A raven crown for the Dragon King and a purification ceremony - how do other countries do their coronations?

The coronation of the King will be a truly international event, with dignitaries and royals from around the world dressing up in their finery and travelling to London.

From the political drama and many wives of Henry VIII, to the stoic reign of Queen Elizabeth II, the British royal family is probably the most famous in the Western world.

And while we might be the only European nation that still insists on a coronation ceremony, around the world there are other monarchies who mark the start of a new reign with a dose of ritual, regalia and history.

Whether it's the purification ceremony in Thailand or riding in Brunei's royal chariot, there is a huge variety of traditions and ceremonies.

Europe: A coronation for the ruler of 820 people

"Other European monarchies no longer have coronations," says Professor Robert Hazell, a constitutional expert at University College London.

"The Benelux countries [Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg] and Spain have never had one, and the Scandinavian monarchies gave theirs up between the mid-19th and early 20th centuries for a range of different reasons."

There are 12 nations in Europe with a monarchy. All but one of these are constitutional monarchies, where the king or queen is head of state but laws are made by parliament.

The Vatican, an independent city-state surrounded by Rome, is an exception.

New popes are inaugurated in front of tens of thousands of people in St Peter's Square and rule over the Vatican's 820 people as absolute monarchs.

Asia: A raven crown and a purification ceremony

Asia is home to a diverse range of monarchies, with some coronations known for their vibrant colours and elaborate ceremonies, while others are more muted.

New rulers of the Himalayan kingdom of Bhutan are crowned in a ceremony at the Tashichho Dzong, a massive 17th-century white-walled fortress in the capital Thimphu.

The raven crown is placed upon the new king's head, bestowing on them the title of Druk Gyalpo, or Dragon King.

Sultans of Brunei are enthroned on a royal chariot at a ceremony featuring a Changkah (a huge two-pronged spear), decorated shields and multicoloured umbrellas.

In Cambodia, new monarchs take the oath in front of a crowd of government officials, royalty and religious leaders at an event featuring a blend of Hindu and Buddhist rituals.

They are given the royal regalia to symbolise their rule over the country - but the originals have been missing for decades and replicas have had to be used.

Maha Vajiralongkorn, or Rama X, was crowned king of Thailand in an extensive three-day coronation ceremony involving a 7kg jewel-encrusted crown and a nine-tiered umbrella.

Taking place in May 2019, the festivities are estimated to have cost more than £23m and - like in Cambodia - are based on a mix of Buddhist and Hindu rituals.

Before being officially crowned, the new king had to undergo a purification ceremony. Dressed in white, he sat under a canopied fountain that poured consecrated waters over his head.

For weeks leading up to the coronation, the water was collected from sources across Thailand between 11:52 and 12:38 - an auspicious time according to Thai astrology.

Japan's emperors formally proclaim their enthronement from the Takamikura, the Japanese imperial throne.

At a ritual-bound ceremony, the new emperor is presented with the Three Sacred Treasures - the imperial regalia of Japan - a sword, a mirror and a jewel.

These represent the three primary virtues: valour, wisdom and benevolence.

Unique in the world, Malaysia has a rotating monarchy system with the nine ethnic Malay state rulers taking turns as king for five-year terms.

The ruler serves as head of state but laws are made by elected representatives.

Africa: Tens of thousands fill sports stadiums to greet new kings

There are three remaining sovereign monarchies in Africa, as well as a number of indigenous tribes that retain their royalty.

Letsie III has ruled the small nation of Lesotho since 1996. His coronation was attended by then-Prince Charles and several African leaders.

More than 20,000 people cheered in Maseru's sports stadium when Letsie put on the traditional calf-skin headband and a leopard-skin robe.

A Basotho tribal chief then placed a long, grey feather in the new king's hair.

Troupes of dancers paraded across the stadium's parched grass, some bare-breasted and smeared with red ochre. Drums and chanting accompanied them as Letsie watched from his seat high in the stands.

Prince Makhosetive wore a feather headdress during his coronation ceremony to become King Mswati III of Eswatini (formerly Swaziland) in 1986.

Some 50,000 people gathered at the Somhlolo stadium in Lobamba to celebrate the ascent to the crown of the 18-year old prince.

Misuzulu ka Zwelithini was formally crowned as the first new Zulu king for almost 50 years following a power struggle after the death of King Goodwill Zwelithini.

At the historic ceremony in Durban, South Africa, he was given a certificate of recognition by President Cyril Ramaphosa.

The event involved thousands of men in traditional dress and featured celebratory songs, chants and dances along with a mix of traditional Zulu culture and Christian prayers.

While Madagascar is now a republic, a tradition of local kings and queens has remained, Dr Maurizio Esposito La Rossa, an expert in anthropology at the London School of Economics, told Sky News.

"It is improper to speak of a coronation because there is no crown," he said when asked about a ceremony in 2018.

The monarch is "raised" rather than crowned, he says. The ceremony features the raising of a pole of a special wood 10m into the air and ends with a "blessing" of the new sovereign by one of the elder nobles.

A year later the ruler is then bestowed with the regalia belonging to her ancestors.

Middle East: UAE's elective monarchy among range of rulers

The Middle East is home to a host of kings, emirs and sultans who wield various degrees of power in their countries.

The selection of a new Sultan of Oman can be an elaborate process. Instead of having a direct heir to the sultanate, a new ruler is chosen by the ruling family.

If they are unable to choose a successor then a letter from the late sultan containing the name of his preferred choice is unsealed and they are then sworn in.

When he came to the throne in 2015, King Salman bin Abdulaziz al Saud showered his Saudi Arabian countrymen with £21bn to celebrate his coronation - a tradition in the oil-rich kingdom.

Kuwait's current ruler Sheikh Nawaf al Ahmad al Sabah rose to the top job after the death of his half-brother, who had ruled for 14 years.

He was sworn in as emir during a session of the National Assembly in September 2020, with those in attendance wearing masks given the COVID-19 pandemic.

Made up of seven individual emirates that make up the nation, the United Arab Emirates is an elective monarchy.

The UAE has an overall president and vice president chosen by the seven sheikhs - generally the ruler of Abu Dhabi and the ruler of Dubai.

Oceania: The King of the United Kingdom and King Tupou VI

Many countries in Oceania, including New Zealand, recognise the King of the United Kingdom as their head of state, but this is not the case for all nations in that part of the world.

King Tupou VI was formally crowned king of the Pacific island nation of Tonga in 2015 at a ceremony attended by foreign royals.

The service was conducted by a retired Australian minister who laid the crown on the monarch's head. It is taboo for Tongans to touch their king's head.

King Tupou VI was anointed with holy oil and given a ring and sceptre.

Picture research by Daniel Daukes, picture editor