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Accession and Coronation

The Mall, facing Buckingham Palace and with Union Flags along it.
 

Read the updated version of the oaths report (pdf)

Read the updated version of the organisation report (pdf)

Read our coronation FAQs

This project examined the practices around accessions and coronations, ahead of Charles III's coronation in 2023. It produced two reports in May 2018, which were then updated in October 2022. The Constitution Unit also produced a set of frequently asked questions about the coronation.

Swearing in the New King: The Accession Declarations and Coronation Oaths explored the ancient oaths which the new sovereign must swear to at accession and coronation: to be a true and faithful Protestant, to uphold the Presbyterian Church of Scotland and the rights and privileges of the Church of England. It explored how these might be revised and updated, if there is political will and parliamentary time to do so. This report was then revised in form of Swearing in the New King: The Accession and Coronation Oaths.

Inaugurating a New Reign: Planning the Accession and Coronation is about the organisational arrangements: what is involved in the accession ceremonies and the coronation, how much the context has changed since 1952 and why the next coronation will need to be different from that in 1953. The Coronation of King Charles III is an updated version of this report.