Preparations for Coronation of King Charles III In Full Swing
By Rose Eclarinal
London –After Ambassador Teodoro Locsin Jr., who has started his stint as Philippine Ambassador to the Court of St. James two weeks ago, has confirmed with me and the ABS-CBN News team in London that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. will be attending King Charles III’s coronation, Malacanang has also issued statement confirming the same.
“He is going to be here,” said Locsin.
In a statement released by Malacanang, it said Marcos and First Lady Louise Araneta-Marcos have accepted the invitation to attend the coronation on May 6. They will also be present at the reception at Buckingham Palace on May 5.
The Coronation of His Majesty The King and Her Majesty The Queen Consort Camilla will take place at Westminster Abbey on Saturday 6th May, 2023, with the service to be conducted by the Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby.
Portrait of King Charles III by Alastair Barford © Illustrated London News. The Illustrated Coronation Edition is published by Illustrated London News and is on sale though leading supermarkets and WH Smith from 30 March
THE FIRST COMMISSIONED PORTRAIT OF KING CHARLES III REVEALED
The well-planned coronation has started last year.
Last weekend, Illustrated London News has revealed its specially commissioned portrait of His Majesty King Charles III that will feature on the front cover of The Illustrated Coronation Edition. The portrait was painted in oils by the artist Alastair Barford, a former QEST scholar (Queen Elizabeth Scholarship Trust) and is the first portrait to be released since the change of reign and among the first to be commissioned.
Barford had just two weeks to complete the project, and while His Majesty did not sit for the portrait, he was able to study him at work at a Buckingham Palace reception on 17 February held in support of global biodiversity, working from his photographs and sketches of the occasion.
On being commissioned to paint the King, Barford said: “It was a terrifying honour! It’s a great responsibility to create a portrait of someone who means so much to so many people.”
The portrait of His Majesty King Charles III is featured in The Illustrated Coronation Edition, published by Illustrated London News published in retailers and newsstands on 30 March.
“I wished to capture his warmth and sensitivity, the empathy which came across in his interactions with the people he met. It was important that I captured a sympathetic expression,” said Barford.
He added: “The King was wearing a suit rather than robes of State, so I wanted this to be a more personal, intimate portrait of the man.”
The portrait of The King was not Barford’s first royal portrait. He was commissioned as an up and coming artist by Illustrated London News in 2015 to paint Her Majesty The Queen in oils to mark her becoming the longest reigning British Monarch.
The historic coronation is expected to gather world leaders, diplomats, politicians and royals from all over the world
Juan Eu Konek will be part of the momentous and joyous coronation to spotlight on the participation of British-Filipinos in the United Kingdom.
Meantime, let us enjoy the Holy Week break.