THE coronation ceremony has its origins in medieval times and was an essential rite of passage and important part of the journey to becoming king or queen.
But while the crowning of the new monarch is seen as the highlight, the most important moment is actually the “unction”, the sacred act of anointing a monarch with holy oil. It can be traced as far back as the 7th and 8th centuries and signals that the monarch has been chosen by God. The UK remains the only European monarchy to retain such a ceremony.
British sovereigns now succeed immediately under law – Charles III is already king even before he is anointed and crowned.
The main elements of a coronation come from the crowning of the Saxon king Edgar the Peaceful, the first King of all England, at Bath Abbey in 973. It was devised by Saint Dunstan, the then Archbishop of Canterbury, and established the blueprint for all coronations to follow.
A stained glass window at Bath Abbey, depicting the crowning of King Edgar The Peaceful in 973. Today's coronation ceremony, including the role of the Bishop of Durham, effectively dates to this coronation
Coronations emerged from the European tradition of increasing church involvement in the state, as well as demonstrating stability in a bid to settle disputes over who should succeed to the throne.
Almost every monarch for nearly 1,000 years has been crowned at Westminster Abbey, since William the Conqueror in 1066.
The exceptions are Edward V, one of the Princes in the Tower, who was placed in the Tower of London in 1483 by the future Richard III and never seen again, and Edward VIII, who abdicated in 1936. Neither was crowned.
Before the Abbey was built, there was no fixed location for coronations, but William the Conqueror is thought to have chosen the Abbey for his own to reinforce his claim as the legitimate successor of Edward the Confessor, who ordered the building of the church.
William the Conqueror crowned at Westminster Abbey, London on December 25, 1066
In the 14th Century, the highly decorated illustrated manuscript The Liber Regalis, or Royal Book, which is still kept in the abbey, was made as an instruction manual to help people run and organise a coronation. Its basic running order of the Christian ceremony remains the same.
The Coronation Oath, in which the monarch swears to govern the peoples of the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth realms “according to their respective laws and customs” is the only aspect of the ceremony that is required by law.
Here are a few of the unusual rituals past and present which have featured in the historic occasions.
A night in the Tower of London
For hundreds of years the monarch stayed at the Tower of London two nights before the coronation.
Preparations included the creation of the Knights of the Bath – the monarch’s special escort for the coronation.
A chosen selection of young squires were ritually bathed – symbolising their spiritual purification – before spending the night in prayer.
The next day they were “dubbed” – knighted – by the monarch before escorting the sovereign in their procession from the Tower.
The last coronation procession from the Tower of London was Charles II’s in 1661.
Secret recipe for holy oil
Oils from the Mount of Olives being mixed with essential oils and blessed in Jerusalem by the Patriarch of Jerusalem, His Beatitude Patriarch Theophilos III, to become Chrism Oil, which will be used in the Coronation of King Charles III
The exact recipe for the oil used for the anointing of a monarch is kept a closely guarded secret. It is usually made by the Surgeon-Apothecary and consecrated by a Bishop, with a large enough batch mixed to last a few coronations.
In 1941, during the Second World War, a bomb hit the Dean’s Study in Westminster Abbey destroying the remaining oil.
A new batch had to made from scratch for Queen Elizabeth II’s coronation in 1953.
Charles III’s holy oil was made sacred in Jerusalem, and consecrated by the Patriarch of Jerusalem and the Anglican Archbishop in Jerusalem.
It was created using olives harvested from two groves on the Mount of Olives and pressed just outside Bethlehem, and perfumed with sesame, rose, jasmine, cinnamon, neroli, benzoin, amber and orange blossom.
The oil is vegan-friendly, whereas the oil used to anoint Elizabeth II came from a musk deer, a civet cat and a sperm whale.
The Ampulla and Coronation Spoon used for the anointing of a monarch and which was used at the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II in 1953
The King’s Champion
The office of King’s Champion began in the reign of William the Conqueror.
It was the Champion’s duty to ride, on a white charger, fully clad in armour, into Westminster Hall during the coronation banquet.
His role was to defend the monarch’s honour and challenge any person who dared to deny the sovereign’s right to the throne to a duel.
Queen Victoria dispensed with traditional ride and challenge custom at her coronation, and Henry Dymoke – Queen’s Champion at the time – was made a baronet by way of compensation.
A member of the Dymoke family carried the Royal Standard at Elizabeth II’s coronation.
Francis Dymoke, a former accountant and the 34th generation of the family to run the Scrivelsby country estate in Lincolnshire, is the current champion, but is not expected to be taking to a horse for the proceedings nor demanding any duels.
Sale of coronation furniture
Throughout 20th Century coronations, it was customary for chairs and stools to be specially designed for those attending and to include the royal cypher.
After the ceremony, the new Abbey furniture was sold, with preference given to those who had occupied the seats, and the rest auctioned, with the money going towards the cost of the coronation.
In 1953, applications could also be made to buy the carpets which covered the floor of the Abbey and for the damask frontals, with preference given to churches.
The hidden anointing
Because the anointing of a monarch with holy oil is the most sacred part of the ceremony, no one sees it apart from the sovereign and the Archbishop of Canterbury.
The King, according to tradition, will be hidden beneath a golden canopy held over his head as he is consecrated – with the anointing signalling that he has been chosen by God.
Ingots
According to tradition, a monarch offers an ingot – or wedge – of gold of a pound in weight (around 450g) – worth about £18,500 for a troy pound – at the High Altar before their communion.
It is delivered to the monarch by the Lord Great Chamberlain and carried to the altar by the Archbishop of Canterbury in an embroidered velvet bag on a tray as an offering from the sovereign.
A Queen Consort traditionally offers a mark weight of gold – which is eight troy ounces (250g) – and worth around £12,500.
Handel’s coronation anthem
The dramatic, stirring Zadok The Priest has been sung at coronations in England for more than 1,000 years. Handel composed it for the coronation of King George II in 1727. It is sung just before the anointing as the monarch is divested of their robe and takes their seat in the Coronation Chair for the first time.
The Stone under the Chair
Beneath the Coronation Chair will be the Stone of Destiny (above), also known as the Stone of Scone.
The ancient symbol of Scotland’s monarchy – a large rectangular block of sandstone weighing more than 150kg – was seized by Edward I of England in 1296 and not officially returned to the Scots until 700 years later.
Edward I commissioned the Coronation Chair to house the stone and, since the 13th century, all English and later British sovereigns have been crowned while seated above it.
It now leaves Scotland only for coronations.
According to Scottish myth, the stone was brought to Scotland by Pharoah’s daughter Scota.
In the English version, it was the stone on which the patriarch Jacob had laid his head at Bethel and dreamed of a ladder of angels stretching from earth to heaven.
The Stone of Scone begins its journey from Edinburgh to Westminster Abbey for Charles III's coronation
One hundred shillings for a sword
During the service, one of the peers traditionally offers the price of 100 silver shillings for the jewelled Sword of Offering in its scabbard to symbolically redeem it.
The shillings are delivered to the altar in a golden basin as part of a 650-year-old custom.
The peer then draws the sword and carries it in its “naked” form – without its scabbard – before the monarch for the rest of the service.
The intricate tapered sword, which was made for George IV’s coronation in 1821, is decorated in roses, thistles, shamrocks, with its hilt encrusted with diamonds, rubies and emeralds.
Amnesty
It used to be customary for a general pardon for criminals to be proclaimed during the service and read out by the Lord Chancellor. This has been abandoned, but the Queen, ahead of her coronation in 1953, declared an amnesty for war-time deserters.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here