elizabeth II on her coronation day.

The Mirror聽claims the king was keen to follow in his mother鈥檚 footsteps and journey through the streets of central London, but was persuaded otherwise by senior aides, who feared the security bill would appear 鈥渢oo elaborate鈥 amid the backdrop of a soaring cost-of-living crisis.

鈥淓verything should be planned to the minute and such overruns would be a disaster.

鈥淭he schedule from the programme, the carriages, balcony appearance and the RAF fly-past is planned to the minute, so it鈥檚 all incredibly stressful,鈥 the source said.

鈥淚f the service is too long, or too complicated, the television audience will turn off and that could be devastating.鈥

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