King George V and Queen Mary, like King
Edward VII and Queen Alexandra, were crowned as King and Queen of
the United Kingdom (and Dominions) and as Emperor and Empress of
India. Their 1911 coronation was luckily less eventful than that of
George’s parents. George came to the throne following his father’s
death on 6 May 1910. The couple had been very involved with his
parents’…
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…
As an American, there are really no
opportunities to see members of the Royal Family unless you go to
their side of the pond. Sometimes the occasion is planned like for
a Platinum Jubilee, or sometimes it’s a surprise appearance at a
pub. After hours of traveling…
For the first time in seventy years,
Britain will see a king crowned. After almost three quarters of a
century of female rule, there is a whole generation who, rightly,
know nothing of the pointless debate about the validity of female
rule. And yet, seven decades ago, as arguably the most important
monarch in British history was crowned, discussions continued about
whether is was right to crown a…
The Homage and its role in the Coronation
4th May 2023
Historically the homage part of the
Coronation has involved Archbishops, royal blood princes and senior
peers. King Charles III has decided to have the homage be more
inclusive and one homage, more limited. The first homage is at the
beginning of the service known as…
The Stone of Scone is one of the most
famous symbols of Coronations in the United Kingdom and it has a
long and controversial history. It is a block of red sandstone that
has been associated with the coronation of the monarchs of
Scotland, and later England and the United…
The Coronation robes - the Supertunica
4th May 2023
King Charles III’s coronation will be a
blend of modern and traditional. The Supertunica he will wear is
firmly in the “traditional” column. In fact, it dates back to
medieval coronations and is one of the items mentioned in the
‘Liber Regalis,’ which is basically a Coronation guide book that
dates back to 1382 when Richard II reigned. The ‘Liber Regalis’
says the Supertunica…
To crown a king - George VI's Coronation
4th May 2023
It’s been nearly 90 years since the
United Kingdom crowned its last King, King George VI. And the
outfit worn by George on 12 May 1937 might give us an idea of how
King Charles III may dress when he is crowned on 6 May, and how he
could follow tradition. As he…
King Charles III has often been compared
to his great-great-grandfather, King Edward VII. Both ascended the
throne after their mother’s enjoyed record-breaking reigns, and at
the time of each king’s ascension, they both held the record for
longest-serving Prince of…
The Crown Jewels and the State Trumpets
4th May 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…

