Features

Why are coronations held at Westminster Abbey?

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17th March 2023
One thing has been certain about the Coronation of King Charles III from the very start. Even before the date was known, the location of the crowning of the new Monarch was set in stone. For Charles III, like every King and Queen for almost a millennium, will be crowned at Westminster Abbey.Its role in this ancient ceremony was never even questioned. St. Edward’s Crown will be brought once…
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Features

The Coronation of King Henry IV

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17th March 2023
The reign of King Henry IV began with usurpation and heralded a period of power struggles that would end in the War of the Roses. As he rode to his Coronation, in 1399, his predecessor languished in jail and would die in mysterious circumstances within months. Henry IV’s…
Features

The princess named after Ireland's patron saint

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17th March 2023
For a princess who claimed a bit of a royal first at the baptismal font, it’s perhaps not surprising that Patricia of Connaught – known for most of her adult life as Lady Patricia Ramsey – ended up changing plenty of regal rules on her way.  The little girl who was born in Buckingham Palace on March 17th 1886 grew up to be one of the most eligible women in Europe, and when she…
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Features

The uncrowned kings of England

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16th March 2023
On May 6th 2023, the fortieth Coronation of a Monarch since the Norman Conquest takes place at Westminster Abbey.King Charles III will be crowned by the Archbishop of Canterbury in a ceremony that is little changed through the centuries. It will be, as it has been for the thirty nine kings and queens before him who have been crowned, one of the most important moments of his reign and of his…
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British Royals

The home of the Crown Jewels

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14th March 2023
It was built as a fortress by the first king to be crowned at Westminster Abbey and now, almost 1,000 years on, it is world famous as the place where the Coronation regalia are usually kept. The Crown Jewels and the Tower of London are forever linked together.They are…
Features

The king who wore a uniform to his Coronation

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14th March 2023
As the Coronation draws near, speculation about what King Charles III might wear increases. Kings usually opt for a version of the tunics, breeches and silk stockings that have made up the Coronation outfit for centuries. However, it’s been reported that His Majesty might prefer to wear military uniform. And if he does, he will follow the example of the man he replaced as the oldest person ever…
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