Will King Charles’s coronation be the start of the rebranding and rejuvenation of the monarchy?

However positive a person King Charles III may be, it is fair to say that 2023 has not started well for him and the monarchy as a whole. Although there appears to have been no winners in terms of popularity when it comes to the fall out from Prince Harry’s memoir Spare, a recent Ipsos Mori poll revealed that Prince William’s popularity had slipped by 8 percentage points, with Kate Middleton tied with Prince Harry at a loss of 7 points.

Despite Prince William’s loss in popularity, he remains the most popular royal, followed by his wife Kate Middleton (joint with Princess Anne at 60%), followed by King Charles at 51%.

It is therefore not surprising that the royal family are in need of something to help not only improve their popularity but to increase it. King Charles’s coronation, which will be a three-day event (starting on May 6), could be seen as the perfect opportunity for not only the King to outline his vision for the monarchy, but to demonstrate to the public that he understands the needs of the British people he governs.

PeopleWorld spoke to Kieran Elsby, Director of Media PR Global to hear his views on whether the coronation could be an opportunity for the Royal family and King Charles to rebrand and rebuild the monarchy.

“The coronation of King Charles should be a real turning point in how the public view our monarchy, “ he explains. “With so much infighting and scandals plaguing the family, King Charles cannot simply close the door to Buckingham Palace and hope things calm down. If he does, the damage will be irreversible.”

Kieran goes on to say that “now is the time to set the tone for a new era that is in touch, up to date and not afraid to stand up for the people he represents. First of all, he has some really tough decisions to make with some members of his family, Harry, Meghan and Andrew, who if he isn’t careful, could undermine his whole reign. I think inside King Charles knows tough decisions need to be made, but will he? It will define his reign either way.”

When it comes to the coronation itself, Kieran believes that “it should be a real celebration but should also be the time to build a new royal brand. The decision to hold a slimmed down event is a real masterclass and should please all sides”

Kieran reveals that he believes that King Charles “understands the struggles we all face more than most royals. Patiently waiting to be King is a hard ask, but he is the most briefed and had had the longest internship in the history of the royal family. He knows what works, what doesn’t and shouldn’t be afraid to move the royal family into 2023. The Coronation should be a turning point in how we all see the royal family. I think the public will respect a King who makes tough decisions, understands day to day concerns and decides to use his voice to help those who don’t.”

Here is a rundown of the three-day plan for the coronation this May

Saturday May 6

The day will begin with The King’s Procession. King Charles 111 and Camilla, Queen Consort will travel in the Gold State Coach from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Abbey. It is expected that the thousands upon thousands of the general public will line the path, alongside members of the armed forces.

As senior members of the Royal family, Prince William and his wife Kate Middleton (possibly along with their three children, Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis), will play a key part in the procession.

It is not known as yet if Prince Harry, his wife Meghan Markle and two children, Archie and Lilibet will attend or feature in the procession.

Other members of the Royal family expected to take part are the Earl of Wessex and Princess Royal.

There will be many marked differences between King Charles’s coronation and those from the past. A key difference and break from tradition is that the Queen Consort will be crowned alongside her husband, King Charles, by the Archbishop of Canterbury.

Another key difference is that King Charles 11 is expected to choose to wear military uniform instead of standard royal dress. By deciding to choose to do this, King Charles is demonstrating to the public that he understands the need for the monarchy to reform and adapt to the future.

King Charles is believed to be dispensing with silk stockings and breeches and instead will wear the uniform of the Admiral of the Fleet, the same uniform that he wore during the State Opening of Parliament last year.

After the ceremony inside the Abbey, King Charles will return to the Palace and appear on the balcony, alongside other working members of the Royal family.

When it comes to the ceremony itself, the length is expected to last 90 minutes to two hours. The late Queen Elizabeth 11’s coronation was three hours in length.

Sunday May 7

On Sunday May 7, according to Sky News, “global music icons and contemporary stars will descend on Windsor Castle for the coronation concert.” Sky News also reported that the concert “will feature ‘the Coronation Choir,’ a diverse group of community choirs and amateur singers from across the UK, such as refugee choirs, NHS choirs, LGBTQ + singing groups and deaf signing choirs.”

When it comes to who will be able to attend the concert, it has been reported that a ticket ballot will be available to members of the public.

According to the BBC, “there will be a laser and drone light show, but in an end to another tradition, there are no plans for beacons to be lit around the country.

On Sunday, there will also be The Coronation Big Lunch. According to the official website of the British Royal Family, “neighbours and communities across the United Kingdom are invited to share food and fun together at Coronation Big Lunches on Sunday 7th May2023, in a nationwide act of celebration and friendship.” The website then reveals that “The Coronation Big Lunch will be overseen and organised by the Big Lunch team at the Eden Project, made possible by The National Lottery, that brings millions of people together annually to boost community spirit, reduce loneliness and support charities and good causes.”

Monday May 8

On this day, an extra bank holiday has been scheduled. Members of the general public will be encouraged to take part in The Big Help Out, which according to the website of the British Royal Family, “will encourage people to try volunteering for themselves and join the work being undertaken to support their local areas.”

Where can one see The Coronation Concert?

The Coronation Concert, which will be produced by BBC Studios, will be broadcast live on BBC One, BBC iPlayer, BBC Radio 2 and BBC Sounds.

When will applications for the ballot be open and the line-up for the concert be revealed?

Both information regarding performers for the concert and when applications for the ballot be open have not yet been released. Details are expected to be released “in due course.”