A coronation is the elaborate ceremony where a new king or queen is officially crowned and invested with the symbols and authority of royal power. During a coronation, the monarch receives a crown placed on their head, often by a religious leader like an archbishop, along with other royal objects like a scepter (a decorated staff) and an orb (a golden sphere representing the world).

Coronations are among the most formal and traditional ceremonies in the world. They typically take place in a grand cathedral or palace, with thousands of guests watching the new ruler take solemn vows to serve and protect their country. These ceremonies follow scripts and rituals that may be hundreds of years old, connecting the new monarch to a long line of predecessors.

The most famous recent coronation was King Charles III's in 2023 at Westminster Abbey in London, where British monarchs have been crowned for nearly a thousand years. The ceremony included medieval music, ancient prayers, and regalia (royal objects), some of which dated back centuries.

While most modern monarchs have little political power, coronations remain important cultural and historical events, broadcast worldwide and celebrating national heritage and continuity.