A Planetary Jigsaw
(The astrology of the transition from Queen Elizabeth II
to King Charles III)
The death of Elizabeth II on 8 September 2022 ended a reign of more than 70 years - the longest of any UK monarch. It is estimated that around half the global population watched her funeral on 19 September 2022 – reflecting the esteem in which she was held by citizens around the world.
As we might expect, an event of this significance is mirrored in the astrological charts drawn for the most critical moments in the transition from the reign of Elizabeth II to Charles III. There are strong correspondences between the natal charts of both of them and these events as well as with other members of the royal family and the United Kingdom national charts.
The last picture of Elizabeth II which was taken on 6 September 2022, two days before her death. Elizabeth II – the longest reigning British monarch – appointed Liz Truss as Prime Minister – whose Premiership was to become the shortest on record.
The official time for the death of Elizabeth II is 3.10 p.m. as shown on the death certificate. although an alternative time of 2.37 p.m. is given in a podcast made on 8 September by Lady Colin Campbell (at around fifteen minutes into the podcast). All references to the death of Elizabeth II from this point refer to a time of 3.10 p.m.
Queen Elizabeth II
2.43 a.m. 21 April 1926,
London, UK
The Death of Queen Elizabeth II
3.10 p.m. 8 September 2022
Balmoral Castle, Scotland 57N02, 003W13
A starting point for consideration of the death chart is to take it in conjunction with the natal chart of Elizabeth II. The planets at death are, of course, transits to the natal chart.
One of the most striking aspects in the chart for the moment of death is the conjunction of the Moon and Saturn. The Moon rules the eighth house of death in this chart while Saturn rules the Ascendant (body) in the natal chart of Elizabeth II. Seen another way, the Moon, the natural ruler of the action, is conjunct Saturn which is the natural ruler of death – either way, the death of the body is signalled.
The Death Certificate of Queen Elizabeth II
The connection between Mars and Saturn is crucial to understanding the phenomenon which was Elizabeth II with a life of 96 years and a reign of 70 years. Saturn, ruler of the ascendant (the body) in her natal chart is placed at 24 27 Scorpio conjunct the Midheaven (the highest point in the chart) which signifies the position of power and all royalty or national leaders.
Scorpio on the tenth house cusp (which commences with
the Midheaven in all charts not using an Equal House system) is traditionally ruled by Mars and, in the natal chart of Elizabeth II, Mars and Saturn are in mutual reception – the person and the role are inextricably linked. Mars is further strengthened by its close conjunction with Jupiter which magnifies the power of any planet in contact with it.
At 3.10 p.m. on 8 September 2022 Mars – signifying the queen’s reign in her natal chart - sinks over the western horizon showing a natural ending.
In any discussion about death it is useful to consider the position of the Part of Death.
Like the Part of Fortune, which is more well known, the Part of Death (as is the case all the Arabic Parts) is calculated using a formula employing certain positions in the chart in question. The Arabic Parts were originated at a time when the Equal House system was the one which was mainly in use whereas the Regiomontanus House System which I have used to calculate all the charts was not
used until the seventeenth century. In calculating the Part of Death in all cases I have therefore taken the eighth house cusp using the Equal House System (it will always be 210 degrees past the Ascendant) rather than that shown in the Regiomontanus chart.
The calculation is as follows:
Absolute longitude of Ascendant + Absolute Longitude of eighth house cusp – Absolute Longitude of Moon.
As an example, here is the calculation of the Part of Death in the chart for the time of death of 3.10 p.m.
Location in chart Sign and Degrees Absolute Longitude
Ascendant: 10 06 Sagittarius = eight whole signs (8 x 30) + 10 06 = 250 06
Eighth house: 10 06 Cancer = two whole signs (3 x 30) + 10 06 = 100 06
350 12
Moon: 21 06 Aquarius = 10 whole signs (10 x 30) + 2 06 321 06
Part of Death: 29 06 Aries 29 06
Dividing 29 06 by thirty we have no whole signs and 6 minutes of the last degree of the first sign (Aries) so the Part of Death is 29 06 Aries – one degree and six minutes from the position of the Sun when Elizabeth II was born (0 12 Taurus). This is the first in a series of remarkable correspondences we can observe from charts for the crucial moments surrounding the death of Elizabeth II.
We should note at this point that any connection to the Sun in the natal chart of Elizabeth II will also have significance for Charles III whose natal Moon is at 0 26 Taurus – an astrological explanation of the close connection between the two of them.
A further connection to 20 Aquarius where the Moon and Saturn were in conjunction at the time of death is provided by the Progressed Moon of Elizabeth II which was at 20 07 Aquarius on the day she died. This is an astrological event which was occurring for only the fourth time in her 96 years.
Yet another extraordinarily close
connection is shown by the late Queen’s Solar Arc Directed Neptune which was at 24 31 Scorpio at the time of her death - just
King Charles III
9.14 p.m. 14 November 1948,
London, UK
two minutes of one degree away from her natal Saturn on the Midheaven. Neptune is symbolically dissolving he Queen’s reign. In Kabbalistic Astrology Neptune has been attributed to Keter, the highest Sefirah of the Tree of Life (although no single Sefirah has supremacy over any of the others – all are needed). Although the physical body of the Queen is taken down into the earth the psychological body has been taken to a higher level.
The moment the reign of Elizabeth II ends (with her death) also marks the beginning of the reign of Charles III.
His progressed Moon on 8 September 2022 was at 21 21 Capricorn almost exactly conjunct the Ascendant of Elizabeth II (22 20 Capricorn) while his progressed Mercury was at 19 26 Aquarius almost exactly conjunct the crucial 21st degree of Aquarius which has already been noted
His Solar Arc Directed Mercury is in the exact same degree of the zodiac at 21 59 Capricorn.
Public Proclamation of King Charles III
11 a.m. 10 September 2022, London, UK
Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II
12 34 p.m. 2 June 1953, London, UK
At a transpersonal level the change in monarch is shown by the Solar Arc Directed Uranus of Elizabeth II at 29 50 Gemini exactly conjunct Uranus in the natal chart of Charles II where it is placed at 29 56 Gemini. Such a high number of correspondences and such accuracy even at this early point in the discussion is truly awe inspiring. It is as though all the pieces in the planetary jigsaw were falling into place without human agency,
The public proclamation of the commencement of the reign of Charles III came at 11 a.m. on 10 September after ratification by the Accession Council. This was the exact minute of the Full Moon and shows the moment of maximum energy in the monthly cycle. The sheer precision is truly astonishing.
Mars – at 11 24 Gemini – echoes the chart for the Coronation of Elizabeth II when the Sun
(indicating the monarch in that chart) was placed at 11 37 Gemini.
State Funeral of Elizabeth II,
11 00 a.m. 19 September 2022
The United Kingdom,
12 01 a.m. 1 January 1801, London
Queen Elizabeth II was given a state funeral in Westminster Abbey at 11 a.m. on 19 September where the Part of Death is placed at 8 43 Libra adjacent to the ascending degree of the UK national chart which is at 7 20 Libra.
In the chart of the funeral service Elizabeth II is (obviously) no longer alive and therefore no longer the monarch signified by the tenth house. She is shown instead by the Scorpio ascendant, the first house and its ruler, Mars.
Scorpio is a sign naturally associated with death and its ruler, Mars, is appropriately placed in the eighth house which rules death.
Charles III, as the reigning monarch, would now be shown by the tenth house, Leo on the cusp and its ruler, the Sun.
The Moon at 12 51 Cancer has connections with multiple members of the Royal Family including:
Prince William North Node 14 05 Cancer
Prince Harry Descendant 11 26 Cancer
Meghan Markle Mars 14 05 Cancer
Camilla, Queen Consort Moon 10 07 Cancer
Camilla, Queen Consort Venus 14 05 Cancer
Committal Service of Elizabeth II
4 p.m. 19 September 2022.
Windsor, UK. 51N29, 000W38
Removal of Orb Crown and Sceptre
4 38 p.m. 19 September 2022.
Windsor, UK. 51N29, 000W38
After the State Funeral, the body of Elizabeth II was taken to Windsor Castle where a Committal Service was held at 4 p.m. on the same day. The chart for the commencement of this service shows a number of very close personal connections to the natal chart of Elizabeth II.
The "breaking of the stick" by the Lord Chamberlain signifying the end of his office to the late Queen was a moment in the proceedings which many people found profoundly moving.
The Part of Death in a chart for 4 p.m. is at 4 05 Aquarius – less than two degrees away from the Part of Death in the natal chart of Elizabeth II which was at 2 44 Aquarius.
The instruments of her office (the orb, sceptre and crown) were removed from the top of the coffin at 4.38 p.m. when the ascendant was at 20 24 Capricorn – just one degree away from the ascendant of Elizabeth II which was at 22 20 Capricorn. Eight minutes later at 4.46 p.m. the Lord Chamberlain broke the Wand of Office signalling the end of his service to the late Queen with the ascendant now at 22 55 Capricorn, in the same degree as the ascendant of the late Queen. Pluto, the modern planet which is associated with death hovers just below the horizon at 26 12 Capricorn.
Private Burial Service
7. 30 p.m. 19 September 2022
Windsor, UK 51N29, 000W38
The third and final service of the day, which commenced at 7.30 p.m. in Windsor was a private burial service attended only by close members of the royal family.
At the start of the service the Part of Death was at 9 05 Leo just three degrees away from the Moon in the natal chart of Elizabeth II which was at 12 09 Leo.
This service is believed to have been fairly short and, although we can’t be certain of the time it ended, we might speculate that it was at (or very close to) 8.02 p.m. when the ascendant had moved from 13 04 Aries at the start of the service to 0 49 Taurus conjunct the natal sun of Elizabeth II at 0 26 Taurus.
As might be expected, the prominent degrees in some of the charts for earlier national events, eclipses and planetary ingresses also figure prominently in events surrounding the death of Elizabeth II and the accession of Charles III.
We have already seen how the position of the Moon at the start of the State Funeral service (12 51 Cancer) touched key planetary positions in the charts of many members of the Royal Family but it also connected with two important mundane charts. The House of Windsor, to which all members of the Monarchy have belonged for more than 100 years was founded on 17 July 1917 with the South Node at 9 55 Cancer while the chart for the formation of the United Kingdom of 1 January 1801
(shown above) has the Midheaven (which signifies monarchy) at 9 34 Cancer.
The possibility of issues around the monarchy were signalled in the chart for the Aries ingress of 2022 set for the UK. That chart shows the possible events of the forthcoming year (six months in this case as there is a mutable sign on the ascendant).
The 2022 Aries ingress chart for London has the Midheaven at 24 06 Taurus and the IC at 24 06 Scorpio – almost an exact inversion of the natal chart of Elizabeth II where the Midheaven is at 26 17 Scorpio and the IC at 26 17 Taurus.
The North Node of the ingress chart is conjunct the Midheaven at 25 22 Taurus (and the South Node at 25 22 Scorpio) and also conjunct the malefic mixed star Caput Algol which has strong connotations of death.
Saturn in the natal chart is at 24 27 Scorpio conjunct the Midheaven of the ingress chart. Taurus and Scorpio are fixed signs but change is imminent as shown by the Moon in the last degree of Libra (a moveable sign) and about to enter Scorpio, the sign naturally associated with death.
The Sun, natural ruler of monarchs, sits in the eighth house of death.
Aries Ingress
3.35 p.m. 20 March 2022
London, UK
Perhaps the most remarkable “co-incidence” can be seen when we progress two important mundane charts – the UK chart of 1801 and the Coronation chart of 1953.
The progressed Moon of the Coronation chart at 8 September 2022 is at 29 45 Leo (the royal sign) which could be interpreted as “the end of the ruler.”
The Solar Arc Directed Mars is close by at 28 19 Leo and Mars has the meaning of “cutting.” The connotations with royalty are emphasised by the proximity of the royal fixed star Regulus at 0 06 Virgo.
When we look at the movement of the UK National chart we find the exact same thing with the
progressed moon at 29 25 Leo at 8 September 2022.
Wheels within wheels – how much of our lives at this level are set in motion in the heavenly spheres and what degree of freewill do we possess as a consequence are questions which require a deeper and separate discussion.
Finally, mention must be made of the numerous placements in the last few degrees of Scorpio and particularly the 25th and 26th degrees. A number of these have already been noted but here is a list of the most significant occurrences with some of the most important other placements in neighbouring degrees:
Natal placements:
Elizabeth II Saturn 24 27 Scorpio
Charles III Sun 22 25 Scorpio
Prince Andrew Moon 25 29 Scorpio
Charles III Coronation Moon 25 06 Scorpio
George VI (father of Elizabeth II) Moon 24 51 Scorpio
Elizabeth (mother of Elizabeth II) Moon 20 24 Scorpio
Orb Removed from coffin Midheaven 24 45 Scorpio
Breaking the Stick Midheaven 26 42 Scorpio
Solar Arc Directions at 8 Sep 22
Elizabeth II Neptune 24 31 Scorpio
Princess Anne Moon 24 33 Scorpio
Prince Harry Venus 25 08 Scorpio
It has been announced that the Coronation of Charles III will take place on 6 May 2023 when the Moon will be at 25 06 Scorpio at 12.30 p.m. - an estimated time of the actual anointing.
Although Scorpio is not usually a good placement for such an event (made worse by being past the Full Moon) it is important when planning events for the planets to make a connection with the principal parties involved and, in this case, the Moon will be just three degrees away from the position of the Sun when Charles III was born.
On 6 May 2023 Pluto, the planet of transformation will have changed signs and be placed at 0 21 Aquarius square to natal Sun of Elizabeth II the natal Moon of Charles III which are both in the first degree of Taurus - truly another moment of profound transition.
Some of the material in this article was first presented under the heading "The Royal Family - What Next?" at a group in London on Sunday 23 October 2022. I had deferred this group for a variety of reasons from the date originally intended of 2 October 2022. With the exception of the first ever group in 2005 we have always started at 2.30 p.m. and, had we stuck to the original date, the ascendant when the group started would have 00 34 Capricorn.
By deferring the group to 23 October the customary 2.30 p.m. start gave us an ascendant of 22 45 Capricorn – the same degree as the ascendant of Elizabeth II. Only when I started preparing the material for the group did I realise this final "co-incidence."
How appropriate - what more can I say....
Post Coronation Update
The Coronation of Charles III duly took place at Westminster Abbey on 6 May 2023 – less than 24 hours after a Full Moon and Lunar Eclipse. The chart for the moment he was pronounced King is shown on the right.
Having the Moon in Scorpio where it is in its fall is not usually a good placement.
It is made worse in this case since it is past Full Moon and a waning Moon is poor sign for growth and longevity.
Nor does being close to a Lunar Eclipse bode well as Eclipses generally indicate trouble of one sort or another.
However, it is also important when
Coronation of King Charles III,
12.02 pm 6 May 2023, London, UK
planning such events for the planets to make a connection with the principal parties involved.
Even if the event was not planned with the position of the planets in mind, that condition is fulfilled in this case as the Moon was at 24 degrees 50 minutes of Scorpio which is within a couple of degrees of the position of the Sun when Charles III was born. It also connects to the Midheaven in Elizabeth II’s natal chart which is the point in the chart showing where she exercised the role of monarch.
The high number of planetary placements in the later degrees of Scorpio for members of the royal family and related events is listed above.
A further disadvantage of the chosen date was that Mercury was in the middle of a retrograde period indicating problems with communication and technology and it was fortunate that there were no major issues in these areas during the coronation.
Pluto, the planet of transformation, changed signs in March 2023 and on 6 May was placed at 0 degrees 21 minutes of Aquarius. This means that it made a square (a challenging aspect) to the natal Sun of Elizabeth II and the natal Moon of Charles III which are both in the first degree of Taurus.
Charles III, wearing the imperial Crown at his coronation on 6 May 2023.
The anointing of the King was the only part of the ceremony not shown on television although we can reasonably estimate that this took place around 11.47 a.m.
What seemed to be of more significance was the moment the Archbishop of Canterbury placed the crown on the head of Charles III and declaimed “God save the King!”
This occurred at 12.02 p.m. – the time for which the Coronation chart is set.
Charles III is shown by the ascendant, Leo, and its ruler, the Sun. This is most appropriate since Leo is the natural sign of royalty and the Sun is the natural ruler of monarchs.
The chart describes the event clearly (the crowning of a king) as the Sun is in the tenth house which signifies monarchy and kings.
Charles III was the oldest heir to become the ruling monarch in England or Great Britain – he was 73 when Elizabeth II died and 74 when he was crowned.
Although his reign can not approach the same length as his mother’s, the signs that it will endure within the context of his age are shown in the chart.
Leo on the ascendant and Taurus ruling the tenth house of monarchy are both fixed signs suggesting Charles III is here to stay. Remember that his mother lived to 96 and his grandmother to 101. Longevity is emphasised by the placement of the Sun (the ascendant ruler) in Taurus.
Charles III, wearing the imperial Crown at his coronation on 6 May 2023.
A successful reign (as well as a long reign) is shown by the proximity of the North Node and Jupiter to the Midheaven. The chart also shows the signature of Elizabeth II and Charles III with the Midheaven (the highest point in the chart and the place of monarchs) at one degree and 32 minutes of Taurus – the natal Sun of Elizabeth II was 0 degrees 12 minutes of Taurus and the natal Moon of Charles III is at 0 degrees 25 minutes of Taurus.
Pluto was square to this degree on 6 May 2023 (see above) suggesting that, although the reign may be a difficult one, it is not without the possibility of having a transformational effect. It might be inferred that affairs of state are likely to become easier after the first three years when Pluto begins to move away from this aspect.
Many astrologers feel that the timing of this coronation was not planned from an astrological point of view for reasons given in the first part of this section – something to which we may never know the answer. Even so, it is remarkable that, despite those issues, the chart has some very positive aspects in it and offers a clear description of both the event itself and its relevance to the British Royal Family.
Perhaps we should no longer be surprised by such “coincidences….”
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© Jonathon Clark 2022-23