Photo: Hugo Burnand/Royal Household 2023/PA Wire (2)
King CharlesandQueen Camillaare the subjects of new royal portraits ahead of theircoronation day.
Buckingham Palace released a set of three new photographs of the royal couple on Friday, just eight days before King Charles, 74, and Queen Camilla, 75, arecrownedat Westminster Abbey on May 6.
King Charles and Queen Camilla.Hugo Burnand/Royal Household 2023/PA Wire
King Charles and Queen Camilla’s coronation day is set to be part of an unforgettable weekend-long celebration, where royal style will be front and center.
Buckingham Palaceannouncedin February that Queen Camilla will wear a historic royal heirloom during the event: the spectacular Queen Mary’s Crown.
King Charles.Hugo Burnand/Royal Household 2023/PA Wire
It will be slightly altered to include a special touch honoringQueen Elizabeth. Work is underway to reset the headpiece with the Cullinan III, IV and V diamonds — which are part of the famous Cullinan diamond, the largest ever found — that were part of the late monarch’s personal jewelry collection, which she often wore as brooches.
The choice to wear an existing crown as a Queen Consort (rather than a new commission) hasn’t been done since the 18th century, when Queen Caroline, consort of George II, wore Mary of Modena’s crown.
The palace noted the decision was made “in the interests of sustainability and efficiency.”
Queen Camilla.Hugo Burnand/Royal Household 2023/PA Wire
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As for King Charles, he will wear two crowns at his coronation.
The monarch will be crowned with theSt. Edward Crown, which was first created for King Charles II in 1661 and was a replacement for the previous crown that had been melted down in 1649. According to the palace, the original was thought to date back to the 11th-century royal saint, Edward the Confessor, who was the last Anglo-Saxon king of England.
He will then swap the headpiece for the more commonly usedImperial State Crownas he leaves the ceremony.
The crowns were removed from their exhibit at the Tower of London for modifications, but on May 26, they will return to be displayed in anew exhibit in the Jewel House.
source: people.com
