The Coronation Weekend.

[curiouswombat]

Like so many others I sat entranced in front of the TV from fairly early morning until a late lunchtime on Saturday. A coronation really is a momentous occasion, and this was the first UK one in my lifetime.

This is not a minute by minute, blow by blow, account - just some of the things that struck me and that I want to remember.

Comments

[pondhopper]

Thank you for this lovely account. I watched most of the ceremonies but don't have the depth of understand those of you closer to the history do. The pageantry amazes me. Despite Spain being a monarchy we just don't have that ceremonial tradition here.
Princess Anne still cuts a fine figure in uniform, doesn't she?

I so agree with you about Harry. What a whiner!

Letizia has always been thin and works hard to maintain her figure. We joked that the enormous hat she was wearing was so she wouldn't need an umbrella on a rainy day. But she does do bright pink very well!

It was all really quite lovely and I loved seeing all the children participate.

[curiouswombat]

The pageantry is quite something! Although, as the commentators pointed out, most of the regalia is fairly modern having been made for Charles 2nd's coronation in 1661 because Cromwell melted all the original stuff down. Apart from the anointing spoon, apparently, which is 13th century. Presumably someone hid it and it was too small for Cromwell to be bothered about :)

Princess Anne does look good in her uniform - and, as Clair Balding pointed out, was by far the most skilled and experienced rider on parade. She was probably more comfortable riding that she would have been in one of the coaches, too. Queen Letizia's hat was very stylish - and considering the weather they had, being thin enough to keep dry under it was an added bonus!

[gillo]

most of the regalia is fairly modern having been made for Charles 2nd's coronation in 1661 because Cromwell melted all the original stuff down.

According to Dave who passed his time looking such stuff up, the actual coronation crown may very well be the real deal. St Edward;s crown, made for Henry III, I believe, was assumed melted down, but the accounts survive for all Charles II's regalia and there is no record of that amount of gold being purchased - so it could well have survived in some form before being tarted up for the Merry Monarch.

Of course, "modern" is a relative term in such a context. I loved David Olusoga on TV being blown away by the fact that much of the ceremony would have been recognisable to William the Conqueror, and in the same location as his bash. Fortunately, however over-zealous the Met were, they did manage not to set fire to nearby houses at least!

[curiouswombat]

Hmm - yes, it would have taken a fair bit of gold to make a new version of that crown - well researched that man!

I do think they could have kept the burning down of houses as part of the proceedings, what with it being an established tradition... :)

[kathyh]

I was entranced to and Princess Anne would make an excellent highwayman :) You have to wonder whether her feather blocking Prince Harry’s view was deliberate. Yet one more thing for him to whine about. The moment between Cherie Blair and John Major was rather lovely and she seemed so concerned for him.

The oldest item used in the Coronation, which they barely mentioned, was the 6th century Gospel of St Augustine. I got the historical shivers!

I was at the Silver Jubilee procession where they used the Gold State Coach. Even high definition television can’t really capture how it shines in reality but I think Queen Elizabeth”s “quite uncomfortable” was a typical understatement :)

We had a street party yesterday with food that was pretty much global. Very British :)

[curiouswombat]

She definitely looked quite swashbuckling!

I know - that gospel is probably the greatest treasure of all.

We didn't have a street party - this is a rather quiet street - but I had friends who did. Glboal food and a lot of cake seemed to be the general order of the day I think :)

[gillo]

My jaw dropped when I saw they were using that Gospel. As the "reader" actually said it in English, it wasn't actually being used to read from, but what a fabulous thing to have there.

[noadvertising]

That hat of Princess Anne spared us the greater part of Prince Harry´s miffed facial expressions. Apollo was a handful indeed. Each time he came into picture I marvelled at his rider´s sheer endless patience. It´s always dangerous, when one of the horses in a flock is acting up.

[curiouswombat]

Clair Balding is from a horse breeding/racing family and her commentary was both informative and quite funny. The musicians controlling their horses purely with their legs fascinated me - no matter how well trained the horses that situation must have been intimidating.

[reapermum]

fascinating in a historical way. But I have to admit that I did begin to think of it as a sort of Kim's game to see how many of the objects anyone would rememb afterwards.

I was trying to spot items that had featured in our family archive photos.

And I wonder how many of Harry's problems stem from not looking like the rest of the family. (He looks pure Spencer and nothing like a Windsor)

[curiouswombat]

I actually think Harry has a real look of Prince Phillip sometimes - both facially and in the way he moves and stands - enough that I have no doubt of his parentage despite the rumours! (Although I am sure he has been quietly DNA tested at some point, possibly unbeknown to himself.)

[mrowe]

I watched it as well - quite the pageant. Penny Mordaunt in her role as Lady of the Lake was impressive. At some point the handling of the regalia looked like a puzzle in a computer game: "Hand the Objects of Power to the King in the right order"

[curiouswombat]

She really did look impressive - apparently she had been doing press-ups for months to ensure her arms and upper body were strong enough for the role.

And yes - your mind clearly went to a similar place to mine as the amount of things he was being handed got longer and longer!

[ylla]

It started to remind me of... I think Tale of Time City, where every ritual has a different set of paraphernalia, and they all have to go tearing round the house hunting for it!

[curiouswombat]

Oh yes!