The Coronation of King George I in 1714
marked the beginning of a new dynasty on the throne of Great
Britain but its crowning moment was rather a difficult affair in
more ways than one. After Queen Anne’s death in August 1714,
George inherited the throne due to the 1702 Act of Settlement which
ensured that a Protestant became monarch. George was Elector of
Hanover at the time and set out…
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…
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…
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 queens consort at their own
coronations, is expected to be used by Her Majesty on this special
day. It was one of Queen…
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…
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…
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 older half-brother,
Harthacnut, in 1042 but delayed his coronation until Easter 1043.
Winchester Cathedral—or the…
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…
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…
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…
