-By Ankita Dutta
Royals and guests wore a variety of vibrant clothes for the coronation of Britain’s King Charles III, dazzling London’s Westminster Abbey with a combination of hues and styles. These included traditional gowns and spectacular headpieces.
The king arrived on Saturday wearing a crimson coronation tunic, a cream silk overshirt and royal naval trousers in addition to the crimson velvet Robe of State that his grandfather King George VI wore during his 1937 coronation.
The gold-silk full-length Supertunica coat and Coronation Sword Belt, as well as the gold-cloth Imperial Mantle, the oldest vestment in the service and first created for the coronation of George IV in 1821, were the ceremonial attire he changed into before being crowned. He put his right hand into a white leather glove with white embroidery.
Charles was crowned using the St. Edward’s Crown, a traditional regalia that has been donned since King Charles II’s coronation in 1661. The late Queen Elizabeth II’s Robe of State, manufactured in 1953, was worn by Queen Camilla over an ivory dress by British designer Bruce Oldfield that was embroidered with silver and gold flowers. Both wore purple Robes of Estate, the King’s replica of George VI’s, and the Queen’s, embroidered with scenes from nature and made by the Royal School of Needlework.
Buckingham Palace issued a statement expressing that insects including butterflies, bees, a beetle, and caterpillars are featured on the Coronation Robe for the very first instance. This inclusion of fauna on the robe aligns with themes related to nature and the ecological environment and demonstrates Their Majesties’ admiration for the natural world.
During the time of their appearance, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge opted to wear intricate cloaks and robes over their clothes, with the future king choosing to put on the ceremonial attire of the Welsh Guards while his partner adorned an elaborate headdress adorned with leaves crafted from crystal and silver, serving as an alternative to a traditional tiara.
She and her daughter Charlotte both wore ivory silk crepe dresses by Alexander McQueen, the same designer who created Catherine’s wedding gown in 2011. The dresses were decorated with embroidered rose, thistle, daffodil and shamrock patterns as a reference to the United Kingdom’s four nations.
She honoured Queen Elizabeth by sporting a necklace that George VI had a necklace created for her in 1950 as well as the late Princess Diana by donning pearl along with diamond earrings that previously belonged to her.
The Princesses Beatrice, Eugenie, Zara, and Lady Louise donned dresses or jackets with fuchsia, blue, and flowery designs, whereas Charles’ siblings dressed in traditional robes. Prince Harry, who is not presently a working royal, was dressed in morning wear.
Actress Emma Thompson, who wore a scarlet coat with rose motifs, and singer Katy Perry, who will give a performance at the coronation event in Windsor on Sunday, were among the famous attendees. Perry wore a lilac short-sleeved skirt suit with complementing opera gloves and a hat. Veteran actors Judi Dench and Maggie Smith both selected various hues of blue.
