Marcos, First Lady to attend King Charles III's coronation in London
President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. and First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos will attend the coronation of King Charles III in May.
“President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. and First Lady Louise Araneta-Marcos have accepted the invitation to attend the coronation of His Majesty King Charles III and Her Majesty The Queen Consort at Westminster Abbey on Saturday, 6th May 2023,” Presidential Communications Office Secretary Cheloy Garafil said in a statement.
Garafil added that the president and the first lady have also accepted the invite to the reception at the Buckingham Palace on May 5.
Charles, 74, took over as sovereign in September 2022 following the death of his mother Queen Elizabeth II.
According to the Palace, coronation usually takes place months after the previous monarch died to allow for a proper period of mourning and a time of preparation for the ceremony.
King Charles III’s ceremony is also expected to be less extravagant compared to the queen's coronation in 1953. This is in solidarity with many citizens in the United Kingdom who are experiencing the current economic or cost of living crisis.
Unlike the late queen's three-hour coronation, King Charles III’s ceremony will be shorter and will last for just an hour.
The guest list for the event will be reduced from 8,000 to approximately 2,000. Peers are also expected to dress in suits and dresses instead of ceremonial robes. Some traditions, including the distribution of gold ingots, will also be removed.