Vice-President Dhankhar to attend King Charles' coronation

New Delhi, April 29

Vice-President Jagdeep Dhankhar will attend the coronation of King Charles III next month. President Droupadi Murmu had represented India at the funeral of Queen Elizabeth in September last year.

The coronation will be held at Westminster Abbey on May 6, with more than 2,000 guests invited for the ceremony. It is understood that the invitation had gone out to Murmu but the government decided to send Dhankhar instead. US President Joe Biden will give the event a miss. He will be represented by First Lady Jill Biden.

Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina and Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe will also attend the event.

London sought to avoid a controversy by deciding against Charles’ wife Camilla wearing a crown adorned with the Kohinoor diamond which was looted from India by the British. According to reports from London: “There were concerns about a diplomatic row with India if it had been used.” New Delhi has sought its return. Camilla will instead wear Queen Mary’s 1911 crown.

The Coronation Service will be conducted by the Archbishop of Canterbury with the King and his consort arriving at Westminster Abbey in a procession from Buckingham Palace. They will then return to Buckingham Palace in a larger ceremonial procession, known as ‘The Coronation Procession’. They will be joined by other members of the royal family. At Buckingham Palace, The King and The Queen Consort, accompanied by members of the royal family, will appear on the balcony to conclude the day’s ceremonial events.