King Charles Coronation: Pledge of allegiance held in Westminster Abbey

Inside Westminster Abbey all eyes were on the proud but humble monarch adorned in gold vestments on his day of destiny before his crowning moment yesterday.

In the Gothic splendour of the Abbey, where kings and queens have been crowned since 1066, we craned our necks or watched nearby screens to follow the progress of Charles III during an intricate two-hour ceremony – a blend of ancient and modern that personified the King’s approach to his reign.

In the brightly coloured Coronation Theatre in the middle of the Abbey, we saw the culmination of a lifelong journey.

This was the day he was born for, his reason for being and one he had been preparing for almost since the day he became heir to the throne at the age of three, following the sudden death of his grandfather George VI.

Invoking Jesus, he told the congregation: “In His name, and after His example, I come not to be served but to serve.”

It was the greatest show on Earth – at once a feast of beautiful, powerful music, a riot of vibrant colours, a celebration of our modern multicultural society, the occasional moment of comedy, all underpinned by a deeply religious and traditional Christian service.

Called to serve in the top job after 70 years – the longest wait of any heir apparent in British history – and after the extraordinary reign of his mother Queen Elizabeth II, King Charles vowed, like her, to devote his life to duty, God and the people.

Alongside him was his rock, Queen Camilla, crowned as his consort despite 17 years of official denials that this would happen and then by a belated endorsement last year by her mother-in-law.

Charles’s elder son and heir, Prince William, once distant but brought closer to him by recent turmoil in the Royal Family, touched the crown and kissed the King after he had been crowned and whispered words of endearment.

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William swore an oath, echoing the words of Prince Philip to Elizabeth 70 years ago: “I William, Prince of Wales, 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.”

In the Abbey’s South Lantern, among a 2,300-strong congregation that included 100 heads of state, sat the wider Royal Family, many wearing the blue or purple mantles of the orders of chivalry to which they belong.

The senior working royals were given pride of place. But among them were others including two – Charles’s son Prince Harry and brother Prince Andrew – whose actions have damaged the monarchy.

Andrew, who was booed by the crowd outside Buckingham Palace earlier, wore the mantle of a knight of the Garter. Harry sported a morning suit with his medals on his chest.

The fifth in line to the throne, who remains estranged from much of his family, had walked through the Abbey looking straight ahead, with only one quick smile and nod of acknowledgement.

In the South Lantern he watched the service intently from the third row – his view partially blocked by the red plume of Princess Anne’s hat in the row in front of him – perhaps reflecting on what might have been.

In the front row, Kate gazed proudly at Prince George, a page of honour at the age of nine and the youngest future King to play an official role at a Coronation. His sister Princess Charlotte, eight, and brother Prince Louis, five, kept close eyes on the grand theatre.

Louis, who endeared himself to millions at the Platinum Jubilee last year by making mischief, was impeccably behaved throughout. It was always the plan for him to be taken out of part of the two-hour ceremony to give him a rest, but his 20-minute break was shorter than expected.

It was by necessity a solemn occasion but also an uplifting one, a breathtaking spectacle buoyed by celebratory music, featuring a gospel choir for the first time.

The swaying Ascension Choir, dressed in white suits and dresses, stole the hearts of many in the congregation who had been inside the Abbey for up to four hours before the King and Queen’s arrival.

A steady stream of arrivals also kept them entertained as TV screens in the Abbey showed guests such as the US First Lady Jill Biden and glamorous foreign royalty such as Queen Letizia of Spain and Queen Rania of Jordan.

Other famous faces included actresses Dame Maggie Smith and Dame Emma Thompson and TV stars Ant and Dec – who produced a cheer from one section of seats – plus singers Lionel Richie and Nick Cave.

The first spine-tingling moment came after the King and Queen arrived and the choir rose to a crescendo, singing Hubert Parry’s I Was Glad, composed for Edward VII’s Coronation. “Vivat Regina Camilla!” they sang. “Vivat Rex Carolus!”

In spite of controversy over the idea of everyone pledging homage to the King, most in the congregation did so with gusto.

For a few minutes during the choir’s performance of Te Deum laudamus, there was comedy and confusion as sections of the congregation repeatedly stood, believing the trumpets playing were the start of the fanfare for the national anthem.

They sat down again two or three times but eventually the entire congregation was standing for a couple of minutes before they needed to.

King Charles set out his stall for his reign with this traditional Christian service, dating back to the Coronation of King Edgar in 973 but also featuring the modern face of Britain, with representatives from other faiths and, for the first time, Anglican women bishops.

In the final sequence of the service, the royal couple removed their crowns and returned to their Chairs of Estate to take communion before changing into their purple Robes of Estate.

The King and Queen walked through the Abbey, meeting faith representatives and the Governors-General of the 14 overseas realms, then climbed into the Gold State Coach for the journey back to Buckingham Palace.

Back inside the Abbey, we in the congregation began to digest what we had just witnessed – a landmark moment in the UK’s history and a day when majesty came into all of our lives.

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