Photos of Coronations from Around the World
Coronations are a rare event these days. In European monarchies, the United Kingdom is the only nation that still has a coronation ceremony, complete with holy oil—other monarchs simply take an oath in front of the legislature. Around the world, too, many monarchies (like in Saudi Arabia) do not have formal coronations. As we gear up for King Charles's coronation on May 6, 2023, many are looking back at British history to get a sense of what past coronations have been like. (Interested? See British coronations throughout history, here.) At T&C, we thought it was the perfect opportunity to take a look at what coronations around the world have looked like in the 20th and 21st centuries:
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King Letsie III's coronation took place at Maseru Sports Stadium in Maseru, Lesotho.
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In attendance at Letsie's coronation was then-Prince Charles. It's not uncommon for other royalty to attend coronations—here's who's confirmed to attend Charles's in May.
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Letsie was crowned by his uncle, and he wore a blue tunic embroidered with a golden crocodile.
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His uncle crowned him with a beaded headband and feather.
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Denmark, like most European constitutional monarchies, does not have a coronation. Here, Prime Minister Jens Otto Kragh made a public announcement from Christiansborg Palace that she was the new Queen, a day after her father King Frederick IX's death.
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In 2008, Jigme Singye Wangchuck abdicated the throne in favor of his son, Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck. During his coronation, in the Throne Room of the Tashichho Dzong in Thimphu, Bhutan, his father placed the Raven Crown on his head.
He became the world's youngest reigning monarch. More photos of the Bhutanese royal family here.
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Ceremonial dancers performed at the coronation.
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Swaziland (now called Eswatini) is an absolute monarchy. In 1982, King Mswati III succeeded his father King Sobhuza II. His coronation took place at Somhlolo National Stadium in Mbabane on April 25, 1986, when he was just 18 years old.
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Mswati wore a crown of red and white feathers and a leopard-skin loincloth to the coronation.
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Mswati, an absolute monarch, has numerous alleged human rights violations, his lavish lifestyle while his country remains in poverty, and violent crackdown on opposition.
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At the croonation, 50,000 Swazis were in attendance at the stadium and another 50,000 surrounded the stadium
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Hassanal Bolkiah ibni Omar Ali Saifuddien III became the Sultan of Brunei in 1967—another absolute monarch. He has also been the subject of numerous controversies, including the support of anti-LGBT laws that would introduce the capital punishment for homosexuality.
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Following the death of Queen Elizabeth, Hassanal Bolkiah is the world's longest-reigning current monarch.
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Cambodia has had numerous coronations in the modern period. In 1928, Monivong was crowned King of Cambodia.
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This photo shows the Sisowath Monivog on a golden palanquin, leaving Devaninichai Palace for a triumphal procession through the streets of the city.
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Another coronation in 1956, of King Norodom Suramarit and Queen Kossouan.
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The original caption for this photograph reads: "A striking close up of King Suramarit, wearing the uniform of an Army Chief, during his coronation ceremony at his palace in Pnom-Penh on March 7. Members of the Diplomatic Corps attended the ceremony, which featured a parade of 8,000 troops."
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The most recent coronation took place in 2004, of King Norodom Sihamoni. Here, Cambodian Supreme monks pour holy water on the king during a religious ceremony at the Royal Palace in Phnom Penh.
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King Norodom Sihamoni is carried to his throne during his coronation ceremony at the Royal Palace. He is the son of former king Norodom Sihanouk.
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King Norodom Sihamoni greets the crowd as he tours the streets in an open top car outside the Royal Palace.
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The most recent coronation on this list: that of Misuzulu ka Zwelithini as new Zulu monarch in August 2022. Read more here.
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Dancers participated in the ceremony.
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Traditional Prime Minister of the Zulu nation Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi (R) hands over the Spear of Authority to King of Amazulu nation Misuzulu kaZwelithini (C) during the coronation.
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The new King took part in the ukungena esibayeni ritual, where he enters the sacred cattle kraal.
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The Tongan coronation takes place in a church; here King Tupou VI (L) and Queen Nanasipau'u (R) stand before the delegation at the Centenary Church in Nuku'alofa on July 4, 2015. Tupou VI was formally crowned King of Tonga before thousands of people.
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The new King and Queen were in a procession.
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King Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukidi IV, 18, who was crowned as head of the Kingdom of Toro in Fort Portal, Uganda. He succeeded his father when he was just three years old, after his father died of a heart attack in 1995. The coronation, however, was delayed until he reached adulthood.
From the original Getty Images: "Despite Oyo's apparent ambivalence regarding his official duties and the anachronism of a Jay-Z loving, Arsenal-supporting 18-year-old-king banging drums and blessing spears, no one interviewed on Saturday dismissed the importance of his job, or the role of his kingdom in modern Uganda."
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Another recent coronation took place in Thailand for King Maha Vajiralongkorn's coronation, also known as King Rama X, in Bangkok, Thailand. King Vajiralongkorn was carried around parts of Bangkok on a royal palanquin after being presented with a gold 7.3-kilogram crown and a sacred nine-tiered umbrella.
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He wore an ornate outfit.
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Another shot of the parade.
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His family waved to crowds from balcony of Suddhaisavarya Prasad Hall in the Grand Palace.
L-R: Princess Sirivannavari Nariratana, Prince Dipangkorn Rasmijoti, Princess Bajrakitiyabha Mahidol, King Maha Vajiralongkorn and Queen Suthidawave.
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Jordan's King Abdullah II and Queen Rania at Raghadan Palace at the investiture ceremony of his coronation.
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At King Abdullah I's coronation over fifty years earlier, he's far right—he stands with Emir Abdul Illah (Regent of Iraq, center), and Prince Nayef (King Abdullah's youngest son, left). Abdullah was Emir of Transjordan until 1946, at which point he became King of an independent Jordan.
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Sheik handing King Abdullah proclamation of the crowning.
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The crowds awaiting King Abdullah.
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While not quite a coronation, Japan's enthronement ceremony is similar—it's where emperor officially proclaims his ascension to the Chrysanthemum Throne at the Imperial Palace. Pictured here are Emperor Naruhito (L) and Empress Masako (R) at the enthronement ceremony.
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Crown Princess Kiko leaves the ceremony. More photos of the enthronement ceremony here.
(Pool - Getty Images)As the world gears up for King Charles's coronation in May, here's a look at coronations in Bhutan, Lesotho, and around the globe.