King Charles III on May 6 was officially crowned in a solemn ceremony following the British Royal tradition at Westminster Abbey, London.
At the same time, in Hanoi, the British community and those who love England also chanted "God save the King!"
British Ambassador to Vietnam Iain Frew said that the British people worldwide are extremely excited to witness the Coronation Ceremony in the color of the British Royal tradition from thousands of years ago.
In the most significant moment, Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby placed the 360-year-old St. Edward’s Crown on Charles’ head. The spiritual leader of the Anglican Church then declared: “God save the King.”
| King Charles III and Queen Camilla. Photo: People |
In the most sacred part of the ceremony, the King was anointed with holy oil by the Archbishop of Canterbury. He was also presented with the coronation regalia, including the royal Robe and Stole.
Then, for the first time in coronation history, the archbishop invited the British public and those from “other Realms” to recite a pledge of allegiance to the newly crowned monarch and his “heirs and successors.”
British Ambassador Iain Frew said this is a significant moment for the UK as it’s the once-in-a-generation ceremony, the first coronation ceremony after 70 years since when Queen Elizabeth II was crowned formerly.
“The coronation ceremony is a worldwide event. We can see coverage across the globe. When it happened in 1973, about 27 million people watched in the UK. Now, it’s followed on social media widely,” he said.
It means Iain Frew has a significant change. For all of his life, he gets on well with the image of the Queen on money, postage stamps, and other symbols so that the new King means a new era.
The ambassador remarked that the visit of President Vo Van Thuong to the UK has a very special meaning, showing mutual respect, especially when this year is the year the UK and Vietnam celebrate the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations.
| British Ambassador Iain Frew said it's a new era for the UK. Photo: Ngo Minh/The Hanoi Times |
He said King Charles III has long been interested in environmental issues and sustainable development. The UK and Vietnam have also committed to cooperating to reduce emissions, supporting the country to achieve its net zero emissions target by 2050.
"I believe that the attendance of President Vo Van Thuong at the coronation ceremony will create a positive impact, providing a strong impetus for the further deepening cooperation of the two countries,” he said.
As President Vo Van Thuong met the King and other senior leaders in the UK during his visit, Ambassador Iain Frew thought it would give a powerful impulse to deepen corporation between the two countries.
King Charles III became the head of state of the United Kingdom and 14 other countries in the Commonwealth, including Canada.
Ambassador of Canada to Vietnam Shawn Steil was excited to follow this ceremony.
“Like other Commonwealth countries, we share a common of one head of state as the King. And so, for many Canadians, this is also a time of celebration and reflection on our heritage. Time has changed since the last coronation. So, we all wait for this event. King Charles III is a very popular face to Canadians,” the Ambassador told The Hanoi Times.
