In a moment decades in the making, the crowning of King Charles III took place Saturday during his long-awaited coronation ceremony.
Held in London's Westminster Abbey, the scene of every coronation since 1066, the two-hour service saw the Dean of Westminster David Hoyle deliver St. Edward's Crown to the Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby, who offered a blessing before placing the crown on the King while he remained seated in the coronation chair.
The archbishop then led the congregation of more than 2,000 people in saying, "God Save the King."
The moment solidified a journey decades in the making for 74-year-old Charles, whose late mother and the U.K.'s longest-reigning monarch, Queen Elizabeth II, died in September 2022.
After being crowned, the Abbey bells rang for two minutes. This was followed by a gun salute at Horse Guards Parade, the Tower of London and at all saluting stations in the U.K., Gibraltar, Bermuda and ships at sea.
Attending the ceremony were heir to the throne, Prince William, his wife, Kate, and their three children, Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis.
William's younger brother Prince Harry arrived alone, while his wife, Meghan, and their children remained at home in California.
After the service, King Charles III and Queen Camilla travelled in the slow-moving, 4,000-kilogram Gold State Coach from Westminster Abbey back to Buckingham Palace, where the U.K. and Commonwealth Armed Forces saluted them.
With files from CTV News Executive Producer Audience Growth & Development Mary Nersessian and The Associated Press
