Features

The servant of the people - the symbolism in the Anointing Screen at King Charles III's Coronation

By
28th April 2023
King Charles III has chosen to emphasise his role as servant of the people in one of the most important symbols of his Coronation. The Anointing Screen which will be held around His Majesty at the moment holy oil is placed on his head, chest and hand features his cypher at the base of a tree covered in symbols of the Commonwealth. It has been designed to focus on his service to the family of…
Read more
Features

The Coronation Chair - the historic seat of Monarchs

By
28th April 2023
It is a chair with understated elegance and steeped in history. The Coronation Chair, also known as King Edward’s Chair or Saint Edward’s Chair, was commissioned by King Edward I in 1296. Originally, it was meant to hold the Stone of Scone, taken from Scotland by King…
Features

The King's Champion asserts an ancient right and takes his place at the Coronation

By
27th April 2023
For centuries, the King’s Champion challenged anyone who dared to question the right of a newly crowned monarch to rule. But while he no longer takes to horseback to issue a defiant cry to those who would deny the Sovereign’s status, he still plays an important part in the Coronation and the crowning of King Charles III will be no different. Francis Dymoke’s family have held…
Read more
Features

The Sovereign's Orb

By
27th April 2023
It’s one of the oldest and storied item in the Crown Jewels, the Sovereign’s Orb. Created in 1661 by Sir Robert Vyner for Charles II’s coronation, the orb is a hollow gold sphere with a cross on top. It symbolizes the monarch’s Christian sovereignty and their…
Features

Why one part of Westminster Abbey was specially designed for coronations

By
26th April 2023
For those who have toured London’s Westminster Abbey, you might notice a particularly spacious area. Or maybe you’ve seen it during other royal events at The Abbey on TV such as the wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton, or the funeral of Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. That area is known as the Coronation Theatre and was specifically built spacious enough for…
Read more
Features

The wedding that made the House of Windsor

By
26th April 2023
It was a wedding that changed the course of royal history. When Albert, Duke of York married Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon on April 26th 1923 at Westminster Abbey, a partnership that would prove vital to the very survival of the British Monarchy was cemented. The couple, and…
Features

The duke who made sure part of the Crown Jewels were removed from coronations

By
24th April 2023
The Jewel House at the Tower of London is home to the Crown Jewels, part of which includes a total of sixteen silver trumpets, dating back to 1780, also known as the state trumpets. However, only one of the trumpets is on display for visitors to see. Seven of these trumpets were originally used by the 1st Regiment Life Guards, and bear engraved inscriptions indicating this. The other nine…
Read more