Global Courant 2023-05-01 04:18:37
With King Charles III’s coronation just days away, the royal family has released new photos showing a glimpse of the ceremonial robes the king and queen consort will wear during the historic event.
The coronation robes that will be worn by the couple feature intricate embroidery. Three of the robes have been worn by previous monarchs, while a new robe made for the Queen Consort features images of bees, flowers and a personal nod to the late Queen Elizabeth II.
New images released Saturday show the Royal School of Needlework’s embroidery team working on two of the robes: the king’s state dress and the estate of the queen consort.
The robes of state will be worn by King Charles III and the Queen Consort as they approach Westminster Abbey on May 6.
The Robes of Estate are worn after coronation, when they leave Westminster Abbey, and traditionally have more personal elements in their designs.
King Charles III’s two robes have a long history, both having previously been worn by King George VI at his coronation in 1937. The robe of state is a long, red velvet robe, fringed with gold laces, which was preserved and prepared before the coronation.
His estate mantle is purple silk velvet, with gold embroidery.
The Queen Consort will wear a red velvet robe of state, originally made for Queen Elizabeth II in 1953.
But for the occasion, a brand new robe has been made for Camilla to serve as her estate mantle. Designed and hand embroidered by the Royal School of Needlework and made by Ede and Ravenscoft, it is a purple velvet to match King Charles III’s mantle.
The standout design element, however, is the gold embroidery, featuring numerous flowers and plants. A photo of a member of the Royal School of Needlework hard at work on the new Robe of Estate shows a host of flowers including cornflower, lady’s mantle and maidenhair fern.
Some of the flowers on the robe have different personal meanings. Lily of the valley was a favorite flower of Queen Elizabeth II, while larkspur is one of the king’s favorite flowers and also the flower of the month of July, the queen consort’s birthday month.
There will also be images of insects, including bees and beetles, which is a first for a coronation robe, according to the royal family, “drawing on the themes of nature and the environment and reflecting Their Majesties’ affection for the natural world.”
The robe will also feature Her Majesty’s royal cipher – a symbol with the initials “C” for her first name and “R” for the Latin word “regina”, meaning queen, along with a crown symbol.
A London-based tailor and the city’s oldest tailor, Ede and Ravenscroft have been crafting and making robes for over three centuries. The company has been making the garments for every royal coronation since 1689.
The Royal School of Needlework has worked numerous times in the past to preserve robes and create new designs for coronation robes, including the Robes of Estate for Queen Elizabeth in 1937 and Queen Elizabeth II in 1953.
