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 to ascend the throne.
In 1831, King William IV wore the uniform of an admiral in the Royal Navy to his Coronation. It was a very personal choice, on one hand, but there were also public considerations. For as well as celebrating his long naval career, his choice of admiral’s uniform also allowed the new Monarch to show himself to be rather thrifty. It would prove to be a popular move.
William had become king in 1830, succeeding his brother, George IV, whose flamboyance was legendary. George had surprised precisely nobody by having one of the most expensive coronations ever known. William was so horrified by the amount of money his brother had splurged just a decade earlier that he initially decided against any crowning for himself and his wife, Queen Adelaide. However, having been persuaded that it was a necessity rather than an optional extra, the new king set out to make the whole day as low cost as possible. And his admiral’s uniform was all part of the plan.
He had become monarch at a time of economic depression and ongoing social change which had led to riots in some parts of his kingdom. William had no desire to splurge on a one day event and ended up spending so little on his Coronation that it was labelled by some as a ‘’cut-price’’ event. In the end, it cost around a tenth of the price tag for George IV’s celebration.
He walked into Westminster Abbey in the deep blue uniform of an admiral and a rather modern one at that. He wore a jacket cut to the relatively new rules, buttoned up the front and with short tails only at the back. The gilding on his cuffs and collar were visible but his epaulettes were hidden by the Coronation robe which he agreed to wear. He chose modern black shoes rather than anything modelled on medieval examples. It was a striking change from what had gone before.
It was also a nod to his great passion in life, the sea. He had joined the Royal Navy as a teenager and had seen active service during the American War of Independence. He rose to the rank of vice-admiral during his career but wasn’t promoted to admiral until 1798, long after he had left active service. He became Lord High Admiral in 1827 during his brother’s reign. Such was his passion for all things maritime that he had acquired the nickname of Sailor Bill and, after his accession, would be known as the Sailor King. It was only appropriate that he was crowned in naval uniform.
However, low cost was the main focus for William who was more aware than anyone that Britain would see another Coronation sooner rather than later. He was 64 when he took the throne (a record that would only be broken almost two centuries later when 73 year old Charles III became king) and already suffering health issues. He had no intention of burdening Britain with a Coronation bill that they might still be paying off at the time of his funeral.
But his pick of uniform sets a precedent which may yet be taken up by his successor in the record books. King Charles has also enjoyed a long association with the military as well as a naval career. His Coronation outfit on May 6th 2023 might well reflect that association.
