The Day a King Is Crowned
Today, millions of people sit at home and watch the same thing on television: a new king is crowned. A coronation is one of the oldest ceremonies in the world, and it follows rules that are hundreds of years old.
The day begins at the palace, which has been the home of kings and queens for centuries. The royal family rides to the great church in a golden coach. Crowds line the streets to wave. The new king wears a long red robe, and behind him walk the prince and the princess, his children.
Inside the church, a priest leads the ceremony. This is the most serious moment of the day. The priest places a heavy gold crown on the king's head, and the people in the church call out together. The crown, which is kept locked away at all other times, is brought out only for this one day.
There are many small customs that most viewers do not understand. The king holds a golden ball in one hand and a long rod in the other. He sits on an ancient wooden chair that every king before him has used. Each object has a meaning that comes from long ago.
When the ceremony ends, the king returns to the palace and steps out onto the balcony. He waves to the people below. It is a tradition that joins the new king to all the kings and queens who came before him, a thread that runs back through a thousand years.