The British coronation is a ceremony where the monarch is
crowned at Westminster Abbey by Archbishop of Canterbury.
It is a symbolic event that does not mark the start of the reign, which begins when the previous monarch dies. The coronation usually happens months after, to allow for mourning and planning.
The last coronation was of Elizabeth II in 1953. The next one will be of Charles III and Camilla on 6 May 2023.
In this artikel, we will skim over the previous 10
coronations, and discover some fascinating tidbits along the way.
1. Elizabeth II's coronation was held on June 2, 1953 at Westminster Abbey in London.
It was the first coronation to be televised, with millions
of people around the world tuning in to watch the historic event.
This marked a significant moment in the history of mass
media and helped to cement the queen's popularity and global appeal.
The crown that Elizabeth II wore was made for her father,
King George VI, but it had to be adjusted to fit her smaller head.
The ceremony was filled with symbolism, such as the
anointing with holy oil while seated on the Coronation Chair, the presentation
of the royal sceptre and orb, and the crowning itself.
One interesting fact is that the Archbishop of Canterbury
accidentally knocked the crown off the Queen's head during the ceremony.
After the coronation, a procession through the streets of
London was held, with the new queen riding in the Gold State Coach.
The famous Coronation Chicken recipe was first created to be
served at the Coronation Luncheon in 1953.
2. George VI's coronation was held on May 12, 1937, also at Westminster Abbey.
His coronation was notable for its somber tone, as it came
just a few months after the abdication of his brother, King Edward VIII.
George VI's wife, Elizabeth, was the first queen consort to
attend a coronation since the 17th century.
The coronation was the first to be broadcast on radio, with
millions of people around the world tuning in to listen to the historic event.
During the ceremony, George VI's crown fell off his head
while he was being crowned, but he managed to replace it without any mishaps.
The King's Orb, a symbol of his power and authority, was
also dropped during the ceremony but fortunately was not damaged.
3. George V's coronation was held on June 22, 1911
George V's was the first coronation to be filmed. The ceremony was a lavish affair, with over 8,000 guests in attendance.
One interesting fact is that his older brother, Prince
Albert Victor, was originally in line for the crown, but he died before he
could inherit it.
Another interesting fact is that the coronation was almost
postponed due to a coal miners' strike, but the dispute was resolved in time
for the ceremony to go ahead as planned.
The ceremony included traditional elements such as the
anointing with holy oil and the crowning with the St.Edward's Crown.
4. Edward VII's coronation was held on August 9, 1902
Edward VII's was notable for its relative
simplicity compared to previous coronations.
Edward VII wanted to distance himself from the opulence of
his mother, Queen Victoria's coronation, and so he opted for a more low-key
ceremony.
One interesting fact is that the Archbishop of Canterbury,
mistakenly placed the St Edward’s Crown on the King’s head back to front.
Edward's wife, Queen Alexandra, wore a coronation robe that
was embroidered with the national flowers of England, Scotland, and Ireland.
The balcony appearance, as the finale of coronation day, was
inaugurated by Edward VII and Queen Alexandra.
5. Victoria's coronation was held on June 28, 1838
Victoria's was the first coronation to take place
after the introduction of the railways, which allowed people from all over the
country to attend.
Victoria was just 18 years old at the time and she wore a
dress for the occasion made of white satin and trimmed with gold lace and
pearls, instead of the traditional crimson robe.
Victoria was the first monarch to use the new Imperial State
Crown, which was made specially for her coronation.
The event was a lavish affair, with over 4000 guests in
attendance and a procession that lasted for hours.
6. The coronation of King William IV took place on September 8, 1831
And it was a relatively
simple ceremony compared to previous coronations.
However, there were some notable moments during the
ceremony, such as when the Archbishop of Canterbury accidentally knocked over
the golden chalice during the administration of the sacrament.
William despised the ceremony, and acted throughout, as if
he was "a character in a comic opera", making a mockery of what he
thought to be a ridiculous charade.
The coronation was attended by thousands of people,
including many from the lower classes who were able to witness the event thanks
to the introduction of affordable public transport.
7. George IV's coronation was held on July 19, 1821
And it was marked by controversy and
scandal.
George IV was known for his extravagant lifestyle and his
affair with a married woman, which led to his wife, Queen Caroline, being
barred from attending the coronation.
The ceremony itself was also marred by political protests,
and the king had to wear a special suit of armor to protect himself from
possible assassination attempts.
It was a spectacular event that cost over £240,000 to stage,
which was an enormous sum of money at the time.
One interesting fact is that George IV's coronation was the
first to feature a medieval-style procession, with the king riding in a gold
coach and wearing a coronation robe costing over £12,000 alone.
8. George III's coronation was held on September 22, 1761
And it was a traditional ceremony
with all the usual trappings, including the anointing with holy oil, the
presentation of the royal regalia, and the coronation itself.
It was a grand event, with thousands of people lining the
streets to watch the procession.
One interesting fact is that the king's mother, Augusta of
Saxe-Gotha, was not allowed to attend the coronation due to a dispute with the
Archbishop of Canterbury.
The coronation was delayed for several months due to the
king's illness, which caused him to have several fits of madness.
9. George II's coronation was held on October 11, 1727
George II's was a grand affair with
over 2,000 guests in attendance.
The coronation was notable for the elaborate decorations in
Westminster Abbey, which included a replica of St.Edward's Crown made entirely
of flowers.
One interesting fact is that the king's wife, Queen
Caroline, was heavily involved in the planning of the coronation, and she even
wrote a detailed account of the ceremony in her diary.
The king wore a coronation robe that was made of crimson
velvet and embroidered with gold.
One interesting fact is that George II's coronation was the first to feature a choir of boys from the Chapel Royal, which has now become a traditional part of the ceremony, where Handel's coronation anthem is played.
10. George I's coronation took place on October 20, 1714
And it was a lavish affair that lasted
three days.
The ceremony included traditional elements such as the
anointing with holy oil and the crowning with the St.Edward's Crown, as well as
a grand procession through the streets of London.
He could not speak very much English and the ceremonies had
to be conducted mostly in Latin as his ministers could not speak German.
Another interesting fact is that during the coronation
banquet, a dispute broke out between the new king and his son, the Prince of
Wales (future George II) over who should have precedence at the table,
reflecting the strained relationship between the two men.
The coronation was not particularly popular with the public,
and it was actually marked by considerable riots.
George I was the first monarch from the House of Hanover to
be crowned as King of Great Britain.
This concludes our brief revisit on the last ten British coronations.
It will be interesting to see how King Charles III's coronation,
taking place on 6th May 2023, compares to previous coronations in terms of
tradition and spectacle.
Post a Comment
Post a Comment