Five artefacts that will play central role during King Charles III’s coronation

A detailed view of the Royal cypher on the Chair of Estate for Britain's Camilla, Queen Consort is seen at Frogmore Workshops in Windsor, west of London, on April 21, 2023, ahead of the coronation of Britain's King Charles III and the Britain's Camilla, Queen Consort on May 6. (AFP/File)
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Updated 06 May 2023
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Five artefacts that will play central role during King Charles III’s coronation

  • The coronation chair, stone of scone and coronation spoon will be integral to ceremony 
  • The Cullinan Diamond, St. Edward’s crown and gold state coach will take centerstage 

LONDON: King Charles III’s coronation is a chance to unite people with the history and pageantry of the monarchy, but those traditions are also full of potential controversies as he tries to show that the monarchy still has a role to play in modern Britain.

The new king has already recognized these challenges by adjusting the coronation festivities to the realities of today.

This coronation will be shorter and more inclusive than his mother’s in 1953. Faith leaders from outside the Church of England will take an active role in the ceremony for the first time. And people from all four nations of the United Kingdom, as well as the Commonwealth, will take part.

Here are five artifacts that will play a central role in Saturday’s events.

THE CORONATION CHAIR AND STONE OF SCONE

King Charles III will sit atop more than 1,500 years of Irish, Scottish and English history when he is crowned Saturday at Westminster Abbey.

The crown will be placed on Charles’ head as he sits in the Coronation Chair suspended over the Stone of Scone (pronounced “scoon”) — the sacred slab of sandstone on which Scottish kings were crowned. The chair has been part of every coronation since 1308.

The 2.05-meter (6 feet 9 inches) tall chair is made of oak and was originally covered in gold leaf and colored glass. The gold has long since worn away and the chair is now pocked with graffiti, including one message that reads “P. Abbott slept in this chair 5-6 July 1800.”

Edward I had the chair built specifically to enclose the Stone of Scone, known by Scots as the Stone of Destiny, after he forcibly took the artifact from Scotland and moved it to the abbey in the late 13th Century. The stone’s history goes back much further, however. Fergus Mor MacEirc, the founder of Scotland’s royal line, reputedly brought the stone with him when he moved his seat from Ireland to Scotland around 498, Westminster Abbey said. Before that time, it was used as the coronation stone for Irish kings.

In 1996, Prime Minister John Major returned the stone to Scotland, with the understanding that it would come back to England for use in future coronations. In recent days, the stone was temporarily removed from its current home at Edinburgh Castle in a ceremony overseen by Scottish First Minister Humza Yousaf, then transported to the abbey, where a special service was held to mark its return.

CORONATION SPOON

The gold-plated silver Coronation Spoon is the only piece of the coronation regalia that survived the English Civil War. After King Charles I was executed in 1649, the rest of the collection was either melted down or sold off as Parliament sought to abolish the monarchy forever.

The spoon is central to the most sacred part of the coronation ceremony, when the Archbishop of Canterbury will pour holy oil from an eagle-shaped ampulla, or flask, into the spoon and then rub it on the king’s hands, breast and head.

The ceremony has roots in the biblical story of the anointing of King Solomon and was originally designed to confirm that the sovereign was appointed directly by God. While the monarch is no longer considered divine, the ceremony confirms his status as supreme governor of the Church of England.

The 26.7-centimeter (10.5-inch) spoon is believed to have been made during the 12th Century for either King Henry II or King Richard I, and may have originally been used for mixing water and wine, according to the Royal Collection Trust.

THE CULLINAN DIAMOND

Two stones cut from the Cullinan Diamond — the largest rough diamond ever found — will feature prominently in the coronation, fueling controversy the royal family would rather avoid.

For many in South Africa, where the original stone was found in 1905, the gems are a symbol of colonial oppression under British rule and they should be returned.

Cullinan I, a huge drop-shaped stone weighing 530.2 carats, is mounted in the Sovereign’s Sceptre with Cross. On Saturday, the scepter will be handed to Charles as a symbol of his temporal power.

Cullinan II, a cushion-shaped gem of 317.4 carats, is mounted on the front of the Imperial State Crown that Charles will wear as he leaves Westminster Abbey.

Charles sidestepped a similar controversy when Buckingham Palace announced that his wife, Camilla, wouldn’t wear the crown of Queen Elizabeth, the queen mother, on coronation day.

That crown contains the famous Koh-i-noor diamond that India, Pakistan and Iran all claim. The gem became part of the Crown Jewels after 11-year-old Maharaja Duleep Singh was forced to surrender it after the conquest of the Punjab in 1849.

ST. EDWARD’S CROWN

The crowning moment of the coronation ceremony will occur, literally, when the Archbishop of Canterbury places St. Edward’s Crown on Charles’ head.

Because of its significance as the centerpiece of the coronation, this will be the only time during his reign that the monarch will wear the solid gold crown, which features a purple velvet cap, ermine band and criss-crossed arches topped by a cross.

After the ceremony, Charles will swap the 2.08-kilogram (4.6-pound) crown for the Imperial State Crown, which weighs about half as much, for the procession back to Buckingham Palace.

Queen Elizabeth II once said that even the lighter crown was tricky because it would fall off if she didn’t keep her head upright while reading the annual speech at the state opening of Parliament.

“There are some disadvantages to crowns, but otherwise they’re quite important things,” the late queen told Sky News in 2018, flashing a smile.

The current St. Edward’s Crown was made for the coronation of King Charles II in 1661 and has been used in every coronation since then. It is a replica of the original crown, which was created in the 11th century and melted down after the execution of Charles I in 1649.

The crown glitters with stones including tourmalines, white and yellow topazes, rubies, amethysts, sapphires, garnet, peridot, zircons, spinel and aquamarines.

Until the early 20th century, the crown was decorated with rented stones that were returned after the coronation, according to the Royal Collection Trust. It was permanently set with semi-precious stones ahead of the coronation of George V in 1911.

THE GOLD STATE COACH

King Charles III and Queen Camilla will travel back to Buckingham Palace from Westminster Abbey in the Gold State Coach, a 261-year-old relic that is renowned as much for its uncomfortable ride as its lavish decoration.

The coach was built in 1762 under the reign of King George III and it has been used in every coronation since 1831.

It is made of wood and plated with gold leaf, from the cherubs on the roof to the Greek sea gods over each wheel. About the only things that aren’t gilded are the side panels painted with Roman gods and goddesses and, of course, the interior, which is upholstered in satin and velvet.

But the coach is heavy — four tons — and old, meaning it only ever travels at walking speed.

And while it may look luxurious, the coach features a notoriously bumpy ride because it is slung from leather straps rather than modern metal springs.

The late queen wasn’t a fan.

“Horrible! It’s not meant for traveling in at all,” she said in 2018 in an interview with Sky News. “Not very comfortable.”

That’s one reason Charles and Camilla will ride to the coronation in the Diamond Jubilee State Coach, which is equipped with hydraulic shock absorbers, as well as heat and air conditioning.


Macron decorates Indonesia leader, announces cultural partnership

Updated 59 min 31 sec ago
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Macron decorates Indonesia leader, announces cultural partnership

  • Says partnership would be based on cinema and fashion, video games, design and gastronomy
  • Macron’s trip to Indonesia is the second stop of a three-nation, six-day tour of Southeast Asia

MAGELANG, Indonesia: French President Emmanuel Macron bestowed Indonesia’s leader with France’s top award on Thursday, before announcing a new cultural partnership with Jakarta on a visit to the world’s largest Buddhist temple.

Macron’s trip to Indonesia is the second stop of a three-nation, six-day tour of Southeast Asia that began with Vietnam and concludes in Singapore.

After meeting for talks in the capital Jakarta, Macron and his counterpart Prabowo Subianto flew by helicopter on Thursday from Javan city Yogyakarta to a military academy in Magelang, a city surrounded by mountains in Central Java.

The pair attended a military parade and Macron gave Prabowo the Grand Cross of the Legion of Honour, France’s highest military or civil award.

Prabowo is an ex-general accused of rights abuses under dictator Suharto’s rule in the late 1990s. He was discharged from the military over his role in the abductions of democracy activists but denied the allegations and was never charged.

Macron rode in a jeep driven by Prabowo with the pair welcomed by a marching band and hundreds of students waving Indonesian flags.

Macron then visited Borobudur, a Buddhist temple built in the 9th century that is the world’s largest, where the pair announced they were boosting cultural ties.

Buddhist monks walk up Borobudur Temple on the day of a visit by Indonesia's President Prabowo Subianto and France's President Emmanuel Macron, in Magelang, Java, Indonesia, on May 29, 2025. (Pool via REUTERS)

“In front of this temple, we are taking an important step by launching a new cultural partnership,” said Macron.

“The first pillar is heritage and museum cooperation. The second pillar is cultural and creative industries,” he said.

Macron said the basis of the new partnership would be cinema and fashion, as well as video games, design and gastronomy.

The French leader will now depart for Singapore where he will deliver the opening address Friday at the Shangri-la Dialogue, Asia’s premier security forum.

France's President Emmanuel Macron, center, his wife Brigitte Macron and other official pose for a selfie during a visit to Borobudur Temple, in Magelang, Central Java, Thursday, May 29, 2025. (Yasuyoshi Chiba/Pool Photo via AP)

On Wednesday, the pair called for progress on “mutual recognition” between Israel and the Palestinians at a key meeting next month as Macron brought the world’s most populous Muslim-majority nation into his diplomatic efforts.

“Indonesia has stated that once Israel recognizes Palestine, Indonesia is ready to recognize Israel and open the diplomatic relationship,” said Prabowo.

Indonesia has no formal ties with Israel and support for the Palestinian cause among Indonesians runs high.

The nations also signed a series of agreements on cooperation in a range of fields including defense, trade, agriculture, disaster management, culture and transport.


Torrential rains kill 25 in Nigerian city: rescuers

Updated 29 May 2025
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Torrential rains kill 25 in Nigerian city: rescuers

  • Flooding after a rainstorm late Wednesday washed away or submerged at least 50 homes
  • 10 people remained missing on top of the confirmed dead

KANO: Torrential rains devastated the central Nigerian city of Mokwa and killed at least 25 people, emergency services said Thursday amid a search for more bodies.

Flooding after a rainstorm late Wednesday washed away or submerged at least 50 homes in the city and 10 people remained missing on top of the confirmed dead, an emergency management official said.

“The surging flood water submerged and washed away over 50 residential houses with their occupants,” said Abdullahi Baba-Arah, director general of the Niger State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA).

Divers and volunteers one woman and her two children, who were being treated in hospital for “wounds and shock.”

Nigeria is hit by flooding every rainy season, which runs between May and September.

The floods are largely caused by inadequate drainage, the construction of homes on waterways, and the dumping of waste in drains and water channels.

The Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) had warned of possible flash floods in 15 of Nigeria’s 36 states, including Niger state, between Wednesday and Friday.

In 2024, more than 1,200 people were killed and 1.2 million displaced in one of the country’s worst floods in decades.


Federal judge extends order blocking Trump administration ban on foreign students at Harvard

Updated 29 May 2025
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Federal judge extends order blocking Trump administration ban on foreign students at Harvard

  • Judge Burroughs extended the block she imposed last week with a temporary restraining order
  • “Harvard will continue to take steps to protect the rights of our international students and scholars,” a university spokesman said

BOSTON: A federal judge on Thursday extended an order blocking the Trump administration’s attempt to bar Harvard University from enrolling foreign students.

US District Judge Allison Burroughs extended the block she imposed last week with a temporary restraining order, which allows the Ivy League school to continue enrolling international students as a lawsuit proceeds.

Harvard sued the Department of Homeland Security on Friday after Secretary Kristi Noem revoked its ability to host foreign students at its campus in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

“Harvard will continue to take steps to protect the rights of our international students and scholars, members of our community who are vital to the University’s academic mission and community — and whose presence here benefits our country immeasurably,” a university spokesman said in a statement.

On Wednesday, the Trump administration introduced a new effort to revoke Harvard’s certification to enroll foreign students. In a letter sent by the acting Immigration and Customs Enforcement director, Todd Lyons, the government gave Harvard 30 days to respond to the alleged grounds for withdrawal, which include accusations that Harvard coordinated with foreign entities and failed to respond sufficiently to antisemitism on campus.

The developments unfolded in a courtroom not far from the Harvard campus, where speakers at Thursday’s commencement ceremony stressed the importance of maintaining a diverse and international student body.

The dispute over international enrollment at Harvard is the latest escalation in a battle between the White House and the nation’s oldest and wealthiest college. In April, Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem sent a letter to the school, demanding a range of records related to foreign students, including discipline records and anything related to “dangerous or violent activity.” Noem said it was in response to accusations of antisemitism on Harvard’s campus.

Harvard says it complied. But on May 22, Noem sent a letter saying the school’s response fell short. She said Harvard was being pulled from the federal program that allows colleges to sponsor international students to get US visas. It took effect immediately and prevented Harvard from hosting foreign students in the upcoming school year.

In its lawsuit, Harvard argued the government failed to follow administrative procedures and regulations for removing schools from eligibility to host international students, which include giving schools the opportunity to appeal and a 30-day window to respond.

Noem’s earlier letter to Harvard notified the school that its eligibility was revoked immediately. It did not cite any regulations or statutes that Harvard allegedly violated. The Wednesday letter accuses Harvard of violating regulations around reporting requirements and violating an executive order regarding combatting antisemitism.

Already, despite the restraining order, the Trump administration’s efforts to stop Harvard from enrolling international students have created an environment of “profound fear, concern, and confusion,” the university’s director of immigration services said in a court filing on Wednesday.

In a court filing, immigration services director Maureen Martin said that countless international students had asked about transferring.

Martin said that international Harvard students arriving in Boston were sent to additional screening by Customs and Border Protection agents, and that international students seeking to obtain their visas were being denied or facing delays at consulates and embassies.

More than 7,000 international students, exchange scholars and alumni participating in a post-graduate career training period rely on Harvard for their sponsorship and legal status in the United States.

The sanction, if allowed to proceed, could upend some graduate schools that draw heavily from abroad. Among those at risk was Belgium’s Princess Elisabeth, who just finished her first year in a Harvard graduate program.

Trump railed against Harvard on social media after Burroughs temporarily halted the action last week, saying “the best thing Harvard has going for it is that they have shopped around and found the absolute best Judge (for them!) — But have no fear, the Government will, in the end, WIN!”

The Trump administration has levied a range of grievances against Harvard, accusing it of being a hotbed of liberalism and failing to protect Jewish students from harassment. The government is demanding changes to Harvard’s governance and policies to bring it in line with the president’s vision.

Harvard was the first university to reject the government’s demands, saying it threatened the autonomy that has long made US higher education a magnet for the world’s top scholars. In a pair of lawsuits, Harvard accuses the government of retaliating against the university for rebuffing political demands.


Driver charged with causing grievous bodily harm after Liverpool soccer parade tragedy

Updated 29 May 2025
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Driver charged with causing grievous bodily harm after Liverpool soccer parade tragedy

  • Doyle faces a maximum sentence of life in prison if convicted
  • The people injured ranged in age from 9 to 78, with at least 50 treated at hospitals

LONDON: A driver who injured nearly 80 people when his car rammed into a crowd of Liverpool soccer fans celebrating their team’s Premier League championship was charged Thursday with intentionally causing grievous bodily harm and six other serious counts, a prosecutor said.

Paul Doyle, 53, was also charged with dangerous driving and five other counts alleging different variations of causing grievous bodily harm, Prosecutor Sarah Hammond said.

He faces a maximum sentence of life in prison if convicted.


The people injured ranged in age from 9 to 78, with at least 50 treated at hospitals. Seven people remained in the hospital Thursday in stable condition.

The charges did not indicate how many victims the counts were tied to but Hammond said the investigation was at an early stage as police review a huge volume of evidence, including videos and eyewitness statements.

“It is important to ensure that every victim gets the justice they deserve,” Hammond said.

The city had been celebrating Liverpool’s record-tying 20th title when the driver turned down a street full of fans and joy quickly turned to tragedy.

“We know that Monday’s shocking scenes reverberated around the city of Liverpool, and the entire country, on what should have been a day of celebration for hundreds of thousands of Liverpool FC supporters,” Hammond said.

Doyle remained in custody and faces his first court hearing Friday in Liverpool Magistrates’ Court.

Police had previously said they believed Doyle dodged a road block by tailing an ambulance responding to a report of a person in cardiac arrest.

Video that circulated on social media showed scenes of horror as the car struck and tossed a person in the air who was draped in a Liverpool flag and then swerved into a sea of people packed on the side of the road.

Merseyside Police said the driver was believed to have acted alone and they did not suspect terrorism.

“I fully understand how this incident has left us all shocked and saddened, and I know many will continue to have concerns and questions,” Assistant Chief Constable Jenny Sims said during a short news conference.

“Our detectives are working tirelessly, with diligence and professionalism to seek the answer to all of those questions.”


France to ban smoking outdoors in most places: minister

Updated 29 May 2025
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France to ban smoking outdoors in most places: minister

  • The new ban, which will enter into force on July 1, will cover all spaces where children could be present
  • The ban will also extend to schools, to stop students smoking in front of them

PARIS: France will ban smoking in all outdoor places that can be accessed by children, including beaches, parks and bus stops, the health and family minister announced Thursday.

Famed as a country where smokers linger over cigarettes on cafe terraces or strolling down cobblestone streets, France has increasingly tightened restrictions on tobacco use in public spaces in recent years.

The new ban, which will enter into force on July 1, will cover all spaces where children could be present, including “beaches, parks, public gardens, outside of schools, bus stops and sports venues,” said the minister Catherine Vautrin.

“Tobacco must disappear where there are children,” Vautrin said in an interview published by the regional Ouest-France daily on its website.

The freedom to smoke “stops where children’s right to breathe clean air starts,” she said.

The ban will also extend to schools, to stop students smoking in front of them.

Offenders face a fine of up to 135 euros ($154), Vautrin said.

The ban will not extend to France’s iconic cafe terraces however, the minister said.

Electronic cigarettes, which have boomed in France in recent years, are also not covered.

France already forbids smoking in public spaces such as workplaces, airports and train stations, as well as playgrounds.

Anti-smoking groups had been fighting for a broader ban.

An estimated 35 percent of France’s population are smokers — higher than the averages for
Europe (25 percent) and the world (21 percent), according to the World Health Organization.

Around 75,000 people are estimated to die from tobacco-related complications each year in France.

According to a recent opinion survey, six out of 10 French people (62 percent) favor banning smoking in public places.

The government’s National Anti-Tobacco Programme for 2023 to 2027 proposed a smoking ban similar to the one announced by Vautrin, calling France to “rise to the challenge of a tobacco-free generation from 2032.”

But anti-tobacco organizations had voiced concern the authorities were dragging their feet on implementing the measures.

More than 1,500 cities and villages had already imposed their own bans on smoking in public spaces such as parks, beaches and ski slopes.

Vautrin said there were no plans to place additional taxes on cigarettes “at the moment,” citing the thriving black market that emerged after existing taxes were introduced in a bid to discourage smoking.