President Joe Biden didn’t snub King Charles III by deciding to skip the coronation of the newest British monarch—he was simply following protocol.
No sitting U.S. president has ever attended a coronation of a British monarch. Like his predecessors before him, Biden decided to follow tradition and simply pass on the invitation to someone else who could represent him amongst the congregation at Westminster Abbey.
In his stead, he tapped his wife, first lady Dr. Jill Biden, to attend the momentous occasion on his behalf of an American president to their coronation was when Queen Elizabeth II ascended the throne. President Dwight Eisenhower sent a delegation to the ceremony instead.
Buckingham Palace previously announced that the coronation service would “reflect the Monarch’s role today and look towards the future, while being rooted in longstanding traditions and pageantry.”
The historic occasion—which marks the first British coronation in 70 years, with the last occurring for Queen Elizabeth II in 1953—will be extended with other related events throughout the weekend, including a Coronation Concert, a community event called the Big Lunch, and a volunteering event dubbed the Big Help Out.
The palace notes, “The Coronation of The King and The Queen Consort will be marked with events across the country and a concert at Windsor Castle. Their Majesties want to encourage people to spend the Coronation Weekend celebrating with friends, families and their communities.”
