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From Princess Charlene of Monaco to Queen Letizia of Spain, here are the names on the guest list.
Despite King Charles’s III Coronation on 6 May being a slimmed-down affair – with around 2,200 guests in attendance compared to the 8,000 who witnessed the crowning of Queen Elizabeth II at Westminster Abbey in 1953 – there were plenty of notable guests in the congregation.
They included royalty from overseas, many of whom attended the late Queen’s funeral in September and British royal weddings in the past. Below, here’s a who’s who of foreign royals at the Coronation.
Prince Albert II and Princess Charlene of Monaco
In January, Prince Albert and Princess Charlene of Monaco became the first foreign royals to confirm their attendance at King Charles’s Coronation. Albert – who previously visited Charles’s eco-minded Poundbury development in 2006 – told People at the time that he was “certain that it’s going to be an incredible ceremony and a very moving one”.
King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia of Spain
Spain’s King and Queen confirmed in April that they would be attending Charles’s Coronation. The couple were hosted by Queen Elizabeth II for a state visit to the UK back in 2017, while Letizia and Charles visited the Spanish Gallery at Auckland Castle in County Durham together in 2022. Charles also attended the couple’s wedding in Madrid in 2004, while King Felipe was inducted into the Order of the Garter in 2019.
Crown Prince Frederik and Crown Princess Mary of Denmark
While Queen Margrethe of Denmark wasn’t able to attend the Coronation due to her recent back surgery, her son and heir, Crown Prince Frederik, attended on her behalf, along with his wife Crown Princess Mary. The latter welcomed the Princess of Wales in Copenhagen during her visit in 2022.
Queen Anne-Marie, Crown Prince Pavlos and Crown Princess Marie-Chantal of Greece
The British royal family has close links to the former Greek royal family via Prince Philip, whose first cousin was the late King Paul. The late King Constantine II – the last king of Greece before the monarchy was abolished in 1973 – was King Charles’s godfather. His wife, Queen Anne-Marie, and son and daughter-in-law, Crown Prince Pavlos and Crown Princess Marie-Chantal, were guests at the Coronation.
King Abdullah II and Queen Rania of Jordan
King Abdullah II and Queen Rania of Jordan were also among the guests at the Coronation. The royal couple welcomed the then Prince Charles during his visit to Amman in 2021 and were hosted by Queen Elizabeth II in the UK on several occasions.
King Carl XVI Gustaf and Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden
Sweden’s monarch King Carl XVI Gustaf attended the Coronation with his daughter, Crown Princess Victoria. The royals previously welcomed the Prince and Princess of Wales during their visit to Sweden back in 2018.
King Letsie III and Queen Masenate Mohato Seeiso of Lesotho
King Letsie III and Queen Masenate Mohato Seeiso of Lesotho were also among the foreign royals in attendance at the Coronation. Both Prince William and Prince Harry have spent time in the southern African country in the past – Harry co-founded the charity Sentebale with Prince Seeiso of Lesotho.
King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima of the Netherlands
The Netherlands’ King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima announced in April that they would also be guests at the Coronation. The couple previously enjoyed a state visit to the UK in 2018, and Willem-Alexander was inducted into the Order of the Garter in 2019.
King Philippe and Queen Mathilde of Belgium
The Belgian royals also made an appearance at Charles’s Coronation. King Philippe and Queen Mathilde have close ties with the UK, as their daughter Princess Elisabeth previously went to boarding school in Wales and is now a student at the University of Oxford.
Crown Prince Haakon and Crown Princess Mette-Marit of Norway
After being hosted by the Prince and Princess of Wales at Windsor Castle in March, Crown Prince Haakon and Crown Princess Mette-Marit of Norway returned to the UK for the Coronation. Charles previously attended the couple’s wedding in Oslo back in 2001.
Crown Prince Fumihito and Crown Princess Kiko of Japan
Japanese royals Crown Prince Fumihito and Crown Princess Kiko also flew to the UK for the Coronation at Westminster Abbey. The couple previously joined Prince Harry at the Rugby World Cup final between England and South Africa in Yokohama, Japan, in 2019.
This was originally published on British Vogue.
