King Charles III Crowned; Protesters Arrested

King Charles III was crowned Saturday at Westminster Abbey, in a ceremony built on ancient traditions at a time when the British monarchy faces an uncertain future, the Associated Press (AP) reported.

Photo Insert: The final mile of a seven-decade journey for Charles from heir to monarch.

Trumpets sounded inside the medieval abbey and the congregation shouted “God save King Charles” as the ceremony began in front of more than 2,000 guests, including world leaders, aristocrats, and celebrities.

Outside, thousands of troops, tens of thousands of spectators, and a smattering of protesters converged along a route that the king traveled from Buckingham Palace in a gilt-trimmed, horse-drawn carriage.

It was the final mile of a seven-decade journey for Charles from heir to monarch. To the royal family and government, the occasion — code-named Operation Golden Orb — is a display of heritage, tradition, and spectacle unmatched around the world, Yomiuri Shimbun also reported.

The rite was watched by millions, though the awe and reverence the ceremony was designed to evoke are largely gone — and many greeted the day with apathy. Some even met it with disdain.

Republican protesters gathered outside to holler “Not my king” for a celebration of an institution they say stands for privilege and inequality in a country of deepening poverty and fraying social ties.

A handful was arrested.

The anti-monarchy group Republic said six of its members, including its chief executive, were arrested as they arrived at a protest. Police said they have a “low tolerance” for people seeking to disrupt the day, sparking criticism that they are clamping down on free speech.

A cost-of-living crisis is also making everyone in the UK poorer, raising questions about the cost of all the pomp.

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