The oil was pressed from olives harvested on the Mount of Olives, which plays a prominent role in the Bible, and has been perfumed with sesame, rose, jasmine, cinnamon, neroli, benzoin, amber oil and orange blossoms, the palace said.
Charles’ paternal grandmother, Princess Alice of Greece, is buried at the Monastery of Mary Magdalene on the Mount of Olives.
“This demonstrates the deep historic link between the coronation, the Bible and the Holy Land,” the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, said in the statement. “From ancient kings through to the present day, monarchs have been anointed with oil from this sacred place.”
Charles will be formally crowned on May 6 at Westminster Abbey in London, during a ceremony the palace says will combine elements of tradition with modern touches that highlight the changing face of the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth.
Charles became king on Sept. 8 following the death of his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, who reigned for more than 70 years.
