On the 30th of October in 1485 in
Westminster Abbey the Tudor dynasty officially began with the
coronation of King Henry VII. His reign had begun two months
earlier on a battle field but it was cemented and celebrated two
months later in the ancient walls of Westminster Abbey. By taking
the throne, he brought to an end the War of the Roses. He had
beaten Richard III who had become king in 1483…
The Coronation Chair, known as St
Edward’s Chair, or King Edward’s Chair is perhaps one of the most
symbolic parts of a monarch’s coronation. While the 700-year-old
chair is typically only used for the coronation service, there is
one sovereign who used it…
When the whole world is watching, the
pressure to pull off an event perfectly like a coronation is
immense. It’s been 70 years since the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth
II and during the three-hour service, it’s reported the then
25-year-old made only one…
A Guide to Coronation Service: The entry of the Monarch into Westminster Abbey
20th March 2023
On 6 May, King Charles III and Queen
Consort Camilla will be crowned at Westminster Abbey. For many,
this will be the first coronation they have ever seen. The ceremony
will follow a pattern laid out in the Liber Regalis, kept at
Westminster Abbey and which has informed the pattern of coronations
since the 14th century. The service which will see the Coronation
of King Charles and Queen…
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…
It is a considered a gem meant for
monarchs, but there is one notable exception to the rules around
St. Edward’s Crown: Anne Boleyn. St. Edward’s Crown is the oldest
and heaviest crown in use in the British collection. Worn by Edward
the Confessor during his reign…
Televising the Coronation of Queen
Elizabeth II was a crowning achievement! On June 2, 1953 over eight
million people watched on their own televisions, 10 million people
watched in the homes of friends and family who owned TVs and 1.5
million went to cinemas, pubs and halls to view this live event.
Before this coronations were limited to those invited inside
Westminster Abbey although…
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…
BBC ditches licence fee for the Coronation of King Charles and Queen Camilla
1st March 2023
The BBC has announced a one-time
exemption of its licence fee during the Coronation weekend of King
Charles and Queen Camilla. The publicly-funded broadcaster will
temporarily suspend its licence fee for Coronation weekend from May
6 to May 8. The dispensation will make…
Crowds applaud and throw flowers as they accompany Queen Elizabeth II all along her last journey
19th September 2022
The procession that brought Queen
Elizabeth II’s coffin from London to Windsor was flanked at all
times by huge crowds of people. Far from being a sad occasion, some
sections applauded, others cheered, and some even threw flowers in
front of the State Hearse – all homage to their Monarch in her
final journey. The Palace was not sure what to expect in terms of
crowd sizes…
