Archive photos of King Charles as a child at his mother's Coronation
The coronation of King Charles III will be the nation's first in 70 years. His mother, Queen Elizabeth II, acceded to the throne on 6 February 1952 and was crowned the following year, on 2 June 1953.
At the time, the then Prince Charles was just 4 years old and was deemed old enough to attend the official coronation ceremony of his mother. The young Prince even received his own hand-painted invitation to the event. His younger sister Princess Anne, however, was just two years old at the time and was too young to join her brother for the ceremony.
Ahead of The King's coronation on 6 May 2023, we're taking a look back at some of His Majesty's best moments from his mother's Coronation Day. The then Prince Charles was sat between his grandmother, The Queen Mother, and his aunt, Princess Margret, for the ceremony at Westminster Abbey. The pair kept an eye on him throughout the event, as (judging by some of his expressions) it wasn't the most exciting event for a young boy to attend!
The outfit The King wore for his mother's Coronation was later put on public display, as part of a number of coronation anniversary events.
Here, we showcase some of the sweetest moments from the young Prince at his mother's coronation. Track the historic day through these archive photographs, as King Charles III prepares to be crowned at his own Coronation this month.
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Newly-crowned Queen Elizabeth II stands with her family and Maids of Honour to watch the traditional flypast from Buckingham Palace after her Coronation on 2nd June 1953. A young Prince Charles, now King Charles, is pictured in the centre.
From left to right: Lady Jane Heathcote-Drummond Willoughby, Lady Anne Cocke, Lady Mary Baillie-Hamilton and Lady Jane Vane-Tempest-Stewart, The Queen, the then Prince Charles, Princess Anne, the Duke of Edinburgh and The Queen Mother.
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Queen Elizabeth II stands on the balcony of Buckingham Palace after her Coronation ceremony with her children and husband at her side. Left to right: The King (then Prince Charles), Princess Anne and Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh.
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A cheeky Prince Charles, with binoculars, looks out of a palace window during the Coronation celebrations of his mother.
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Prince Charles sits with his head in his hands between his grandmother, The Queen Mother, and his aunt, Princess Margaret in the Royal Box at Westminster Abbey, while watching the Coronation ceremony.
The Queen Mother speaks to her grandson, Prince Charles, during the coronation of his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, while Princess Margaret looks on.
A smiling Queen Elizabeth II poses with members of the Royal Family and the Coronation party in the throne room at Buckingham Palace following the ceremony.
The King, as a child, stands with his sister Princess Anne at the front of the group before The Queen. Behind Her Majesty is her husband, the Duke of Edinburgh, with Princess Margaret to her right and The Queen Mother on her left.
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An outfit worn by the four-year-old Prince Charles on the day of Queen Elizabeth II's coronation on display in the Throne Room of Buckingham Palace in January 2013.
That summer marked the 60th anniversary of the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II and, to celebrate the anniversary, a special exhibition was held to bring together an array of the dresses, uniform and robes worn to the occasion.
(Peter Macdiarmid - Getty Images)
Alongside the outfit worn by the four-year-old Prince Charles (right) is the dress of the then two-year-old Princess Anne, although she did not attend the Coronation ceremony itself as she was too young.
(Peter Macdiarmid - Getty Images)
Pictured here are three generations of the British Royal family – Queen Elizabeth II, Prince Philip, the then Prince Charles, and Prince William. The photograph was taken at Clarence House before a dinner to mark the 50th anniversary of The Queen's Coronation.
King Charles III's own Coronation takes place on 6 May 2023.
(Anwar Hussein - Getty Images)Sweet moments of Prince Charles celebrating the coronation of his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, from her coronation in 1953, to events marking her reign.