The coronation of King Charles III on Saturday was marked by a spooky surprise as Twitter users reported seeing the Grim Reaper among the crowd. Multiple viewers shared television footage that appeared to show a cloaked figure with a scythe.
The clip was just one of many that went viral on social media related to the coronation.
You can see the video below.
\u201cAnyone else just notice the Grim Reaper at Westminster Abbey? \ud83d\udc40\n#Coronation\u201d— Joe (@Joe) 1683364052
Twitter users quickly ran with it.
And their observations were hilarious.
\u201c\u2018Grim reaper\u2019 Spotted at King Charles\u2019 Coronation\n\nDamn. Yesterday I joked about how long\u2026 well\u2026 King Charles III\u2019s \u201creign\u201d would last. \u201cTwo days,\u201d I said, and now I see this. Oops \ud83d\udc40\u201d— Marta Brightman (@Marta Brightman) 1683468236
\u201c@realjoegreeeen That\u2019s Diana on standby\u201d— Joe (@Joe) 1683364052
\u201c@realjoegreeeen @IndiaWilloughby Will Bill and Ted also be there? Excellent!\u201d— Joe (@Joe) 1683364052
\u201c@realjoegreeeen Thought they were filming a remake of Exorcist 3\u201d— Joe (@Joe) 1683364052
\u201c@realjoegreeeen Coronation and the funeral on a same day would save lot of money.\u201d— Joe (@Joe) 1683364052
\u201c@realjoegreeeen The sound effect in the background when he walks across is so perfectly timed that I almost can\u2019t get over it.\u201d— Joe (@Joe) 1683364052
\u201c@realjoegreeeen High security should allow the identity of the grim reaper to be revealed. No doubt this is an official walk-in.\u201d— Joe (@Joe) 1683364052
\u201c@realjoegreeeen @JeffBenales That\u2019s Prince Andrew in disguise\u201d— Joe (@Joe) 1683364052
Westminster Abbey later identified the figure as a verger—a member of the abbey community who assists with religious services but who is not a member of the clergy.
Despite the hype, the coronation did not draw as many viewers as the funeral of King Charles' mother last year.
Over 20 million people in the United Kingdom tuned in to watch the coronation, but the ceremony still fell short of expectations. Average viewing figures for the two-hour service at Westminster Abbey were around 18.8 million, according to data provided by the UK Broadcasters' Audience Research Board (BARB).
While the numbers are impressive, they pale in comparison to the 28 million people who watched the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II in 2022. King Charles III and his wife remain controversial figures over their adulterous affair while both were married.
The audience figures for the coronation peaked at 20.4 million, according to BARB. The BBC took the lion's share of viewership, with around 15 million people watching across its BBC One and Two channels.
However, not everyone was pleased with the coronation.
A group of anti-monarchy demonstrators turned out to protest the event. London's Metropolitan police made 64 arrests on the day with four people being charged with an offense.
Republic—Britain's largest anti-monarchy group—criticized the police response, saying the "protest was curtailed to protect the image of the king and called the arrests "an absolute disgrace."
Despite the mixed reactions, King Charles III is now officially on the throne and many will be watching closely to see how he handles the role.
