It’s little and often overlooked and yet
it remains one of the most important parts of the Crown Jewels. The
golden ampulla dates back to the reign of the last king called
Charles to be crowned at Westminster Abbey and it will play a vital
part in the Coronation of King Charles III. The ampulla holds the
holy oil which is used by the Archbishop of Canterbury to anoint
the Monarch before…
The uncrowned kings of England
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 Coronation necklace
15th March 2023
As Queen Camilla walks into Westminster
Abbey on May 6th 2023, it is expected that she will be wearing one
of the most important sets of jewels in the Royal Family’s
collection. A spectacular necklace, worn by Queen Elizabeth II as
she was crowned and by the last three…
The duke who inherited the job of organising the Coronation
15th March 2023
The Coronation of King Charles III will
involve thousands of people but, ultimately, the responsibility for
organising this historic royal event falls to one person. The job
belongs to the Earl Marshal. The Earl Marshal is one of the Great
Officers of State and for centuries, the role has belonged to the
Dukes of Norfolk. It became an hereditary position within the
family in 1672 and, ever…
The ring that went wrong at Queen Victoria's coronation
15th March 2023
Queen Victoria reigned for 63 years and
lent her name to the era of political and social change, but it
began with a ‘botched’ coronation ceremony. When Victoria was
crowned on 22 June 1838, it was the third coronation ceremony of
the century; and she followed two…
Where was Edward the Confessor crowned?
15th March 2023
For almost a millennium, kings and queens
have been crowned at Westminster Abbey. But perhaps the king most
intrinsically linked to the Abbey was never crowned there: Edward
the Confessor. Instead, Edward the Confessor was crowned at
Winchester Cathedral. He succeeded his…
The Cullinan II Diamond - Star of the Imperial State Crown
15th March 2023
Following royal tradition, King Charles
III will wear the Imperial State Crown as he leaves his Coronation
on May 6th 2023. The Imperial State Crown is set with an impressive
2,868 diamonds, the largest and most famous being the
cushion-shaped brilliant Cullinan II diamond, set within the gold
band at the front of the crown. [getty src=”104506777″
width=”587″…
The coronation of Mary I
14th March 2023
There have only been a handful of queen
regnants in Britain’s history. Queen Elizabeth II was the most
recent, having reigned a historic 70 years, but 400 years before
her reign began, the first queen regnant was crowned: Queen Mary I.
The eldest daughter of Henry VIII…
The king who wore a uniform to his Coronation
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…
The history of the Stone of Scone
13th March 2023
You could not be faulted if you walked by
the Stone of Scone and not even realized you were in the presence
of a legendary and mysterious rock. Pronounced ‘Scoon,’ the ancient
symbol of Scottish sovereignty is an unassuming rectangular stone,
made of sandstone, weighing 336 pounds and it’s only marking is a
Latin cross. According to Celtic legend, the Stone of Scone, also
known…

