Coronation of King Charles III

Copyright © John Michael Greer 2023. All rights reserved.

This ingress shows the astrological indications for the reign of King Charles III of Great Britain, as shown from the chart cast for the scheduled time of his coronation at 11:00 am British standard time, 6 May 2023, in London. It seems likely that the time and date were deliberately selected by someone with considerable astrological skill, as it shows every sign of having been elected to minimize the impact of unfortunate planetary placements and strengthen issues with which the new king is known to be concerned. It may need to be adjusted, however, once the coronation has taken place and the exact time can be known. 

Executive Summary: Selecting a time for a coronation is a task traditionally assigned to astrologers, and whoever chose this time did a good job with a fairly difficult celestial situation, strengthening Charles and his reign with a grand trine, a well-dignified midheaven, and several other important indications listed below. Crisis is inevitable but the nation and the monarchy seem likely to come through it in tolerably good shape. The new monarch is not a young man, however, and the stars reinforce the testimony of common sense to warn that Charles’ reign may be relatively short and may end suddenly, without warning. 

Period of Ingress:  A coronation chart takes effect the moment that Charles is crowned, and remains in effect until the end of his reign. 

Ruling Planet:  With Leo rising, the Sun rules this chart. This is generally favorable for a coronation, since the Sun rules the institution of monarchy, but the Sun in this chart is not in good condition. He is strengthened by placement in the angular 10th house—another good omen, since this house rules heads of state—and receives some help from a distant conjunction with Mercury, but he is peregrine in Taurus and afflicted by a semisquare with Venus and, more powerfully, an applying conjunction with Uranus, who is in his fall in Taurus. 

The Sun in the 10th house is generally a good omen both for King Charles’s reign and for the nation, and brings good fortune to both. Since he is afflicted by Uranus, ruler of the 7th house, it’s very likely that during his reign, some of the nations that have the British monarch as their notional head of state will abandon this legacy of the imperial past; he is also potentially in danger when he travels abroad, as this pattern of influences can warn of assassination attempts. Since he is afflicted by Venus, ruler of the 10th house, his relationships with prime ministers during his reign will be fractious. Since he is peregrine, Charles’s ability to influence affairs will be even more limited than the restrictions on the British monarchy require. 

Aspects:   This is a busy chart with a great many aspects, among them one of the classic aspect patterns: a grand trine formed by the Moon, Mars, and Neptune.  The grand trine is a beneficent aspect pattern, and this one is stronger than most because all three planets are well dignified: Neptune is in his rulership in Pisces, and the Moon and Mars are in mutual reception, giving each of them the strength of a planet in its rulership. Moon trine Mars gives the nation energy and an active, enthusiastic spirit; Moon trine Neptune is favorable for the interests of the people and signals prosperity and success for charitable activities and organizations; and Mars trine Neptune reinforces both these earlier indications and also signals improvements in public health.

Note also that the Moon is in the 4th house of the land and rural interests, Mars is in the 12th house of institutions, and Neptune is in the 8th house of foreign trade and investment. The Moon in the 4th is fortunate for the land and its people, and benefits agriculture and democratic movements. Mars well dignified in the 12th predicts constructive changes and reforms in national institutions, and the discovery of secret arrangements and conspiracies disadvantageous to the nation.  Neptune well dignified in the 8th directs benefits from foreign trade and investment toward the people in general. 

Of course there are negative aspects in this chart as well. The most significant, as already noted, is the conjunction between the Sun and Uranus. Uranus and the Moon are also in opposition, though the Sun and Moon are not. Clearly some significant disruption faces Britain’s people and government alike, though with the Moon strong and angular in the 4th opposing Uranus, it will not cause permanent damage to the nation. The opposition is also distant and separating, so the crisis ahead will result from events that have already taken place and will tend to lose force over time. Nonetheless it will be significant. 

Mars and Neptune, the two upper corners of the grand trine, each has a square to contend with:  Mars is square Jupiter, and Neptune is square Venus. Mars square Jupiter predicts political or religious turmoil, public attention to secret crimes, and hostile attention to hospitals and the medical industry.  Venus square Neptune predicts the revelation of fraud and other financial crimes, and also indicates that politically explosive scandals can be expected. 

The rulerships and conditions of the houses are also worth examining with an eye to the condition of Britain during the reign of Charles III. 

1st House: the house of the ordinary people of the nation, and in particular those whose voices aren’t normally heard in the collective discourse of the time, this has Leo on its cusp and the Sun for its rulership. This is another favorable omen, promising a significant national success or achievement during Charles’s reign. It predicts prosperity for the nation and the monarchy. 

2nd House: the house of the national economy, trade, and banking, this has Virgo on its cusp and Mercury for its ruler. Mercury is in decent condition in this chart; he is retrograde and just at the outer edge of combustion, but benefits from a mutual reception with Venus, placement in the angular 10th house, and a sextile with Saturn as his only aspect. Mercury well dignified ruling this house predicts improvements in trade, and financial gain from industries connected with the sciences, education, and communications. Expect plenty of public debate over economic issues. 

3rd House: the house of transport, communication, and the media, this also has Virgo on its cusp and Mercury for its ruler. All economic sectors governed by this house benefit strongly from this placement, since Mercury is the natural ruler of this house. With Mercury in the 10th, government efforts to further the development of 3rd house industries will be more than usually successful, and should be encouraged. 

4th House: the house of agriculture, mining, and other resource extraction industries, as well as the rural regions of the nation, this has Scorpio on its cusp and Mars for its ruler. This is a difficult placement, as Mars is never a good indication for 4th house matters even when he is well dignified, and in this chart he is of middling dignity at best. Agriculture and resource extraction industries face hard times during Charles’s reign; the people are discontented with their government, and political and social turmoil can be expected. 

The Moon is also placed in this house, as noted above. In this placement, and well dignified as she is, the Moon does much to mitigate the negative influence of the house ruler, benefiting the people, crops, land, and all occupations connected with 4th house interests. Her opposition with Uranus, however, predicts popular discontent with the governing classes, and warns that questions related to the 4th house will become a source of difficulties and disturbances. 

5th House: the house of speculative ventures, the rich and famous, and the entertainment industry, this has Sagittarius on the cusp and Jupiter is therefore its ruler. Jupiter in this chart has no essential dignity, as he is peregrine in Aries, and he suffers from a square with Mars and an inconjunct with the Moon; he is, however, strengthened by a sextile with Venus and is in conjunction with the midheaven. If the coronation is a little delayed, as seems likely, this last consideration will no longer be the case and Jupiter will be further weakened by placement in a cadent house. All this predicts extravagance and poor judgment in the British upper classes. The new king would be well advised to distance himself as much as possible from the excesses of the well-to-do, and strengthen his appeal to ordinary Britons. 

6th house: the house of public health, the work force, and the military, this has Capricorn on its cusp and Saturn for its ruler. Saturn in this chart is in slightly better than average dignity; he is dignified by face in the first ten degrees of Pisces and benefits from a sextile with Mercury, though he is afflicted by an inconjunct with Mars. Saturn ruling this house predicts troubles with public health, unemployment and discontent among the laboring classes, and—especially with the inconjunct with Mars—persistent problems with the military. 

7th house: the house of foreign affairs and the activities of other countries, this has Aquarius on its cusp and malefic Uranus rules it. Britain in Charles’s reign faces major foreign policy challenges, brought about in large part by misguided foreign policy on the part of successive British governments (Uranus in the 10th, conjunct a weak Sun). Expect bitter disagreements with other nations, lasting hostility with foreign powers, and sudden shifts in the balance of power that are not to Britain’s benefit. 

8th house: the house of foreign trade and other nations’ money and resources, this has Pisces on its cusp and Neptune, who is also placed in this house, is its ruler. Neptune is a malefic planet in mundane astrology, and he is very strong in this chart, being in his rulership in Pisces and given great strength by his trines with the Moon and Mars; a square with Venus does nothing to improve his condition, though the fact that he takes part in a grand trine will help somewhat. He predicts serious problems with Britain’s balance of trade and with foreign trade and investment generally. The 8th house is also the house of death; Neptune in this house predicts deaths from poisoning and medicines, as well as infectious diseases. The mortality rate increases. 

Saturn is also placed in this house. This is traditionally a bad omen, since it places the Reaper in the house of death. This amplifies Neptune’s testimony and warns of troubles with foreign trade and investment and an increased death rate nationally, but it also threatens the king himself. With Neptune ruling this house and the Sun applying to a conjunction with Uranus, Charles is unlikely to reach his mother’s age and his reign may not be a long one. 

9th house: the house of the judiciary and the churches, this also has Pisces on the cusp and Neptune for its ruler. This placement is favorable for religion, though unorthodox religious ideas will become widespread and cause significant public disagreements. It also warns of unwise judicial rulings motivated by fashion rather than justice. A weak Jupiter is also placed in this house; expect scandals in the religious world, and popular resentment against the established church and its policies is likely. 

10th house: in a coronation chart the 10th house especially rules the monarchy; it has Taurus on its cusp and Venus is therefore its ruler. Venus in this chart is well dignified by mutual reception with Mercury and also benefits considerably from her sextile with Jupiter, though she is afflicted by a square with Neptune and a semisquare with the Sun.  Overall her dignity is mildly favorable. In this house, a well dignified Venus is fortunate for the monarch and the government, and this placement is very favorable for public ceremonials and festivals—it is thus a good if obvious choice for a coronation. It is favorable for peace and prosperity, benefits the economy, and directs honors and patronage to artists, poets, and musicians. The afflictions to Venus make it likely that the finances of the royal family will be a subject of public discussion, and any steps the new king can take to avoid criticism on this account would be wise. 

The Sun, Mercury, and Uranus are all in this house. The Sun’s placement has already been discussed. Mercury in the 10th, moderately well dignified and close to the midheaven, is another good choice for any public ceremonial, and is traditionally favorable for public appearances of royalty. (This placement, the choice of a Venus rulership of the 10th, and the grand trine are among the reasons I believe this chart was deliberately elected by an astrologer.)  It favors trade and commerce, education, and all Mercurial industries. His retrograde status is an affliction, but it suggests that a certain degree of deliberate nostalgia and of return to older ways of doing things will be beneficial for Britain. 

Uranus, by contrast, will be a difficult influence wherever he appears in the chart, until such time as he finally leaves Taurus. In the 10th, afflicted by placement in his fall and by opposition with the Moon, he warns of sudden troubles for the government and the nation, puts the governing classes and the people at odds with one another, and brings on challenges and dangers.  With Saturn in the 8th and Neptune ruling that house, it suggests that Charles’s reign will not be long and may have a sudden and unexpected end. 

11th house: the house of Parliament, this has Gemini on its cusp and Mercury for its ruler. Mercury is moderately well dignified in this chart, being angular, in mutual reception with Venus, and supported by a sextile aspect with Saturn, all of which outweighs his retrograde status and his position just close enough to the Sun to count as combust. Some improvement in the behavior of the “Gothic shouting chamber” that is Britain’s Parliament can be expected during Charles’s reign. Reforms involving Parliament are likely. 

Venus is also placed in this house. Moderately well dignified by mutual reception and a sextile with Jupiter, though afflicted by a square with Neptune and a semisquare with the Sun, she tends to reduce partisan strife and to encourage favorable relations between Britain and its neighbors. 

12th house:  the house of national institutions, this has Cancer on its cusp and the Moon is therefore its ruler. The Moon, as noted earlier, is in good condition in this chart, being in mutual reception with Mars, angular, and supported by the grand trine in which she participates, though afflicted by the separating opposition with Uranus and also by an inconjunct with Jupiter. As the ruler of this house, she predicts constructive change for the institutions of British public life, gives strength to charitable causes, and benefits the population as a whole. 

Mars is also placed in this house. His mutual reception with the Moon and his participation in the grand trine are important dignities, though he suffers from placement in a cadent house and from negative aspects with Jupiter and Saturn. His dignity is therefore mixed. Mars in the 12th warns of increased crime, many deaths in hospitals and other medical institutions, and secret enemies abroad. 

Upcoming Forecasts: all ingress and eclipse charts from the coronation until the end of Charles’ reign should be read in conjunction with this chart.