King Charles is crowned, blending history and change

Tens of thousands of people amassed in London on Saturday for the coronation of King Charles.
 

They were there for different reasons. Many older visitors wanted to show support for the monarchy. Some young people said they just wanted to witness history. Others just wanted in on the big party.

ARCHBISHOP OF CANTERBURY, JUSTIN WELBY: "... clergy of England and to the churches there committed to their charge all such rights and privileges as by law do or shall appertaining to them or any of them?"

KING CHARLES: "All this, I promise to do. The things which I have here before promised I will perform and keep. So help me God."

This ceremony for the King and Queen Consort Camilla dates back a thousand years.

And the pomp and pageantry bring obvious similarities to the processions of the King's mother Queen Elizabeth, who died last September.

But this particular ceremony is also trying to display a forward-looking monarchy, with leaders from all faiths present and participants reflecting a more diverse United Kingdom.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak himself, being the first UK leader of color and its first Hindu leader.

PRINCE WILLIAM: "... pledge my loyalty to you and faith and truth I will bear unto you as your liege man of life and limb. So help me God."

But there were other signs of how the monarchy has changed.

Prince William, for example pledging his loyalty to his father here, while his brother Prince Harry had no formal role in the event after their highly public falling out. He and Prince Andrew, who quit his duties over the Jeffrey Epstein scandal, watched from the third row behind working members of the family.

Polls show the British public generally approves of Charles as king and majority still support the monarchy, although young people are far less interested.

And there were protests, as there often are at events like this, including the arrest of an anti-monarchy leader and several others hours before the coronation.

Graham Smith's organization, called Republic, said it was going to mount the biggest protest against a monarch in modern history. London police said it would have low tolerance for disruption. The group said hundreds of its picket signs were also taken.

For those who do support, a display of magnificence with over 4,000 soldiers on parade from 39 countries.

Maybe not enough magnificence to hold the full attention of Prince William's young son Prince Louis, seen here yawning as the festivities kicked off.