From how to watch it here in NZ to the big questions “Will Harry be there!” the Herald has got you covered with the King’s coronation explainer. Video / NZ Herald
From stolen Crown jewels to a Scottish rock and a smuggled spoon, King Charles’ coronation will feature some unusual elements as “history comes to life” at the May 6 event.
As King Charles III prepares to be officially crowned on May 6 at Westminster Abbey, we can expect to see some unusual traditional elements honoured - and some ditched - as the modern monarch moves through his coronation.
Although some may argue the ceremony is unnecessary and outdated, New Zealand Monarchy chairman Dr Sean Palmer points out that every British monarch since 1066 – with the exception of two King Edwards - has had a coronation ceremony.
And while King Charles is opting for a streamlined version compared to that of his mother Queen Elizabeth, the royal ceremony on May 6 will still feature the most important traditional elements.
As Palmer describes it, the coronation is “history come to life”. And within that history are some unusual tales behind the items that will be seen when the event is broadcast around the world.
Here are some of the weird and wonderful coronation objects and elements and how they came to be saved - or ditched entirely.
The Stone of Scone
There’s more to the ornate old coronation chair than meets the eye, says Palmer.
When King Charles takes his place on the Gothic oak throne, commissioned by King Edward in 1226 and restored after being bombed by suffragettes, a historic artefact will be under his seat.
Stolen and returned between England and Scotland for centuries, it’s a large, flat block of red sandstone known as the Stone of Scone.
“Seven hundred years ago, an English monarch went up and decided to conquer his neighbours,” says Palmer. “He conquered Scotland and took the stone, brought it back and put it in the chair so that those who were crowned Kings of England were also crowned above this stone, which all the kings of Scotland had previously been crowned on.”
While the stone was hidden during World War II for fear of being stolen by German forces, on Christmas day in 1950 it was removed from British possession by four determined Scottish students – who allegedly broke it in the process.
The Stone of Scone stolen from Westminster Abbey was recovered by police in 1951. Photo / Getty Images
Four months after its removal and repair work by a Glasgow stonemason, it was returned to Westminster Abbey where it remained until 1996 when the British Government agreed to send it back to Scotland.
Last year Historic Environment Scotland announced the much-coveted stone would be sent to the Abbey and slid back under the seat of the coronation chair “so that Charles will be crowned in Saint Edward’s chair above the stone”, explains Palmer.
No more bleachers in the Abbey
With the King’s numbers sitting at 2000 guests – as opposed to his mother’s 8000 - and a refocus to what Palmer notes is a more democratic representation in the guest list, there’s not the same need to build a grandstand in the abbey.
“It was very uncomfortable, but I’m sure nobody who was there complained,” says Palmer. “But they’re not doing that this time. They’re not building scaffolding to put people up higher.”
He notes that what we’ll see inside the abbey on May 6 “is much more in line with the Commonwealth realms like Canada, Australia, New Zealand, where the British Prime Minister will be there, a couple of senior figures from the British Government just to be there as representatives of the people.
“And I gather that upset a number of Cabinet ministers and their wives that they weren’t being invited to that. There are a lot fewer plus ones this time.”
Instead the cathedral will be filled with representatives from across society “we know that the Palace has put a particular emphasis on inviting younger people”.
Others are representatives of charities King Charles has founded.
“This just makes it a bit more representative in many ways,” he says.
“Ironically, that’s the more democratic process not to invite all the head honchos, all the powerful, all the major players. To invite the representatives illustrates, I think, the single most important point about the monarchy, which is that the monarch is there as the safeguard for democracy, because all of these countries are democracies. Whatever differences they may have, they’re all democracies and they’re mostly very highly rated as democracies,” he says, referring to the Freedom House index which rates 210 countries on their citizens’ access to political rights and civil liberties.
Stolen Crown Jewels and a forgotten spoon
As the world watches St Edward’s crown being placed upon King Charles’ head, many will be interested to know it’s not the original coronation artefact.
While the coronation chair has survived more than 700 years, the history of the first of two crowns (the second being the Imperial State Crown) to adorn the King’s head only dates back to about half that time.
Queen Elizabeth II wears the coronation crown in 1953. Photo / Getty Images
“It’s 350 years old,” says Palmer of the creation of the illustrious headgear that boasts 444 precious gems and weighs more than 2kg.
The original Crown Jewels were destroyed during the English Civil War “when [Oliver] Cromwell came to power and they cut off the head of Charles I”.
“They destroyed all the Crown Jewels. They were centuries old at the time and they melted them all down and sold the gold and sold the jewels.
“It’s shocking when you think of the loss of the history,” he says of the decade-long war that began in 1642. “And so now everything we have goes back to the son, Charles II, when he returned to his father’s throne after Cromwell.”
He notes a few interesting items were hidden from Cromwell. “The others were smuggled back and then given to the King when the new King was restored.”
One of those items was a small spoon which Palmer describes as “a very ornate gold spoon with scroll work all throughout it”. It is first recorded in 1349.
“And that’s used to carry the anointing oil that they will put on [King Charles’] forehead,” he says of the ceremony’s most sacred ritual, which for the first time will be conducted for all to see.
Where previous monarchs have opted for a tent-like structure to be set up around them, shrouding their anointment, King Charles will be the first to allow the public - and television cameras - to view the process.
Watch history come to life
Follow the NZ Herald for live updates from the coronation, as our Lifestyle and Entertainment editor Jenni Mortimer reports live from London throughout the coronation events.
The coronation will also be broadcast at 10pm NZ time on TVNZ1 and TVNZ+ and on Monday May 8, TVNZ 1 will screen The Coronation Concert at 8pm.
