# How will the coronation of Charles III differ from that of Elizabeth II? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [April 28, 2011, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-will-the-coronation-of-charles-iii-differ-from-that-of-elizabeth-ii/579984 "2011-04-28T01:33:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 4\ **Page:** 7
**Author:** ![SciFiSam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/47e85d/32.png) [@SciFiSam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SciFiSam)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2011, 3:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-will-the-coronation-of-charles-iii-differ-from-that-of-elizabeth-ii/579984/121 "2011-05-07T03:47:38Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > One wonders just what a king can get away with nowadays – not in exercise of royal duties or constitutional powers, but in such private (or, at least, non-state) life as a king can have. > > For instance: IRL, Prince William’s non-royal career has been in the military, an entirely respectable and traditional calling for a royal, and I have never heard of his having any other aspirations. But, suppose William had always been stage-struck, and majored in theater at St. Andrews, and even republicans had to concede he performed brilliantly in many productions, real next-Olivier (or whatever the theatrical byword would be in the UK today) material. So far, I suppose, little to no controversy – a theater major is obviously appropriate preparation for a king’s role. (What, he should major in history or PolySci or public administration, and get to thinking he can give the PM advice and shit?) But, could he, after graduation, act professionally? Or even as an amateur? Supposing he could, would he have to drop it as king? Is acting inconsistent with royal dignity? What about other art forms, performing or creative? Prince Edward was interested in acting and the media and was pretty much hounded out of it. And he was the third in line to the throne. Incidentally, he’s chosen for his children to be styled as Lord and Lady rather than Prince and Princess, as they would be automatically. Princess Anne and her first husband turned down a peerage, so their kids have no titles. It appears that quite a lot of the royals really don’t like being royals. I don’t blame them - it’s all of the benefits of being rich but with a hell of a lot of disadvantages too. Somebody upthread said about QE2’s coronation not being filmed; did I misread? It was filmed, and is shown on repeat in the queue to the Crown Jewels at the Tower of London. In black and white, obviously, so that’ll be one of the changes. I imagine another change is that, like for the recent wedding, some of the carriages will be replaced by cars. FWIW I don’t think it matters whether we dislike Charles or think he’s up to the job (I like him and think he is). If we accept a monarchy then we accept any legitimate monarch who’s not demonstrably mad, bad and dangerous to know. Liking ecofuels doesn’t quite meet that standard. ---
**Author:** ![A.Gwilliam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ea5d25/32.png) [@A.Gwilliam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/A.Gwilliam)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2011, 11:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-will-the-coronation-of-charles-iii-differ-from-that-of-elizabeth-ii/579984/122 "2011-05-07T11:39:16Z")
> [@SciFiSam](#): > > Somebody upthread said about QE2’s coronation not being filmed; did I misread? It was filmed, and is shown on repeat in the queue to the Crown Jewels at the Tower of London. In black and white, obviously, so that’ll be one of the changes. The annointing was not filmed. Incidentally, there’s contemporary 3D footage of the coronation! :eek: ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2011, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-will-the-coronation-of-charles-iii-differ-from-that-of-elizabeth-ii/579984/123 "2011-05-07T19:42:24Z")
> [@SciFiSam](#): > > Somebody upthread said about QE2’s coronation not being filmed; did I misread? It was filmed, and is shown on repeat in the queue to the Crown Jewels at the Tower of London. In black and white, obviously, so that’ll be one of the changes. You can view QE2’s coronation on YouTube via the first link in the OP. Her **anointing** was edited out; [Wiki sez](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coronation_of_the_British_monarch#Anointing_and_crowning) that bit is considered to sacred for public viewing. ---
**Author:** ![Ximenean](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/aca169/32.png) [@Ximenean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ximenean)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2011, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-will-the-coronation-of-charles-iii-differ-from-that-of-elizabeth-ii/579984/124 "2011-05-07T20:11:34Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > What does it actually **mean,** to be “peer” or “commoner” in the UK, today? So far as I know, peers have only one privilege left: To attend the Coronation in their robes and coronets. Otherwise . . . the House of Lords isn’t really theirs any more . . . all other [privileges of peerage](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Privilege_of_peerage) have been abolished by acts of Parliament over the years . . . Is it only a matter of being able to use the name “Lord X” and display a full coat-of-arms with supporters and coronet? I’m British, and I have wondered that myself! Apart from the small number of hereditary peers who still qualify for a seat in the House of Lords (which is pretty toothless anyway), I don’t really see what they get out of it, apart from being higher up the guest list for things like royal weddings (of course some of them inherit great wealth, but that is no different from the children of rich people everywhere). So all this discussion of the rules of hereditary in the British aristocracy seems rather akin to arguing about the rules of a private golf club. Who cares? OK, there probably are obscure laws that treat peers differently to “commoners”, but in practice it doesn’t seem to mean squat. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-will-the-coronation-of-charles-iii-differ-from-that-of-elizabeth-ii/579984.md?page=6)