In May 2023, top stories in the UK focused on celebration and scandal, monarchs and pop stars.
Here’s our recap of the news that captivated Britain throughout the month.
King Charles III and Queen Camilla are crowned
May 6 saw the first coronation of a British monarch in over 70 years at Westminster Abbey.
King Charles had ascended to the throne the previous September after the death of his mother, Queen Elizabeth II.
Codenamed “Operation Golden Orb”, the coronation involved three separate military dress rehearsals in April and the establishment of a Coronation Claims Office within the Cabinet Office, tasked with handling claims of those wishing to perform a historic or ceremonial role during the service.
The event was attended by approximately 2,200 guests from 203 countries, including members of British and foreign royal families, prominent UK and commonwealth politicians, and foreign heads of state.
Not surprisingly, The Coronation of King Charles III and Queen Camilla is the most watched television broadcasts in the United Kingdom in 2023.❤️#coronation pic.twitter.com/hhsENzSErm
— Cathy (@Cathy57600977) December 16, 2023
Britain hosts the 67th Eurovision Song Contest
The UK hosted the final of the 67th edition of the Eurovision Song Contest on May 13.
The event was held in the Liverpool Arena on behalf of the 2022 winners, Ukraine, who were unable to host due to their ongoing war with Russia.
Thirty-seven countries competed in the contest presented by Alesha Dixon, Hannah Waddingham, Julia Sanina, and Graham Norton.
Sweden’s Loreen won the contest with her song “Tattoo”, making her the second entrant to win the competition twice and tying Sweden with Ireland for the most number of Eurovision wins at seven victories each.
The UK’s entry, Mae Muller, received only 24 votes overall and came second-to-last, beating Germany.
🧵 Here's a list of 2023 Eurovision moments that defined the year for me.
— Priyant 👨🏾🚀 (@Priyant1987) December 19, 2023
Let's kick off with a compilation of our qualifiers! pic.twitter.com/FpcvRqXMER
Phillip Schofield resigns from This Morning
Phillip Schofield announced his immediate resignation from ITV’s This Morning after more than 20 years as a presenter on May 20.
The announcement followed a period of public speculation about Schofield’s affair with a male ITV co-worker, which began when the co-worker was 18 and Schofield in his 50s.
Further controversy stemmed from the revelation that Schofield had arranged for the young man to interview at ITV after meeting him when he was only 15.
Schofield later defended himself in the media against allegations that he had groomed the younger man, stating that the relationship was unwise but consensual and that he had exited This Morning as a way to protect the show.
Bottom right of featured image credit: Solomon McKenzie, CC BY-SA 3.0 license, via Wikimedia Commons
