King CharlesandQueen Camilla’s historic coronation is nearly here.
Although the ceremony is steeped in nearly 1,000 years of tradition, the palace revealed that the new monarch plans to bring some updates to the centuries-old rituals for hiscoronation on May 6, 2023. When it comes to their wardrobe, the King and Queen Consort are also expected to mix modern and traditional elements.
Many of thecrowns, jewels and robesworn during the coronation date back hundreds of years. Like the monarchs before him, King Charles will be crowned with the St. Edward’s Crown, specifically reserved for the coronation ceremony. He will also be presented with several pieces from the Crown Jewels, all of which have different sacred meanings.
“The Coronation will reflect the monarch’s role today and look towards the future, while being rooted in long-standing traditions and pageantry,” Buckingham Palace said in a statement.
Chris Jackson/Getty
The King reportedlyplans to scale backthe ceremony’s length and guest list and do away with some elements of the opulent dress code worn at previous coronations.
From their coronation crowns and robes to their new commissions, here is everything to know about King Charles and Queen Camilla’s coronation wardrobe.
King Charles' Coronation Crowns
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King Charles will wear two separate crowns on his coronation day. The first isSt. Edward’s Crown, which is the headpiece that is typically used at the moment of crowning.Queen Elizabethwore it at her coronation in 1953.
St. Edward’s Crown is considered the centerpiece of the Crown Jewels and has centuries of history behind it. It was made in 1661 for King Charles II as a replacement for a medieval crown that was melted down in 1649 — but its history goes back even earlier, according tothe palace. It is believed that the original crown dates as early as the 11th century to Edward the Confessor, the last Anglo-Saxon English king.
Charles II commissioned the royal goldsmith, Robert Vyner, to create the replacement crown in 1661. It is not an exact replica of the original but does have similar design features, including four crosses-pattée, four fleurs-de-lis and two arches. It has a solid gold frame set with several semi-precious stones and also features a velvet cap with an ermine band.
In December 2022, St. Edward’s Crownwas removedfrom theCrown Jewels displayat the Tower of London to prepare it for the historic ceremony. The palace stated that the crown would undergo “modification work” before the May 2023 coronation.
According to Buckingham Palace, King Charles will also wear the Imperial State Crown. The current Imperial State Crown was made in 1937 for the coronation ofKing George VI—Queen Elizabeth’s father and King Charles' grandfather — and was most recently seen on top ofthe late Queen’s coffinduring her state funeral in September 2022.
Compared to St. Edward’s Crown, the Imperial State Crown is lighter and also used more often (like atthe State Opening of Parliament).
King Charles' Coronation Robes
Robe of State.Fiona Hanson/PA Images via Getty
Though coronations have occurred at Westminster Abbey since 1066, the palace has said that King Charles' crowning ceremony will “look towards the future” while maintaining the “long-standing traditions and pageantry.” This balance of historical and modern elements is expected to be especially evident in his wardrobe.
The King will wear several historical robes throughout the religious ceremony. The order and importance of the coronation robes are detailed in the Liber Regalis, or Royal Book, a 14th-century manuscript that serves as the official guide for coronation ceremonies, according toWestminster Abbey.
The Stole Royal is a narrow band of gold silk made forQueen Elizabeth’s crowning in 1953. It was embroidered with national, religious and Commonwealth emblems in both gold and colored threads. Charles could reuse his mother’s or have his own made.
The Robe Royal and Stole Royal are removed and replaced with the Imperial Robe during the closing procession. Also known as the Robe of Estate (not to be confused with the Robe of State), the Imperial Robe is made of purple velvet — as opposed to the crimson color donned during the King’s entrance. The embroidery onElizabeth II’s Imperial Robefeatured 18 different types of gold thread and took 12 embroiderers more than 3,500 hours to make.
King Charles' Coronation Jewels
King Charles will be presented with several pieces of royal jewelry during his coronation, all of which are part of the Crown Jewels. According toBuckingham Palace, these include spurs, bracelets, scepters, a ring, an orb and a sword.
After King Charles is dressed in the various robes and garments involved in the crowning ceremony, he will be presented with the coronation spurs, which feature a Tudor rose and velvet straps, according to theRoyal Collection Trust. The spurs are the first symbols of sovereignty presented to the King during the coronation and represent knighthood. Though spurs have been a part of coronations since 1189, the current spurs were made in 1661 for Charles II and were altered with new straps in 1820 for George IV. They were originally fastened to the sovereign’s feet, but since the 1600s have simply been placed at the monarch’s ankles.
The King will then be presented with the jeweledSword of Offering, which dates back to 1820 and is full of symbolic emblems. Both sides of the blade feature roses, thistles and shamrocks, which are England, Scotland and Northern Ireland’s national emblems, respectively. The sword is also adorned with diamonds, emeralds and rubies.
Christopher Furlong/Getty
King Charles will also be givengold armills— bracelets representing sincerity and wisdom — and the Sovereign’s Orb representing Christian sovereignty. The armills were made for Elizabeth II in 1953 to replace the originals that had been used since 1661. The gold bracelets feature a Tudor rose clasp and red velvet lining.
The Sovereign’s Orb is a hollow gold sphere with a cross on top, representing the monarch’s power. It is adorned with emeralds, sapphires, rubies, diamonds, pearls, amethyst and a glass stone.
The archbishop will place theSovereign’s Ringon the fourth finger of Charles' right hand as a symbol of “kingly dignity.” It was made in 1831 for William IV and features an octagonal sapphire adorned with both rubies and diamonds.
Finally, King Charles will be presented with two sceptres: the Sovereign’s Sceptre with Cross and the Sovereign’s Sceptre with Dove. Both were made in 1661 for Charles II’s coronation, though the Sceptre with Cross has undergone several alterations over the years.
The Sceptre with Dove is also known as the Rod of Equity and Mercy, and it represents the monarch’s spiritual role (with the dove symbolizing the Holy Spirit). The Sceptre with Cross represents the monarch’s secular power and “is associated with good governance,” per theRoyal Collection Trust. It famously featuresthe Cullinan I diamond— also known as the Star of Africa — which, at 530.2 carats, is the largest stone cut from the Cullinan diamonds. The sceptre is also decorated with rubies, emeralds and sapphires.
Queen Camilla’s Coronation Crown
Queen Mary’s Crown.Royals.UK
This will be the first time in recent history that an existing crown — rather than a new commission — will be used in the coronation of a Queen Consort, in the “interests of sustainability and efficiency,” according to the palace. The crown was removed from the Tower of London in February to undergo modification work ahead of the May coronation.
Specifically, in a special tribute toQueen Elizabeth, the crown will be altered to include the Cullinan III, IV and V diamonds — which were a part of the late monarch’s personal jewelry collection. (She often wore them as brooches.) Additionally, the palace stated that four of the crown’s eight detachable arches will be removed “to create a “different impression” from when it was worn in 1911.
In October 2022, a spokesman for the Indian government toldTheTelegraphthat “the use of the crown jewel Koh-i-Nûr brings back painful memories of the colonial past.” The diamond is on display at the Tower of London in the Queen Mother’s crown.
Queen Camilla’s Coronation Gown and Robe
Queen Camilla.Chris Jackson/Getty
Queen Camilla has reportedly chosen designerBruce Oldfieldto design her coronation gown, according toTheTelegraph. Queen Camilla has worn Oldfield’s designs on a number of occasions. He was also one ofPrincess Diana’s preferred designers and was behind several ofher iconic dressesin the 1980s.
Details of Queen Camilla’s coronation gown will most likely remain tightly guarded until the coronation ceremony. Neither Oldfield nor Buckingham Palace has officially commented on the gown or its designer.
In late April,photos were released of the Royal School of Needlework’s embroidery teamworking on the coronation robes that Queen Camilla and King Charles will wear for the ceremony.
Camilla’s Robe of State, which she will wear upon arrival at Westminster Abbey, is made of crimson velvet and was originally made for Queen Elizabet’s 1953 coronation.
Queen Camilla’s Coronation Jewels
The Coronation Rings Including the Queen Consort’s Ring.Royals.UK
Similar to her husband, Camilla will be presented with several symbolic items from the Crown Jewels during the coronation ceremony, including a ring, two scepters and an orb.
The Queen Consort will also receive anorb with a similar designto her husband’s — it features a cross atop a sphere, with gemstones and pearls dividing it into three areas. It symbolizes imperial power and dates back to 1689 when it was created for Queen Mary II in her joint crowning with her husband William III, the Royal Collection Trust detailed.
During her coronation, Camilla will also be presented with two sceptres: the Queen Consort’s Sceptre with Cross and the Queen Consort’s Rod with Dove. Both date back to Mary of Modena’s coronation in 1685 and both have been used in every queen consort coronation since. They carry similar symbolism to the King’s, with the dove representing the Holy Spirit.
Aside from the ceremonial jewels, Camilla will most likely wear additional jewelry — such as a necklace and earrings — to the coronation in May. One possibility is the coronation earrings, which were commissioned for Queen Victoria in 1858, according to theRoyal Collection Trust. They were worn at the coronations of consorts Queen Mary in 1911 and Elizabeth, later Queen Mother, in 1937;Queen ElizabethII also wore them at her coronation in 1953.
source: people.com
