King Charles III will pay special tribute to his late father, Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, at his coronation service, it can be revealed.
In the musical elements of his coronation service, The King has requested that Greek Orthodox music feature in tribute. According to Buckingham Palace: “At the request of His Majesty, in tribute to his late father His Royal Highness The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, Greek Orthodox music will also feature in the Service performed by the Byzantine Chant Ensemble.”
Prince Philip, who passed away in April 2021 at the age of 99 was born in Corfu, Greece, as a member of the Greek Royal Family on 10 June 1921. He was left the country while still a baby, later marrying then-Princess Elizabeth in 1947.
This Greek element is part of an overall announcement today on the musical element of the Coronation service, which will take place on 6 May at Westminster Abbey.
King Charles has arranged for 12 new pieces of music to be performed at the ceremony, with Buckingham Palace sharing that this is down to a want to showcase “musical talent from across the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth,” with a “range of musical styles and performers blend tradition, heritage and ceremony with new musical voices of today, reflecting The King’s life-long love and support of music and the arts.”
According to Buckingham Palace, “Six orchestral commissions, five choral commissions and one organ commission, have been specially composed for the occasion by world-renowned British composers whose work includes Classical, Sacred, Film, Television and Musical Theatre.”
These include a new Coronation Anthem composed by Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber, who said of his piece, “I am incredibly honoured to have been asked to compose a new anthem for The Coronation. My anthem includes words slightly adapted from Psalm 98. I have scored it for the Westminster Abbey choir and organ, the ceremonial brass and orchestra. I hope my anthem reflects this joyful occasion.”
King Charles III and Queen Camilla will be crowned on May 6 2023 at Westminster Abbey.
