Five memorable Coronation Moments

As we look forward to the coronation of King Charles III, we take a moment to reflect on the most memorable crowning moments in Britain’s great history.

The one with the unwelcome guest

When it comes to organising large gatherings, there is always at least one family member you hope won’t show up. In the case of George IV at his 1821 coronation, it was his estranged wife Caroline of Brunswick.

Having wed in 1795, the union had long been acrimonious with the couple separating only a year into their marriage. George IV had sought various avenues for divorce, but with the pair still very much wed on the date of his coronation his only option was to lock his queen out. She was jeered by the awaiting crowds and died two weeks later.

The one where they lined the streets

Having ascended to the throne in 1377 at the tender age of 10, Richard II’s crowning was already a rare moment in the annals. His coronation ceremony featured the first-ever procession when he rode on horseback from the Tower of London to Westminster Abbey and back, amidst the cheering crowds and streets bedecked with banners and decorations.

The one who did it his way Keen to step out of his father’s shadow, George II was determined to make an impression on his subjects from the very get-go.

Subsequently, the task of writing four new coronation anthems fell to famed composer George Frideric Handel. Needless to say, the songs were instant classics and are still performed around the world today.

The one with sibling rivalry For Mary I the coronation was not just about becoming queen, but about setting order right in the country. A staunch Catholic, Mary I was convinced that her late brother, Edward VI, had tainted several aspects of the ceremony with his Protestant beliefs.

She demanded new coronation oil sent from the Catholic Bishop of Arras along with an alternative chair to the ancient one usually sat in by incoming monarchs. Naturally, her wishes were granted, for few dared say no to ‘Bloody Mary’ (a nickname she would earn after burning 280 protestants at the stake).

The one where everyone forgot their lines

Queen Victoria’s coronation was tainted by poor organisation.

During the ceremony, an elderly peer fell down the stairs on his way to pay homage to the Queen, the coronation ring was forcefully shoved onto the wrong finger (taking an hour to remove), and at one point, a bishop told her the service was over when it was still ongoing, leading to her being called back to finish the ceremony.