1. Only the English can put a show like the Coronation with such a display of perfect pump and pageantry. Hearing G-d save our king through the streets and seeing golden chariots being pushed by eight white horses, the noise of horses and foot men gives a feeling of ancient, no cars no buses.
History in the making and boy does the royal family know how to create history with all their traditions and scandals, but we all love it and we all love to watch these huge celebration because they take us to another world, a world we don’t know, we can just dream of where people live in palaces and have servants, footmen and ladies in waiting, things we see only in movies. Is it amazing as it looks, is it perfect as they want to show it is? are their smiles real or they just learnt how to cover real emotions when the world is watching them.
All we see is beauty, is gorgeous dresses, sparkling tiaras and perfect uniforms. I am here to serve my people, so said king Charles once crowned. I thought its the contrary? Somehow though I like his eyes, they mean well, he loves his country and his people although a tiny bit detached from reality, he seems good, but he’s not the queen.
2. The Best moment of the coronation was to see William kneeling to his father the king and promising his loyalty and then leaning in for a kiss, to which Charles responded with a very emotional “Thank you William”.
How beautiful to see honor bestowed on a parent like the old times, and as a parent we can all agree that at that moment Charles thought of Harry, his second son sitting in the crowd who had come just for a few hours and was leaving back to America right after the service. Harry the son who betrayed the family for fame and fortune with his many revelations through his book “Spare” and the many interviews he has done smearing the Royal family.
No matter who you are and all the riches you might have if your children are not united your heart is broken.
3. Rabbi Mirvis, chief Rabbi of England shared a beautiful reflection on the coronation and how honored he has been to be invited.
Rabbi Mirvis writes that on 3rd September 1189, Richard I was crowned King in Westminster Abbey. Jews were prevented from attending the coronation but some Jewish leaders arrived bearing gifts for the new king only to be informed that Jews were not welcome, the king’s courtiers then threw them out of court. At that point a rumor had spread that the King had given an order for all Jews to be attacked. Some Jews managed to escape but arsonists set fire to many Jewish homes, some Jews were forcibly converted, while others were hidden in the Tower of London. Some thirty innocent Jews were senselessly murdered on the day of the Coronation, including Rabbi Jacob of Orl&eacuteans, the most senior Rabbi in England at that time.
“These tragic events stand in sharp contrast to our experience as Jews in 21st Century Britain,” Rabbi Mirvis went on explaining and went on saying how His Majesty King Charles III has made it clear that he wants representatives of the Jewish community and other minority faith communities to be present for the coronation service and that he has established an unprecedented opportunity, following the service itself, for faith leaders to be incorporated into the formal proceedings.
Rabbi Mirvis was privileged, together with four other senior faith leaders, to greet the King with words of tribute and blessing. King Charles has also invited Rabbi Mirvis and his wife Valerie to stay at St. James’s Palace over Shabbat so the Rabbi can walk over to the Abbey and so observe fully Shabbat. Seeing images of Rabbi Mirvis singing havdalah at St James’s palace was truly amazing and an incredible Kiddush Hashem!
This brings me to my last reflection on such an important day. As I go over every picture noticing every little detail of Princess Kate’s regal look or checking every guest that had been invited I get laughed at by my husband who tells me in a delicate way “it’s just one big show, like a circus”.
I disagree, this is important , it’s part of history, I reply almost hurt as my kids try to watch the images on my screen as they had never known coronations still exist. My nine year old Israeli daughter cannot believe that princess Charlotte who is roughly her age is a real princess and lives in a palace she thought was a movie. You don’t see things like that here in Israel.
England has always been against Jews and the creation of a Jewish state plus the king has no power now so it is just one big fat show, my husband insists, to which I reply that this “show” brings lots of money to the country, and to see the royal family caring for the Jews now and insisting for the Rabbi to be there is already prove we are in Messianic times and a king is chosen by G-d, so this is important and historical too.
Husband doesn’t agree. I remain firm in my point.
Are you “team husband” or “team wife”?
May G-d bless the new king.