The organizers then had to build special stands to accommodate so many people.
This reduction in the number of guests parallels Charles III’s declared goal of “limiting” the number of official members of the royal family, reducing it to the seven claves, including his wife, eldest son and daughter-in-law, and their three children.
The duration of the ceremony will also be reduced: from almost three hours in 1953 to just over one in 2023.
Hats instead of headbands
At Elizabeth II’s coronation, almost all the royal and aristocratic women wore diadems.
The dress code for the coronation of Carlos III has not yet been confirmed, but there is speculation that he will opt for a more modern outfit with hats for all the guests, except the most senior.
Aristocrats without a toga
A limited number of seats for MPs and members of the upper house of Parliament, known as the House of Lords, will be allocated by vote among all political parties.
In 1953, more than 800 MPs and 900 Lords – including dukes, earls, barons and others holding a lifetime seat by inheriting a peerage – attended dressed in long robes of scarlet velvet.
The hereditary aspect of the British upper house was reformed in 1999 and on this occasion its members were instructed not to wear these outfits. Instead, they may choose the ceremonial clothing used for the opening of parliamentary sessions or simple suits.
recycled crown
Queen Camila will be crowned with a crown that was made in 1911 for Queen María, the great-grandmother of Carlos III.
She will be the first queen consort in nearly three centuries to modify an existing crown rather than commission a new one.