After most Canadians were not given an official day off for the queen's funeral on Monday, September 19, many have been asking whether the same could happen when King Charles is crowned later this year.
Here's everything we know so far about King Charles III's coronation and what it could mean for Canadians.
When Will King Charles III be coronated?
King Charles III's coronation will be held on Saturday, May 6, 2023.
Buckingham Palace confirmed the date last year, adding that the Archbishop of Canterbury will conduct the coronation ceremony.
On the same day, Camilla – now known as the queen consort – will also be crowned alongside the new king.
While additional details are yet to be confirmed, the palace said the coronation will "reflect the monarch’s role today and look towards the future, while being rooted in longstanding traditions and pageantry."
Although King Charles automatically became the new monarch when his mother died on September 8, the coronation essentially makes things official.
The coronation of a new sovereign is often many months after their accession as it follows a period of mourning, but also because the ceremony requires a significant amount of planning and preparation.
Where will King Charles III be coronated?
King Charles III's coronation ceremony will take place at Westminster Abbey, in London.
It's hardly surprising that this is where the formalities will take place, as royal coronations have been held here for the last 900 years, according to Buckingham Palace.
What's more, the Archbishop of Canterbury has conducted the service since the Norman Conquest in 1066 – over 950 years ago.
Will King Charles III's coronation be a holiday?
Whether or not King Charles III's coronation is an additional holiday will depend on where you live.
For example, the U.K. has already confirmed that Brits will get a day off to celebrate Charles' coronation, with a bank holiday on Monday, May 8.
Although the event is set to take place on May 6 – a Saturday – British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said he was "pleased" to confirm the additional day off.
"The Coronation of a new monarch is a unique moment for our country," he said in a statement.
“I look forward to seeing people come together to celebrate and pay tribute to King Charles III by taking part in local and national events across the country in his honour."
The U.K. was also given two additional bank holidays in 2022, one for Queen Elizabeth's Platinum Jubilee in June and another for her funeral in September.
Whether residents of other countries – namely those in the Commonwealth – will get a day off for Charles' coronation will be up to the discretion of their respective governments.
Will Canada get a day off for King Charles III's coronation?
Canada has yet to confirm whether there will be a national holiday or day off around King Charles III's coronation.
But, here's what we do know so far.
The coronation will be held on a Saturday, which means many people will already be off work. This means that the Canadian government could argue that its citizens will be able to celebrate the occasion regardless of whether an extra day off is granted.
What's more – despite being made a formal bank holiday in other countries – Canada did not make the queen's funeral a stat holiday, opting instead for a federal holiday only.
Meaning that the holiday was extended to workers in federally-regulated industries but many Canadians were required to work as usual. That said, some individual regions implemented provincial holidays.
All of that said, when Queen Elizabeth II was crowned in 1953 (the last time a British monarch was crowned) then-Governor General Vincent Massey declared the day a national holiday in Canada.
A celebration took place on Parliament Hill and there were horse races, parades and fireworks.
For now, it remains to be seen whether Canadians will get an extra day off in 2023.
What will King Charles' coronation be like?
While the king's coronation ceremony is expected to be similar overall to those of the monarchs before him, sources have suggested a few key differences.
According to The Mail, the service is expected to be on a smaller scale than Queen Elizabeth II's, with the length being slashed from three hours to just one hour.
Thousands are expected to be cut from the guest list too, with the number of attendees dropping from 8,000 to 2,000.
A more relaxed dress code could also be implemented, as well as adaptations to the language used in the service to make it more relatable and understandable.
Reports also suggest King Charles wants a ceremony that is more religiously and culturally diverse than those in the past.
The coronation is expected to have a little less pomp and pageantry than years gone by too, in respect of both the cost of living crisis and King Charles III's desire to set a tone for a "more modern monarchy."
How will Canada celebrate King Charles' coronation?
When Queen Elizabeth II was crowned on June 2, 1953, Canada held celebrations across the country.
To commemorate the occasion, all Canadian children born on that day received silver spoons from then-Governor General Vincent Massey.
In addition to events held in provinces and territories across Canada, a commemorative coin was issued by the Royal Canadian Mint and 12,500 coronation medals were awarded to Canadians.
Details around the types of celebrations and commemorative events in Canada for this king's coronation have yet to be confirmed, but Canadians can expect the country to mark the occasion in more ways than one.
This article's cover image was used for illustrative purposes only.
