There is just less than a month to go before His Majesty, 74, officially ascends the throne at his May 6 coronation – but doubt has been thrown over the special ceremony, with insiders revealing the monarch and his wife Camilla, 75, are feuding.
It’s believed attending state guests can now opt to wear their “standard business clothing” instead of their traditional finery, reducing the pomp to something of a corporate gathering. Indeed, for the late Queen’s big day, coronation robes and coronets made the event a visual spectacle, but the incoming monarch is said to be hell-bent on reducing the fanfare where possible – much to Camilla’s dislike.
“There are genuine concerns this could end up being history’s ‘Kmart coronation’,” dishes one palace insider. What started out as a wise move on Charles’ part in light of the cost-of-living crisis has turned into “an obsession” for the King.
“He’s not only diced the coronets from all peers but he’s slashed the guest list to smithereens on several occasions,” adds the source. The last straw between Charles and Camilla came when he started asking questions about the flower arrangements.
“Camilla understands his need to connect to his people, but there is also a level of expectation of pomp and ceremony – there are standards to be met. She worries they’re going to lose their blue-blood sheen as representatives of the church,” insists the source.
To some it might be an admirable move by the King, hoping to win over a more economically tuned-in generation, but some royal experts have warned it could only lead to trouble.
“Reducing the coronation to something much more mundane and no-frills carries a hell of a lot of risks,” royal expert Daniela Elser has warned. New Idea’s top palace sleuths explain that Camilla has now become the “go-to” when it comes to coronation decision-making.
“She’s determined to not let Charles ruin what’s her big day too. It’s admirable what he’s doing but if he goes too far, it will blow up in their faces,” says the source.
Indeed, every inch of the coronation will feel the wrath of Charles’ budget cuts, with sources revealing the Princess of Wales might even forgo wearing a tiara.
“She and William are on Charles’ side in streamlining the coronation, but Camilla is adamant that this isn’t what Charles wants,” the source confesses. “She admires him for being such a stalwart, but she also wants him to have the coronation of his dreams.”