His Majesty King Charles III and Her Majesty Queen Camilla were anointed and crowned by the Lord-Archbishop of Canterbury at the Collegiate Church of Saint Peter at Westminster on the 6th day of May 2023.
Image Yui Mok/Alamy.
September 2023 Newsletter (no. 72)
Coronation Preparations
On 29 April, Garter and Lyon Kings of Arms participated in a service conducted by the Dean of Westminster to mark the arrival of the Stone of Scone at Westminster Abbey.
On 3 May, His Majesty The King by Royal Warrant approved the selection of Lord Carrington to perform and execute the office of Lord Great Chamberlain.
On 4 May, The King by Royal Warrant appointed General Sir Gordon Messenger KCB, DSO, OBE, Constable of the Tower of London and Rear-Admiral of the United Kingdom, as Lord High Steward, his term of office to run from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on 6 May.
Also on 4 May, The King by Royal Warrant appointed Admiral Sir Antony Radakin KCB, Chief of the Defence Staff, as Lord High Constable, his term of office also to run from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on 6 May.
Other coronation appointments were made. The Earl of Crawford and Balcarres was appointed Deputy to the Great Steward of Scotland, HRH The Prince of Wales and Duke of Rothesay KG, KT, by The King on behalf of the Prince of Wales. Lieutenant-Colonel Jonathan Thompson was appointed Groom of The Robes to The King, and Major Oliver Plunket was appointed Groom of the Robes to The Queen. The Earl of Derby was promoted to the rank of honorary Vice-Admiral for the duration of Coronation Day.
The list of claims to perform services at the Coronation which were accepted by the Coronation Claims Office may be seen here.
On 5 May, Her Excellency The Governor of New South Wales visited the College of Arms, where she was received by Garter King of Arms and Rouge Croix Pursuivant, as part of her Coronation visit to the United Kingdom.
Coronation
At 9 a.m. on Coronation Day, the Officers of Arms led a procession of Peers and Officers of State from the Palace of Westminster to the Abbey Church of Westminster. At the Abbey, the Officers of Arms formed part of the Procession of The King and The Queen, in preparation for the arrival of Their Majesties. Also in the procession were Bath King of Arms and the bearers of the standards of the United Kingdom. The King’s Champion bore the Royal Standard, the Duke of Westminster, the Earl of Dundee and the Earl of Caledon KCVO bore the standards of the quarterings of the Royal Arms, and the Marquess of Anglesey bore the standard of the Principality of Wales. At 11 a.m., upon the arrival of Their Majesties, wearing their Robes of State, the procession entered the Abbey.
Within the Abbey, the Recognition of The King then took place. Garter King of Arms conducted The King to face the east, south, west and north sides of the abbey, during which The Archbishop of Canterbury, Lady Elish Angiolini LT, DBE, KC, Christopher Finney GC, and Baroness Amos LG, CH, presented Charles III to the congregation as their undoubted King, who expressed their homage and service to him. The King was presented with the Bible by the Moderator of the Church of Scotland, and His Majesty then took the Coronation Oaths and made the Accession Declaration.
His Majesty was then seated in the Coronation Chair above the Stone of Scone, and was anointed King by the Archbishop of Canterbury. The King was then invested with the insignia of Kingship. The Prince of Wales invested His Majesty with the Stole Royal. The Archbishop of Canterbury crowned His Majesty King Charles III.
At the moment of crowning, the Kings of Arms placed their Crowns upon their heads.
The King was then enthroned. The Archbishop of Canterbury pledged fealty to The King. Garter King of Arms conducted the Prince of Wales to the throne, where His Royal Highness made his homage to The King. The King’s subjects in the Abbey made their homage to His Majesty.
Her Majesty was then anointed Queen by the Archbishop of Canterbury. He then presented The Queen’s Ring to Her Majesty. The Archbishop of Canterbury crowned Her Majesty Queen Camilla.
The Queen was presented with her sceptre and rod. Her Majesty was then enthroned. Their Majesties returned to their Chairs of Estate and received Holy Communion. The King and Queen then retired to the Chapel of Saint Edward. Now wearing the Imperial State Crown, His Majesty, and Her Majesty, wearing their Robes of Estate, left the abbey, the Kings of Arms forming part of the procession.
After the departure of Their Majesties, the Officers of Arms processed from Westminster Abbey to the Palace of Westminster.
Later that day, Garter Principal King of Arms hosted the Officers of Arms in Garter House for a reception to celebrate Their Majesties’ Coronation. That evening, Lyon King of Arms hosted the Officers of Arms at a dinner to celebrate Their Majesties’ Coronation.
More information about the participation of Officers of Arms in the Coronation may be seen here, and the full order of service for the Coronation may be seen here.
The Stole Royal with which His Majesty The King was invested by The Prince of Wales during the Coronation was designed by Timothy Noad, Herald-Painter at the College of Arms, created by him under the supervision of David White, Garter King of Arms. The stole, made by the Royal College of Needlework, and Timothy Noad’s original pencil drawings for its design, are on display to the public at Buckingham Palace until 24 September. Further information on the stole may be seen here.
King of Arms Crown: since the thirteenth century, Kings of Arms have worn crowns on great occasions; this tradition now survives only at coronations. The present form has been in use at least since the reign of King Charles II, and a standard design was approved by the Earl Marshal on 15 December 1910, in anticipation of the Coronation of King George V. [College Reference: I76/91].
Medals: The King has awarded the Coronation Medal to participants in the Coronation ceremonies, including the Officers of Arms, and to members of the Armed Forces and Emergency Services. The obverse of the medal depicts The King and Queen crowned and wearing coronation robes. The King, as is customary, is depicted wearing the collar of the Order of the Garter and the Sovereign’s Badge of the Order of the Bath. The reverse of the medal depicts the Royal Cypher, designed by Timothy Noad, within a laurel wreath.
Recent Grants of Arms
The British Institute of Radiology was granted Arms and Crest by Garter, Clarenceux and Norroy and Ulster Kings of Arms, and supporters by Garter King of Arms, by letters Patent dated 19 April 2023. The blazon is as follows:
Arms: Per Chevron Or and Azure in chief two Little Owls and base issuant in chief a Sun in Splendour all counterchanged.
Crest: A demi Stag Gules attired and holding between the legs a Rod of Aesculapius bendwise Or the serpent Azure.
Supporters: Dexter a man representing Wilhelm Röntgen habited in a shirt Argent a suit of clothes and shoes Sable holding in his exterior hand a Crookes Tube proper Sinister a Woman representing Marie Skłodowska Curie habited in a dress Azure and shoes Sable and holding in her exterior hand a round-bottomed Glass Flask proper both on a Compartment of Grass Vert.
The London Stock Exchange Group PLC was granted Arms and a Badge by Garter, Clarenceux and Norroy and Ulster Kings of Arms, and supporters by Garter King of Arms, by Letters Patent dated 26 May 2023. The blazon is as follows:
Arms: Azure a Lion passant guardant Or armed proper surmounting the base of a Tower also Proper.
Supporters: On either side a Griffin Sable armed proper murally crowned Or.
Badge: Within a Circlet of Annulets interlaced a Balance Azure.
Appearances
New Zealand Parliament: at Parliament House, Wellington on 8 September, Phillip O'Shea, New Zealand Herald, read a proclamation by the Governor-General dissolving the 53rd Parliament of New Zealand.
Lectures
The Hundred Years' War: on 13 April 2023, Arundel Herald appeared on the BBC Radio Programme In Our Time, hosted by Lord Bragg CH, to discuss the Battle of Crécy. The episode may be heard here. On 23 April, Arundel published a new and updated edition of her book The Hundred Years War 1337–1453.
Coronation conference: on 24 June, the Lord Great Chamberlain and Maltravers Herald spoke on the subject of 'The Coronation of Charles III: anticipating the new King’s Reign' at the conference Crown and Country: Grimsthrope and Coronations held at Grimsthorpe Castle in Lincolnshire.
Elsewhere in the Records
Westminster Abbey: the Abbey was consecrated on 28 December 1065. The monastic foundation did not survive the reformation, and by Letters Patent of 21 May 1560, Queen Elizabeth I founded and incorporated the Collegiate Church of Saint Peter at Westminster on the site of the dissolved Monastery of Westminster. In that year, the Chapter of the church ordered a seal to be made, and the first surviving impression from 12 June 1570 shows the arms used by the Abbey today. However, no surviving record of these arms has been found in the State Papers or the Records of the College of Arms. It was therefore decided that the arms should be confirmed for the Abbey’s 900th anniversary year. Since the arms incorporated an historic form of the Royal Arms, the authority of the Sovereign was needed. Accordingly, Garter and Clarenceux Kings of Arms, on behalf of the Dean and Chapter of Westminster, petitioned Queen Elizabeth II for authority to confirm the arms. By a Royal Licence addressed to the Earl Marshal of 5 August 1966, The Queen ordered that the arms be confirmed and exemplified by the Kings of Arms, and by a warrant of 12 August 1966, the Earl Marshal ordered the Kings of Arms to make the confirmation [College reference: I.83/113]. Therefore, by Letters Patent of 5 October 1966, Garter and Clarenceux Kings of Arms confirmed and exemplified arms to the Dean and Chapter of the Collegiate Church of Saint Peter at Westminster. The arms were blazoned as Azure a Cross Patonce between five Martlets Or and on a Chief Or a Pale quarterly of France modern and England between two Roses Gules [College reference: Grants 129/324]. The patent was presented to the Dean of Westminster by Garter King of Arms and Rouge Croix Pursuivant in the Jerusalem Chamber at the Abbey.
By Letters Patent of 3 February 1967, Garter, Clarenceux, and Norroy and Ulster Kings of Arms granted a badge to the Dean and Chapter of Westminster, for the use of the Deputy High Steward of Westminster, an office customarily held by the Lord Mayor of Westminster. The badge was blazoned as A Cross Patonce Or surmounted by a Portcullis Sable studded Or [College reference: Standards 3/97].
Westminster Tournament Roll: The National Portrait Gallery, London, reopened on 22 June, after a period of refurbishment. In the Tudor Gallery, the gallery and the College of Arms are pleased to present a permanent video display of sections of the Westminster Tournament Roll. This roll in the possession of the College of Arms, of exceptional historical and artistic importance, is too fragile to be physically displayed with any frequency.
Order of the Garter
On 23 April, His Majesty The King appointed Baroness Ashton of Upholland GCMG and Lord Patten of Barnes CH Companions of the Most Noble Order of the Garter.
On 19 June, The King held an investiture of the Order in the Garter Throne Room at Windsor Castle, with Garter King of Arms in attendance. Baroness Ashton of Upholland and Lord Patten of Barnes were invested as Companions of the Order.
Following the investiture, the Officers of Arms led the Sovereign and members of the Order in procession to the King’s Free Chapel of Saint George. Once within the chapel, Baroness Ashton of Upholland and Lord Patten of Barnes were installed at the command of The King. Garter King of Arms then conducted The King to the Sovereign’s stall, and His Majesty assumed his stall as Sovereign of The Most Noble Order of the Garter. A service was then conducted by the Right Reverend the Dean of Windsor, Register of the Order.
2023 marks the 675th anniversary of the Order of the Garter and of the College of St George, and the 55th anniversary of The King’s installation as a Knight Companion of the Order. His Majesty became a Knight of the Garter ex officio upon his creation as Prince of Wales on 26 July 1958; he was the 920th companion of the order since its foundation. He was invested and installed on 17 June 1968. He became the 31st Sovereign of the Order upon his accession to the throne on 8 September 2022 and assumed the Sovereign’s stall on 19 June 2023.
Armed Forces
The Inspectorate of Regimental Colours and Inspectorate of Royal Air Force Badges are based at College of Arms, while Garter King of Arms also serves as Adviser on Naval Heraldry to the Royal Navy. Many new military badges and colours are being designed at the College consequent to the change of reign.
In February His Majesty The King approved a new badge for the Royal Air Force (illustrated left), surmounted by the Tudor Crown. The badge was painted by Dennis Field MBE, Herald-Painter at the College of Arms. This badge replaces the previous design for the R.A.F.’s badge, approved by Queen Elizabeth II on their centenary day, 1 April 2018.
At Buckingham Palace on 27 April, The King presented a King’s Colour to the Royal Navy, a Regimental Standard to the Life Guards, a Company Colour to The King’s Company of the Grenadier Guards and a King’s Colour to the Royal Air Force (illustrated right). All these were designed at the College of Arms. Further information may be seen here.
