Maximilian I, Holy Roman Emperor, Archduke of Austria

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2023

Maximilian I, Holy Roman Emperor, Archduke of Austria by Bernhard Strigel; Credit – Wikipedia

The Holy Roman Empire was a limited elective monarchy composed of hundreds of kingdoms, principalities, duchies, counties, prince-bishoprics, and Free Imperial Cities in central Europe. The Holy Roman Empire was not really holy since, after Holy Roman Emperor Charles V in 1530, no emperors were crowned by the pope or a bishop. It was not Roman but rather German because it was mainly in the regions of present-day Germany and Austria. It was an empire in name only – the territories it covered were mostly independent each with its own rulers. The Holy Roman Emperor directly ruled over only his family territories, and could not issue decrees and rule autonomously over the Holy Roman Empire. A Holy Roman Emperor was only as strong as his army and alliances, including marriage alliances, made him, and his power was severely restricted by the many sovereigns of the constituent monarchies of the Holy Roman Empire. From the 13th century, prince-electors, or electors for short, elected the Holy Roman Emperor from among the sovereigns of the constituent states.

Frequently but not always, it was common practice to elect the deceased Holy Roman Emperor’s heir. The Holy Roman Empire was an elective monarchy. No person had a legal right to the succession simply because he was related to the current Holy Roman Emperor. However, the Holy Roman Emperor could and often did, while still alive, have a relative (usually a son) elected to succeed him after his death. This elected heir apparent used the title King of the Romans.

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Maximilian’s parents Friedrich III, Holy Roman Emperor and Eleanor of Portugal

Maximilian I reigned as King of the Romans, the de facto leader of the Holy Roman Empire from 1493 – 1508, Holy Roman Emperor from 1508 – 1519, and ruled his family lands as Archduke of Austria from 1493 – 1519. Maximilian was born on March 22, 1459, at Wiener Neustadt Castle in Wiener Neustadt, Archduchy of Austria now in the state of Lower Austria in Austria. He was the second of the five children and the second but the eldest surviving son of Friedrich III, Holy Roman Emperor, Duke of Styria, Carinthia, and Carniola, Archduke of Austria and Infanta Eleanor of Portugal. As his father was sovereign of the Austrian hereditary lands, Maximilian and his siblings received the title of Archduke/Archduchess of Austria at birth. Maximilian’s paternal grandparents were Ernst II, Duke of Styria, Carinthia and Carniola and his second wife Cymburgis of Masovia, a member of the Polish Piast dynasty. His maternal grandparents were King Duarte of Portugal and Eleanor of Aragon.

Maximilian had four siblings but only one survived childhood:

  • Archduke Christoph of Austria (1455 – 1456), died in infancy
  • Archduchess Helene of Austria (1460 – 1462), died in early childhood
  • Archduchess Kunigunde of Austria (1465 – 1520), married Albrecht IV, Duke of Bavaria, had seven children
  • Archduke Johannes of Austria (1466 – 1467), died in early childhood

Since his elder brother died in infancy, Maximilian was prepared to be his father’s heir from an early age. When Maximilian was eight-years-old, his mother Eleanor, aged 32, died on September 3, 1467, from dysentery. In 1486, Friedrich III, Holy Roman Emperor ensured that his son Maximilian would succeed him as Holy Roman Emperor when the prince-electors unanimously elected Maximilian King of the Romans. The title King of the Romans was used to designate the successor to a Holy Roman Emperor elected during the lifetime of a sitting Emperor.

As early as 1463, when Maximilian was just four years old, Pope Pius II, who had previously been an advisor to Maximilian’s father as Enea Silvio Piccolomini, suggested a marriage between Maximilian and six-year-old Mary of Burgundy, the only child of Charles the Bold of Burgundy and the second of his three wives Isabella of Portugal. In 1467, Charles succeeded his father Philip III, Duke of Burgundy, and became Charles I, Duke of Burgundy, the ruler of the vast and rich Burgundian State that consisted of parts of the present-day Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, France, and Germany. If Charles the Bold did not have a son, his daughter Mary would become the Duchess of Burgundy in her own right. In the fall of 1473, the two fathers, Friedrich III and Charles the Bold, met to discuss a possible marriage. However, the negotiations failed and ended after two months.

Maximilian’s first wife Mary, Duchess of Burgundy; Credit – Wikipedia

On January 5, 1477, during the Burgundian Wars, Charles I (the Bold), Duke of Burgundy was killed at the Battle of Nancy. Twenty-year-old Mary of Burgundy, the only child of Charles I, became the Duchess of Burgundy in her own right. Mary feared that King Louis XI of France would try to force her to marry his eldest son, and resumed the marriage negotiations with Holy Roman Emperor Friedrich III to marry his son Maximilian. King Louis XI of France tried to prevent the marriage by declaring that he was Mary’s overlord and refusing to consent to the marriage. However, Friedrich III agreed to the marriage of his son Maximilian and Mary. A proxy marriage was held on April 21, 1477, at Mary’s home, the Priesendorf in Bruges, County of Flanders, one of Mary’s lands, now in Belgium. On August 18, 1477, Maximilian arrived in Ghent, County of Flanders, now in Belgium, and on the next day, Maximilian and Mary were married in person.

Maximilian and Mary had three children:

It was through the marriage of Maximilian and Mary’s son Philip to Juana I, Queen of Castile and León, Queen of Aragon that the Habsburg lands would be joined with the Spanish lands. Philip and Juana’s son Carlos, best known as Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor, was one of the most powerful ever monarchs and had a large number of titles due to his vast inheritance of the Burgundian, Spanish, and Austrian realms. Carlos I was not only the first King of a united Spain and Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor, but he was also Charles I, Archduke of Austria, and Charles II, Lord of the Netherlands, among many other titles.

Sadly, Maximilian and Mary’s marriage lasted only five years. In March 1482, despite being pregnant, Mary participated in a hunt in the woods near Wijnendale Castle in Flanders along with her husband. She was an experienced rider and she held her falcon in one hand and the reins in the other hand. However, Mary’s horse stumbled over a tree stump while jumping over a newly dug canal. The saddle belt under the horse’s belly broke causing Mary to fall out of the saddle and into the canal with the horse on top of her. Mary was seriously injured and was transported to Prinsenhof, her palace in Bruges, where she died, aged twenty-five, several weeks later from internal injuries. Mary was buried next to her father in the Church of Our Lady in Bruges in Flanders, now in Belgium. Maximilian and Mary’s son Philip, who was not quite four years old, succeeded his mother as ruler of the Burgundian State under the guardianship of his father Maximilian.

Anne, Duchess of Brittany, Maximilian’s second wife; Credit – Wikipedia

Maximilian had a short second marriage to Anne, Duchess of Brittany in her own right. On September 9, 1488, Anne’s father François II, Duke of Brittany died as a result of a fall from his horse, and Anne became the Duchess of Brittany in her own right. Anne feared for the independence of her duchy against the might of France and so she arranged a marriage for herself with Maximilian. Maximilian and Anne were married by proxy in 1490, which turned out to be a marriage in name only. King Charles VIII succeeded his father as King of France in 1483. However, he was a minor, and his elder sister Anne of France and her husband Peter II, Duke of Bourbon, served as regents. They refused to allow an in-person marriage between Anne and Maximilian because it would put the Habsburgs, Maximilian’s family, on two French borders. A month before Anne of Brittany’s father died, he had been forced to sign the Treaty of Verger and thereby becoming a vassal of King Charles VIII of France and agreeing to seek Charles’ consent before arranging the marriage of his daughters. The Treaty of Verger was used to force Anne of Brittany to annul her proxy marriage to Maximilian and marry King Charles VIII of France.

On August 19, 1493, Maximilian’s father died and he succeeded to the Habsburg hereditary lands, becoming the reigning Archduke of Austria. He also became the de facto ruler of the Holy Roman Empire via his election as King of the Romans in 1486. In 1508, Maximilian proclaimed himself the elected Holy Roman Emperor with the approval of Pope Julius II, ending the long tradition of requiring a papal coronation for the adoption of the Holy Roman Emperor title.

Bianca Maria Sforza, Maximilian’s third wife; Credit – Wikipedia

Maximilian married again to twenty-one-year-old Bianca Maria Sforza, the daughter of Galeazzo Maria Sforza, 5th Duke of Milan and his second wife Bona of Savoy. In 1476, at the age of 4, Bianca Maria had been married to her 11-year-old first cousin Philibert I, Duke of Savoy, who died from tuberculosis at the age of 17. Maximilian and Bianca Maria were married by proxy on November 30, 1493, in the Duchy of Milan. Bianca Maria then traveled with her large dowry and large escort to Innsbruck. However, because Maximilian was dealing with a Turkish invasion of his Duchy of Styria, Bianca had to wait until March 16, 1494, to marry Maximilian in person.

The marriage was not a happy one. Maximilian complained that Bianca Maria may have been more beautiful than his first wife Mary of Burgundy, but she was not as intelligent. He considered Bianca Maria uneducated, talkative, naive, wasteful with money, and careless. Bianca Maria had a miscarriage shortly after her marriage and it seems that she was never able to conceive again. After 1500, Maximilian lost all interest in Bianca Maria. She lived with her own court of people from Milan in various castles. Bianca Maria, aged 38, died on December 31, 1510, in Innsbruck, County of Tyrol, now in Austria. Maximilian was not in Innsbruck at the time of her death and did not return to attend her funeral.

Maximilian’s grandson Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor, also King of Spain, Archduke of Austria, Lord of the Netherlands, and Duke of Burgundy by Bernard van Orley, 1519; Credit – Wikipedia

Maximilian’s reign was marked by the military and political restoration of the House of Habsburg and by the modernization of the administration of the Holy Roman Empire. Maximilian expanded the influence of the House of Habsburg through war, through his own marriage to Mary, Duchess of Burgundy, and the marriage of his son Philip to Juana I, Queen of Castile and León, Queen of Aragon. His grandson, the son of Philip and Juana, was Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor, (reigned 1519 – 1556), King of Spain (reigned 1516 – 1556), Archduke of Austria (reigned 1519 – 1521), Lord of the Netherlands, and Duke of Burgundy (reigned 1506 – 1555). Charles, one of the most powerful ever monarchs, inherited and reigned over the dominions of his mother Juana (Castile and León, and Aragon) which would be united under Charles as the Kingdom of Spain, the dominions of his father Philip (the Burgundian State Philip had inherited from his mother Mary, Duchess of Burgundy, consisting of parts of the present-day Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, France, and Germany), and also the Habsburg dominions of his paternal grandfather Maximilian (Archduchy of Austria, Duchy of Styria, Duchy of Carinthia, and Duchy of Carniola, today parts of Austria and Slovenia). Charles would be elected Holy Roman Emperor after the death of his grandfather Maximilian in 1519.

Maximilian in the last year of his life, holding his personal emblem, a pomegranate by Albrecht Dürer, 1519; Credit – Wikipedia

In 1501, Maximilian fell from his horse and badly injured his leg, causing him pain for the rest of his life. From 1514, he traveled everywhere with his coffin. In 1518, feeling his death was near after seeing an eclipse, he tried to return to his beloved Innsbruck but made it only to Wels in Upper Austria, where he suffered a stroke on December 15, 1518, that left him bedridden. However, Maximilian continued to read documents and receive foreign envoys. On January 12, 1519, Maximilian I, Holy Roman Emperor,  Archduke of Austria died, aged 59 at the Castle of Wels in Wels, Upper Austria.

Tomb of Maximilian I, Holy Roman Emperor; Credit – By krischnig – Self-photographed, Copyrighted free use, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=87779171

Maximilian was buried under the steps of the altar at St. George’s Cathedral in Wiener Neustadt Castle in Wiener Neustadt in Lower Austria, now in Austria. As per his will, his heart was placed in the tomb of his first wife Mary, Duchess of Burgundy in the Church of Our Lady in Bruges, County of Flanders, now in Belgium.

Tomb of Mary, Duchess of Burgundy, where Maximilian’s heart was interred; Photo Credit – © Susan Flantzer

This article is the intellectual property of Unofficial Royalty and is NOT TO BE COPIED, EDITED, OR POSTED IN ANY FORM ON ANOTHER WEBSITE under any circumstances. It is permissible to use a link that directs to Unofficial Royalty.

Works Cited

  • Flantzer, Susan. (2023) Friedrich III, Holy Roman Emperor, Duke of Styria, Carinthia, and Carniola, Archduke of Austria, Unofficial Royalty. Available at: https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/friedrich-iii-holy-roman-emperor-duke-of-styria-carinthia-and-carniola-archduke-of-austria/ (Accessed: 02 May 2023).
  • Flantzer, Susan. (2021) What was the Holy Roman Empire?, Unofficial Royalty. Available at: https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/what-was-the-holy-roman-empire/ (Accessed: May 2, 2023).
  • Mary of Burgundy (2023) Encyclopedia.com. Available at: https://www.encyclopedia.com/women/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/mary-burgundy-1457-1482 (Accessed: 02 May 2023).
  • Maximilian I. (HRR) (2023) Wikipedia (German). Available at: https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maximilian_I._(HRR) (Accessed: 02 May 2023).
  • Maximilian I, Holy Roman Emperor (2023a) Wikipedia. Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maximilian_I,_Holy_Roman_Emperor (Accessed: 02 May 2023).
  • Максимилиан I (император Священной Римской империи)  Maximilian (2023) Wikipedia (Russian). Available at: https://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%9C%D0%B0%D0%BA%D1%81%D0%B8%D0%BC%D0%B8%D0%BB%D0%B8%D0%B0%D0%BD_I_(%D0%B8%D0%BC%D0%BF%D0%B5%D1%80%D0%B0%D1%82%D0%BE%D1%80_%D0%A1%D0%B2%D1%8F%D1%89%D0%B5%D0%BD%D0%BD%D0%BE%D0%B9_%D0%A0%D0%B8%D0%BC%D1%81%D0%BA%D0%BE%D0%B9_%D0%B8%D0%BC%D0%BF%D0%B5%D1%80%D0%B8%D0%B8) (Accessed: 02 May 2023).
  • Wheatcroft, Andrew. (1995) The Habsburgs. London: Viking.
  • Wilson, Peter H. (2016) Heart of Europe – A History of the Holy Roman Empire. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.

Prince Edward of Wales, Duke of York and Albany

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2023

Prince Edward, Duke of York and Albany; Credit – Wikipedia

Prince Edward of Wales, Duke of York and Albany was the third of the nine children and the second of the five sons of Frederick, Prince of Wales and Augusta of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg, Princess of Wales, and the brother of King George III. Born Edward Augustus on March 25, 1739, at Norfolk House, St. James’s Square in London, England, he held a high place in the line of succession to the British throne for his entire life. At the time of his birth, his grandfather King George II was the reigning monarch and baby Edward was third in the line of succession after his father and his brother, the future King George III. Edward’s paternal grandparents were King George II of Great Britain and Caroline of Ansbach. Friedrich II, Duke of Saxe-Gotha Altenburg, and Magdalene Auguste of Anhalt-Zerbst were his maternal grandparents.

Christened Edward Augustus at Norfolk House in St. James’s Square in London, England by Thomas Secker, then Bishop of Oxford, later Archbishop of Canterbury, his godparents were:

Family of Frederick, Prince of Wales painted in 1751 after his death; 1st row: Henry, William, Frederick; 2nd row: Edward, George, Augusta, Dowager Princess of Wales holding Caroline Matilda, Elizabeth, Louisa; Credit – Wikipedia

Edward had eight siblings:

Edward, seated on the left, with his brother, the future George III, seated on the right, and their tutor, Francis Ayscough, Dean of Bristol; Credit – Wikipedia

The family moved to Leicester House in Leicester Square, London where Edward and his elder brother George, who was less than a year older, were taught by a private tutor Francis Ayscough. Edward was taught arithmetic, Latin, geometry, writing, religion, French, German, Greek, dancing, and music. On March 21, 1751, Edward’s father, Frederick, Prince of Wales died at the age of 44. 13-year-old George became heir to the throne and 12-year-old Edward became the second in the line of succession to the throne. His grandfather King George II named Edward a Knight of the Garter in 1752 and created him Duke of York and Albany and Earl of Ulster on April 1, 1760. Later in 1760, when Edward’s brother succeeded to the throne as King George III, Edward was named a privy counselor and was the heir presumptive to the British throne until the birth of the future King George IV in 1762.

Prince Edward, Duke of York and Albany by Sir Joshua Reynolds., 1763; Credit – Wikipedia

Edward was destined for a career in the Royal Navy, a short career due to his early death. In 1758, nineteen-year-old Edward joined the Royal Navy as a Midshipman. He participated in naval actions during the Seven Years’ War against the French including the failed Raid on St. Malo, which ended in the Battle of Saint-Cast in 1758. On June 14, 1759, Edward was promoted to Captain of HMS Phoenix, a new ship. He was made Rear-Admiral of the Blue in 1761, Vice-Admiral of the Blue in 1762, and in 1766, Admiral of the Blue.

The York Room at the Prince’s Palace in Monaco where Edward died; Credit – https://world.nailizakon.com/europa/monaco/monte-carlo/monte-carlo.html

In 1767, while serving in the Mediterranean, Edward became ill while on the way to Genoa. He was taken to Monaco, the nearest port. Despite the care arranged by Honoré III, Prince of Monaco, 28-year-old Edward died at the Prince’s Palace in Monaco on September 17, 1767. The room where he died is still known as the York Room. Edward’s remains were returned to London where he was buried at Westminster Abbey in the Hanover vault under the central part of the Henry VII Chapel, on November 1, 1767.

This article is the intellectual property of Unofficial Royalty and is NOT TO BE COPIED, EDITED, OR POSTED IN ANY FORM ON ANOTHER WEBSITE under any circumstances. It is permissible to use a link that directs to Unofficial Royalty.

Works Cited

  • Prince Edward, Duke of York and Albany (2023) Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation. Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prince_Edward,_Duke_of_York_and_Albany (Accessed: April 30, 2023).
  • Weir, Alison. (1989) Britain’s Royal Families: The Complete Genealogy. London: Vintage Books.
  • Williamson, David. (1996) Brewer’s British Royalty: A Phrase and Fable Dictionary. London: Cassell.

Eleanor of Portugal, Holy Roman Empress

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2023

Eleanor of Portugal, Holy Roman Empress; Credit – Wikipedia

The Holy Roman Empire was a limited elective monarchy composed of hundreds of kingdoms, principalities, duchies, counties, prince-bishoprics, and Free Imperial Cities in central Europe. The Holy Roman Empire was not really holy since, after Holy Roman Emperor Charles V in 1530, no emperors were crowned by the pope or a bishop. It was not Roman but rather German because it was mainly in the regions of present-day Germany and Austria. It was an empire in name only – the territories it covered were mostly independent each with its own rulers. The Holy Roman Emperor directly ruled over only his family territories, and could not issue decrees and rule autonomously over the Holy Roman Empire. A Holy Roman Emperor was only as strong as his army and alliances, including marriage alliances, made him, and his power was severely restricted by the many sovereigns of the constituent monarchies of the Holy Roman Empire. From the 13th century, prince-electors, or electors for short, elected the Holy Roman Emperor from among the sovereigns of the constituent states.

Frequently but not always, it was common practice to elect the deceased Holy Roman Emperor’s heir. The Holy Roman Empire was an elective monarchy. No person had a legal right to the succession simply because he was related to the current Holy Roman Emperor. However, the Holy Roman Emperor could and often did, while still alive, have a relative (usually a son) elected to succeed him after his death. This elected heir apparent used the title King of the Romans.

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Infanta Eleanor of Portugal (Leonor in Portuguese) was the wife of Friedrich III, Holy Roman Emperor, who was also the reigning Duke of Styria, Carinthia, and Carniola and Duke (Duchy of Austria) and then Archduke of Austria (Archduchy of Austria). Eleanor was born on September 18, 1434, in Torres Vedras, Portugal. She was the sixth of the nine children and the third but the eldest surviving of the five daughters of King Duarte of Portugal and Eleanor of Aragon. Eleanor’s paternal grandparents were King João I of Portugal and Philippa of Lancaster. Philippa was the daughter of John of Gaunt, 1st Duke of Lancaster, son of King Edward III of England, and therefore Eleanor’s father King Duarte was a great-grandson of King Edward III of England, a nephew of King Henry IV of England, and first cousin of King Richard II of England and King Henry V of England. Eleanor’s maternal grandparents were King Fernando I of Aragon and Eleanor, 3rd Countess of Alburquerque.

Eleanor had eight siblings:

In 1438, when Eleanor was four years old, her father King Duarte died from the plague, causing a political crisis in Portugal. Eleanor’s six-year-old brother became King of Portugal as Afonso V. It was assumed that King Duarte’s brothers would be the regents for the underage Afonso but in his will, Duarte had named his unpopular wife Eleanor of Aragon as regent. Duarte’s brother Infante João, Constable of Portugal gained the backing of the bourgeoisie in the Cortes, an assembly of representatives of the estates of the realm – the nobility, clergy, and bourgeoisie –  to elect his brother Infante Infante Pedro, Duke of Coimbra, as regent. However, the nobility backed Eleanor of Aragon’s claim to be regent and threatened civil war. The crisis was defused by a complicated and tense power-sharing arrangement between Eleanor’s mother Eleanor of Aragon and her uncle Infante Pedro, Duke of Coimbra. Eleanor and her siblings were placed under the guardianship of their uncle Infante Pedro, Duke of Coimbra. In 1440, Eleanor of Aragon was removed from sharing the regency, and she left Portugal, living in Toledo, Kingdom of Castile where she died in 1445. It was in this tense atmosphere that Eleanor grew up.

Eleanor’s paternal aunt Isabella of Portugal had married Philip III, Duke of Burgundy, the ruler of the vast Burgundian State. In 1440, 25-year-old Friedrich, Duke of Styria, Carinthia, and Carniola and then Duke of Austria, later Archduke of Austria, was unanimously elected King of the Romans and although effectively Holy Roman Emperor, he would not officially become Holy Roman Empire until his coronation by the pope in Rome. A marriage with Friedrich was probably suggested by Eleanor’s aunt Isabella of Portugal, Duchess of Burgundy. Eleanor was also suggested as a bride for the future King Louis XI of France but she preferred Friedrich because a marriage with him would make her an empress instead of a queen.

Eleanor meeting Friedrich for the first time by Pinturicchio, circa 1502-1507; Credit – Wikipedia

Marriage negotiations were conducted by Eleanor’s maternal uncle King Alfonso V of Aragon and Naples and completed in 1451. In November 1451, Eleanor left Portugal for the port city of Livorno, then in the Republic of Florence, now in Italy. After an arduous voyage, with stormy weather, skirmishes with pirates, and rumors that the ship had been lost at sea, Eleanor finally arrived in Livorno in January 1452 after a 104-day voyage. 18-year-old Eleanor met her 37-year-old groom-to-be in Siena on February 24, 1452, and together they traveled to Rome. On March 16, 1452, Eleanor and Friedrich were married by Pope Nicholas V. Finally, on March 19, 1452, Friedrich and Eleanor were anointed in St. Peter’s Basilica by Cardinal Francesco Condulmer, Vice-Chancellor of the Holy Roman Church, and then they were crowned as Holy Roman Emperor and Holy Roman Empress by Pope Nicholas V.

Eleanor and her son Maximilian from Empress Eleanor’s Book of Hours; Credit – Wikipedia

Friedrich and Eleanor had five children but only two survived childhood:

Eleanor and Friedrich were very different and their marriage was not a happy one. Eleanor loved dancing, gambling, and hunting while Friedrich was more serious. Friedrich sent Eleanor’s Portuguese entourage back to Portugal because of the cost which caused Eleanor to suffer from homesickness. Friedrich blamed Eleanor for causing the deaths of three of their children by making them eat Portuguese food, so he entirely took on the responsibility of raising their two surviving children.

A depiction of Eleanor’s tomb lid; Credit – Wikipedia

After fifteen years of marriage, Eleanor, aged 32, died on September 3, 1467, from dysentery in Wiener Neustadt, Duchy of Styria, now in Austria. She was buried at the Neukloster Abbey in Wiener Neustadt which was founded by her husband and where her three children who died in childhood were buried. Friedrich survived his wife Eleanor by twenty-six years, dying on August 19, 1493, at the age of 77. He was buried at St. Stephen’s Cathedral in Vienna, Austria in a magnificent tomb.

Friedrich III, Holy Roman Emperor in old age; Credit – Wikipedia

Friedrich III, Holy Roman Emperor had laid the foundation that would keep the House of Habsburg in a power play position until its fall after World War I in 1918. Friedrich and Eleanor’s son, Maximilian I, Holy Roman Emperor married the ruler of the Burgundian State, Mary, Duchess of Burgundy. Friedrich’s and Eleanor’s grandson Philip of Austria, Lord of the Netherlands, Duke of Burgundy married Juana I, Queen of Castile and León and Queen of Aragon. Friedrich’s and Eleanor’s great-grandson Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor (also King Carlos I of Spain among other titles) was one of the most powerful ever monarchs who had a large number of titles due to his vast inheritance of the Austrian, Burgundian, and Spanish realms.

This article is the intellectual property of Unofficial Royalty and is NOT TO BE COPIED, EDITED, OR POSTED IN ANY FORM ON ANOTHER WEBSITE under any circumstances. It is permissible to use a link that directs to Unofficial Royalty.

Works Cited

  • Edward, King of Portugal (2023) Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation. Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edward,_King_of_Portugal (Accessed: March 4, 2023).
  • Eleanor of Portugal, Holy Roman Empress (2023) Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation. Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eleanor_of_Portugal,_Holy_Roman_Empress (Accessed: March 4, 2023).
  • Flantzer, Susan. (2023) Friedrich III, Holy Roman Emperor, Duke of Styria, Carinthia, and Carniola, Archduke of Austria, Unofficial Royalty. Available at: https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/friedrich-iii-holy-roman-emperor-duke-of-styria-carinthia-and-carniola-archduke-of-austria/ (Accessed: March 4, 2023).
  • Flantzer, Susan. (2021) What was the Holy Roman Empire?, Unofficial Royalty. Available at: https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/what-was-the-holy-roman-empire/ (Accessed: March 4, 2023).
  • Frederick III, Holy Roman Emperor (2023) Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation. Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frederick_III,_Holy_Roman_Emperor (Accessed: March 4, 2023).
  • Friedrich III. (HRR) (2023) Wikipedia (German). Wikimedia Foundation. Available at: https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Friedrich_III._(HRR) (Accessed: March 4, 2023).
  • Leonor de Portugal, Imperatriz Romano-germânica (2022) Wikipedia (Portuguese). Wikimedia Foundation. Available at: https://pt.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leonor_de_Portugal%2C_Imperatriz_Romano-Germ%C3%A2nica (Accessed: March 4, 2023).
  • Wheatcroft, Andrew. (1995) The Habsburgs. London: Viking.
  • Wilson, Peter H. (2016) Heart of Europe – A History of the Holy Roman Empire. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.

Friedrich III, Holy Roman Emperor, Duke of Styria, Carinthia, and Carniola, Archduke of Austria

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2023

Friedrich III, Holy Roman Emperor; Credit – Wikipedia

The Holy Roman Empire was a limited elective monarchy composed of hundreds of kingdoms, principalities, duchies, counties, prince-bishoprics, and Free Imperial Cities in central Europe. The Holy Roman Empire was not really holy since, after Holy Roman Emperor Charles V in 1530, no emperors were crowned by the pope or a bishop. It was not Roman but rather German because it was mainly in the regions of present-day Germany and Austria. It was an empire in name only – the territories it covered were mostly independent each with its own rulers. The Holy Roman Emperor directly ruled over only his family territories, and could not issue decrees and rule autonomously over the Holy Roman Empire. A Holy Roman Emperor was only as strong as his army and alliances, including marriage alliances, made him, and his power was severely restricted by the many sovereigns of the constituent monarchies of the Holy Roman Empire. From the 13th century, prince-electors, or electors for short, elected the Holy Roman Emperor from among the sovereigns of the constituent states.

Frequently but not always, it was common practice to elect the deceased Holy Roman Emperor’s heir. The Holy Roman Empire was an elective monarchy. No person had a legal right to the succession simply because he was related to the current Holy Roman Emperor. However, the Holy Roman Emperor could and often did, while still alive, have a relative (usually a son) elected to succeed him after his death. This elected heir apparent used the title King of the Romans.

Learn more at Unofficial Royalty: What was the Holy Roman Empire?

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Friedrich III reigned as Holy Roman Emperor effectively from 1440 to 1493, as Friedrich V, Duke of Styria, Carinthia, and Carniola from 1424 to 1493, and as Friedrich V, Duke (Duchy of Austria) and then Archduke of Austria (Archduchy of Austria) from 1457 to 1493. He would lay the foundation that would keep the House of Habsburg in a power play position until its fall after World War I. Friedrich was born on September 21, 1415, in Innsbruck, County of Tyrol, now in Austria. He was the eldest of the nine children and the eldest of the six sons of Ernst II, Duke of Styria, Carinthia and Carniola, the Inner Austrian duchies, and his second wife Cymburgis of Masovia, a member of the Polish Piast dynasty. Friedrich’s paternal grandparents were Leopold III, Duke of Austria and Viridis Visconti, a member of the House of Visconti which ruled in Milan, now in Italy. His maternal grandparents were Siemowit IV, Duke of Masovia and Alexandra of Lithuania.

Friedrich had eight siblings but only three survived infancy:

In 1424, when Friedrich was nine years old, his father Ernst II died and Friedrich became the Duke of Styria, Carinthia, and Carniola. Although the young duke lived with his mother in Graz or in Wiener Neustadt, both in Duchy of Styria, now in Austria, Friedrich’s paternal uncle Friedrich IV, Duke of Austria, Count of Tyrol became the guardian of Friedrich and his brother Albrecht and the Regent of the Duchies of Styria, Carinthia, and Carniola. Friedrich’s uncle ensured that his nephews received a good education. In 1429, when he was fourteen years old Friedrich’s mother Cymburgis of Masovia died.

In 1435, Friedrich was deemed old enough to rule over his duchies although his younger brother Albrecht tried to assert himself as co-ruler, the beginning of a long rivalry. In 1436, Friedrich made a pilgrimage to the Holy Land and was knighted by the Order of the Holy Sepulchre which greatly increased his status. When his uncle Friedrich IV, Duke of Austria, Count of Tyrol died in 1439, Friedrich served as Regent for his twelve-year-old first cousin Sigismund until 1446.

Friedrich also served as Regent of Austria for Ladislaus the Posthumous, Duke of Austria. As his name indicates, Ladislaus was born four months after the death in 1439 of his father Albrecht V, Duke of Austria. In 1438, Albrecht V had been elected King of the Romans, a title used after the election but before the coronation of the Holy Roman Emperor. Albert was effectively the Holy Roman Emperor, however, due to his death, he was never crowned Holy Roman Emperor and could not use the title. When Ladislaus died at the age of seventeen, unmarried, his branch of the House of Habsburg became extinct, and Friedrich became Duke of Austria. Friedrich was now the ruler of all the sovereign Austrian states and was the undisputed head of the House of Habsburg. Because of the death in 1439 of Albert V, who would have been Holy Roman Emperor upon his coronation, a successor had to be elected by the prince-electors. On February 2, 1440, 25-year-old Friedrich was unanimously elected King of the Romans and although effectively Holy Roman Emperor, he would not officially become Holy Roman Empire until his coronation by the pope in Rome.

The woman Friedrich would eventually marry was Infanta Eleanor of Portugal, the daughter of King Duarte of Portugal and Eleanor of Aragon. A marriage with Friedrich was probably suggested by her aunt Isabella of Portugal, Duchess of Burgundy. Eleanor was also suggested as a bride for the future King Louis XI of France but Eleanor preferred Friedrich because a marriage with him would make her an empress instead of a queen. Marriage negotiations were conducted by Eleanor’s maternal uncle King Alfonso V of Aragon and Naples.

Friedrich meets Eleanor of Portugal for the first time by Pinturicchio, circa 1502-1507; Credit – Wikipedia

In 1452, 37-year-old Friedrich traveled to Rome to marry 18-year-old Infanta Eleanor of Portugal and be crowned Holy Roman Emperor. On March 16, 1452, Friedrich and Eleanor were married by Pope Nicholas V. Finally, on March 19, 1452, Friedrich and Eleanor were anointed in St. Peter’s Basilica by Cardinal Francesco Condulmer, Vice-Chancellor of the Holy Roman Church, and Friedrich was then crowned with the Imperial Crown by Pope Nicholas V. Friedrich III was the last Holy Roman Emperor to be crowned in Rome.

Empress Eleanor and her son Maximilian from Empress Eleanor’s Book of Hours; Credit – Wikipedia

Friedrich and Eleanor had five children but only two survived childhood:

During his reign, Friedrich concentrated on re-uniting the Habsburg hereditary lands of Austria. In 1453, Friedrich elevated the Duchy of Austria to an Archduchy and took on the title Archduke of Austria. Mary, Duchess of Burgundy, was, in her own right, the ruler of the Burgundian State which consisted of parts of the present-day Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, France, and Germany. Mary had many suitors and Friedrich had the good fortune that Mary chose his eldest surviving son Maximilian, the future Holy Roman Emperor Maximilian I, as her husband. The couple married in 1477 and Maximilian became her co-ruler. With the inheritance of the Burgundian State, the House of Habsburg began to rise to predominance in Europe. Looking into the future, Maximilian and Mary’s son Philip of Habsburg, also known as Philip the Handsome, was the heir to both his father’s and mother’s dominions. Philip married Juana I, Queen of Castile and León and Queen of Aragon, thereby adding Spain’s dominions to the House of Habsburg. Philip and Juana’s son Charles, best known as Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor, was one of the most powerful ever monarchs and had a large number of titles due to his vast inheritance of the Austrian, Burgundian, and Spanish realms.

Friedrich’s wife Eleanor, aged 32, died on September 3, 1467, from dysentery in Wiener Neustadt, Duchy of Styria, now in Austria. She was buried at the Neukloster Abbey in Wiener Neustadt where her three children who died in childhood were buried. In 1486, Friedrich III, Holy Roman Emperor ensured that his son Maximilian would succeed him as Holy Roman Emperor when the prince-electors unanimously elected Maximilian King of the Romans.

Friedrich III, Holy Roman in old age; Credit – Wikipedia

In February 1493, Friedrich’s health began to worsen. He had an issue with his left leg which contemporary sources referred to as gangrene but in today’s modern medicine, the issue was caused by arteriosclerosis. Friedrich’s doctors decided to amputate the affected leg. Although Friedrich survived the amputation, he died on August 19, 1493, in Linz, Duchy of Austria, now in Austria, at the age of 77. Contemporary sources say the cause of his death was complications from the leg amputation, old age, or dysentery-like diarrhea from eating melon. Friedrich III’s reign of 53 years, from the time he was elected King of the Romans in 1440 until his death in 1493, is the longest reign of a Holy Roman Emperor.

Tomb of Friedrich III, Holy Roman Emperor; Credit – By Uoaei1 – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=24993194

Friedrich III, Holy Roman Emperor, Duke of Styria, Carinthia, and Carniola, Archduke of Austria was initially buried at St. Stephen’s Cathedral in Vienna, Austria, in the Ducal Crypt. In 1463, thirty years before his death, Friedrich commissioned Dutch sculptor Nikolaus Gerhaert van Leyden to build a monumental tomb in St. Stephen’s Cathedral. Van Leyden died in 1473 and the work was completed by Austrian stonemason and sculptor Michael Tichter (link in German). On November 12, 1513, the remains of Friedrich III, Holy Roman Emperor were transferred in a grand ceremony from the Ducal Crypt to the tomb. The tomb lid shows Emperor Friedrich in his coronation regalia surrounded by the coats of arms of all his dominions. The sides of the tomb are decorated with 240 small statues. The tomb is considered a masterpiece of medieval sculptural art.

Depiction of the tomb lid; Credit – Von Georges Jansoone – Selbst fotografiert, CC BY 2.5, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=1061466

This article is the intellectual property of Unofficial Royalty and is NOT TO BE COPIED, EDITED, OR POSTED IN ANY FORM ON ANOTHER WEBSITE under any circumstances. It is permissible to use a link that directs to Unofficial Royalty.

Works Cited

  • Eleanor of Portugal, Holy Roman Empress (2023) Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation. Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eleanor_of_Portugal,_Holy_Roman_Empress (Accessed: March 2, 2023).
  • Ernest, Duke of Austria (2022) Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation. Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ernest,_Duke_of_Austria (Accessed: March 2, 2023).
  • Flantzer, Susan. (2022) St. Stephen’s Cathedral in Vienna, Austria, Unofficial Royalty. Available at: https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/st-stephens-cathedral-in-vienna-austria/ (Accessed: March 2, 2023).
  • Flantzer, Susan. (2021) What was the Holy Roman Empire?, Unofficial Royalty. Available at: https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/what-was-the-holy-roman-empire/ (Accessed: March 2, 2023).
  • Frederick III, Holy Roman Emperor (2023) Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation. Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frederick_III,_Holy_Roman_Emperor (Accessed: March 2, 2023).
  • Friedrich III. (HRR) (2023) Wikipedia (German). Wikimedia Foundation. Available at: https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Friedrich_III._(HRR) (Accessed: March 2, 2023).
  • Wheatcroft, Andrew. (1995) The Habsburgs. London: Viking.
  • Wilson, Peter H. (2016) Heart of Europe – A History of the Holy Roman Empire. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.

A View from a DKM: The Coronation

I have been waiting since 1981 for a coronation and since that time I have gotten up early to watch every royal event. I have watched videos of A Queen is Crowned and news reel footage of the coronation of George VI. Needless to say, I was extremely excited about watching the coronation this past Saturday. I got up extra early to watch all the processions and the ceremony and here are my thoughts.

Things experts got wrong:
1. Charles did not wear a military uniform but wore traditional tunics. (He did wear trousers and not britches)
2. Harry was not in the 10th row; he was in the third, which was the first row of nonworking royals.
3. Lady Louise was on the balcony.

Things I did not like:
1. Most peers were not in coronation robes and did not have coronets. That was one of my favorite parts of previous coronations. They could have at least let the peers who were part of the ceremony wear their coronets since they were in coronation robes.
2. The removal of the homage except for the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Prince of Wales.
3. The Queen not holding the consort’s scepter and rod.

Surprising emotional moment for me: After the anointing screens were removed and we see the King kneeling in trousers and white shirt as the bishops prayed over him.

Rock Star of the Coronation: The Lord President of the Council (Penny Mordaunt)

Moment that lived up to all the hype: The actual crowning of the King.

Random Thoughts:
• Louis and Charlotte were every bit a little prince and princess.
• One of the girls in the choir reminded me of a young Lindsay Lohan.
• There were moments when both the King and Queen looked their age.
• No moment brought me to tears, but after the Prince of Wales kissed the King’s cheek, I might have come close.
• The royal salute and three cheers for the King and Queen by the troops was impressive.
• They did an excellent job of making the balcony look full.
• The Queen’s crown looked so big to me.
• God willing, I will live to see one more coronation.
• God save the King!

Charles Brandon, 1st Duke of Suffolk, 2nd Husband of Mary Tudor

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2023

Charles Brandon, 1st Duke of Suffolk wearing the collar of the Order of the Garter.; Credit – Wikipedia

Charles Brandon, 1st Duke of Suffolk was the second of the two husbands of Mary Tudor, daughter of King Henry VII of England and sister of King Henry VIII of England. Brandon was born circa 1484, one of the four children of Sir William Brandon and Elizabeth Bruyn.

Charles Brandon had three siblings:

  • Robert Brandon (1480 – ?)
  • Catherine Brandon (circa 1484 – ?)
  • William Brandon (circa 1476 – before 1485)

Charles Brandon’s father Sir William Brandon was the standard banner for Henry Tudor, Earl of Richmond (the future King Henry VII) from the House of Lancaster at the Battle of Bosworth Field on August 22, 1485, the last significant battle of the Wars of the Roses. When King Richard III of England from the House of York, launched his final charge in the battle, he unhorsed but did not kill, Sir John Cheyne, a well-known jousting champion and Henry Tudor’s personal bodyguard. Sir William Brandon was then killed by King Richard III while defending the standard banner of Henry Tudor. Ultimately, the Battle of Bosworth resulted in King Richard III of England, losing his life and his crown. The battle was a decisive victory for the House of Lancaster, whose leader Henry Tudor, Earl of Richmond, became the first monarch of the House of Tudor as King Henry VII of England.

In 1494, Charles Brandon’s mother died and the ten-year-old became an orphan. It is likely that Brandon’s uncle Sir Thomas Brandon, who acted as a diplomat for King Henry VII and was also Master of the Horse and a Knight of the Garter, arranged for his nephew to be raised at the court of King Henry VII. At court, Brandon would meet the future King Henry VIII, who was six years younger than Brandon. The two boys would connect due to their shared interests, especially jousting and real tennis, and a lifelong friendship developed. By the time King Henry VII died in 1509 and his son succeeded him as King Henry VIII, Brandon was already a favorite of the new king.

Before his 1515 marriage to Mary Tudor, Charles Brandon had two marriages and one contract to marry:

On March 4, 1514, King Henry VIII created Charles Brandon Duke of Suffolk. At that time, there were only two other Dukes in the Kingdom of England. That same year, King Henry VIII negotiated a peace treaty with France that included the marriage of his 18-year-old sister Mary Tudor and the 52-year-old twice-married King Louis XII of France who was eager to have a son to succeed him. Mary was not thrilled at the prospect of marrying a sick old man, especially since she was already in love with Charles Brandon. Apparently, Mary made her brother promise that if she should survive Louis XII, she could choose her second husband.

Mary’s marriage to King Louis XII of France did not last long. Louis XII died on January 1, 1515, just three months after the wedding. As he had no son, he was succeeded by his son-in-law François d’Angoulême from the House of Valois-Angoulême as King François I of France. Mary was aware that the new King of France would like her to marry a Frenchman to keep her dowry in France. However, she confided in François I that she wished to marry Charles Brandon and he agreed to help her. First, Mary had to follow the French royal custom of a widowed queen observing a 40-day mourning period. She spent the mourning period at the Hôtel de Cluny in Paris with darkened windows and candlelight. She was also observed to see if she was pregnant with the future heir to the throne.

Wedding portrait of Mary Tudor and Charles Brandon, 1st Duke of Suffolk, attributed to Jan Gossaert, circa 1515; Credit – Wikipedia

Henry VIII sent Charles Brandon to France to bring his sister back to England, and he made Brandon promise that he would not propose to Mary. Once in France, Brandon was persuaded by Mary to abandon this pledge. On March 3, 1515, Mary secretly married Charles Brandon at the Hôtel de Cluny in Paris in the presence of ten people including King François I of France. Technically, this was treason as Brandon had married a royal princess without the king’s consent. Mary and Brandon returned to England to face the wrath of her brother. Cardinal Thomas Wolsey managed to calm down King Henry VIII although some members of the Privy Council wanted Brandon imprisoned or executed. Over a period of time, Mary and Brandon had to pay a £24,000 fine, approximately £7,200,000 today. The fine was later reduced by Henry VIII. The couple was married again in the presence of King Henry VIII at the Grey Friar’s Church in Greenwich on May 13, 1515.

Charles Brandon and Mary spent most of their time at Westhorpe Hall in Suffolk, England. They also had a London residence, Suffolk Place. Brandon’s daughters from his marriage to Anne Browne, Lady Anne Brandon and Lady Mary Brandon, lived with them at Mary’s insistence.

Brandon and Mary had four two sons and two daughters but only their daughters survived childhood :

Mary opposed her brother’s attempt to obtain an annulment of his marriage to Catherine of Aragon so he could marry Anne Boleyn. Mary had known Catherine for many years and had a great fondness for her. She had developed a strong dislike for Anne Boleyn when Anne had served as one of her maids of honor in France.

Mary’s health began to suffer around the time King Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn married. There were rumors that the coronation of Anne Boleyn on June 1, 1533, broke Mary’s heart. She died at Westhorpe Hall on June 25, 1533, at the age of 37, and was originally buried in the Abbey at Bury St. Edmunds in Bury St. Edmunds, Suffolk, England. In 1538, when the Abbey at Bury St. Edmunds was dissolved during the Dissolution of the Monasteries, Mary’s coffin was brought to St. Mary’s Church in Bury St. Edmunds where it still rests in the crypt.

Katherine Willoughby, 12th Baroness Willoughby de Eresby, Duchess of Suffolk, drawing by Hans Holbein the Younger; Credit – Wikipedia

Less than two months after the death of Mary Tudor, Charles Brandon married again. His fourth and final wife was Katherine Willoughby, 12th Baroness Willoughby de Eresby. Katherine was the only child of William Willoughby, 11th Baron Willoughby de Eresby, and therefore was his heir. Her mother was Willoughby’s second wife María de Salinas, the Spanish-born lady-in-waiting to Catherine of Aragon. After her father’s death in 1526, seven-year-old Katherine became a ward of King Henry VIII. Two years later, Henry VIII sold the wardship, not an unusual occurrence, to Brandon. Katherine Willoughby grew up with Brandon’s children and it was common knowledge that the wealthy heiress would be betrothed to Brandon’s son Henry Brandon, 1st Earl of Lincoln. When Mary Tudor died, Katherine Willoughby was one of the chief mourners at her funeral. Not wanting to risk losing Katherine’s lands and wealth because his son Henry was too young to marry, Brandon married Katherine himself. Although at the time of their marriage, Brandon was forty-nine and Katherine only fourteen, the marriage was a successful one.

Miniature of Henry Brandon, 2nd Duke of Suffolk by Hans Holbein the Younger, circa 1541; Credit – Wikipedia

Charles Brandon and Katherine had two sons who both died on the same day of the sweating sickness, six years after their father’s death:

  • Henry Brandon, 2nd Duke of Suffolk (1535 – 1551) died in his teens
  • Charles Brandon, 3rd Duke of Suffolk (1537 – 1551) died in his teens an hour after his older brother

Charles Brandon, 1st Duke of Suffolk was a military commander, was created a Knight of the Garter in 1513, and held several political positions during the reign of King Henry VIII:

Throughout the reign of King Henry VIII, Charles Brandon remained close to the king, acting as a companion at court and often accompanying him on his travels. He accompanied Henry VIII to his famous 1520 summit with King François I of France known as the Field of the Cloth of Gold. In 1536, Brandon stood at the scaffold at the Tower of London, representing Henry VIII, at the execution of Anne Boleyn. Brandon led action against the 1536 – 1537 Pilgrimage of Grace, a protest against Henry VIII’s break with the Catholic Church and the Dissolution of the Monasteries. Henry VIII gave Brandon a large amount of church property that had been confiscated during the Dissolution of the Monasteries.

Gravemarker of Charles Brandon, 1st Duke of Suffolk; Credit – Credit – https://www.stgeorges-windsor.org/charles-brandon-duke-of-suffolk/

During the summer of 1545, Charles Brandon, 1st Duke of Suffolk was part of King Henry VIII’s entourage during a hunting progress. On August 24, 1545, Brandon, aged 60 – 61, died suddenly while the hunting progress was at Guildford Castle in Surrey, England. Henry VIII was grief-stricken at the loss of one of his oldest and most loyal friends. He arranged and paid for the burial of Brandon in the south quire aisle of St. George Chapel, Windsor Castle in Windsor, England. 18th-century historian Joseph Pote wrote regarding Brandon’s grave, “Nothing remains to distinguish the Grave of this noble Duke but a rude brick pavement.” Finally, in 1787, during the reign of King George III, it was “ordered that leave be given to lay a stone above the grave of Charles Brandon Duke of Suffolk, according to His Majesty’s directions”. The gravemarker was put in place by architect Henry Emlyn while conducting a restoration of St. George’s Chapel in 1787 – 1790 that included the repaving of the quire aisles and nave.

Miniature of Katherine Willoughby, 12th Baroness Willoughby de Eresby, Dowager Duchess of Suffolk by Hans Holbein the Younger; Credit – Wikipedia

After Charles Brandon’s death, his 26-year-old widow Katherine Willoughby, 12th Baroness Willoughby de Eresby, Dowager Duchess of Suffolk married Richard Bertie, a member of her household, out of love and shared religious beliefs. Katherine and Richard Bertie had one daughter and one son. Katharine survived her first husband Charles Brandon by thirty-five years, dying on September 19, 1580, aged 61, at her family home Grimsthorpe Castle in Lincolnshire, England which still remains in the Willoughby de Eresby family. Her son with Richard Bertie, Peregrine Bertie, inherited her title as the 13th Baron Willoughby de Eresby.

This article is the intellectual property of Unofficial Royalty and is NOT TO BE COPIED, EDITED, OR POSTED IN ANY FORM ON ANOTHER WEBSITE under any circumstances. It is permissible to use a link that directs to Unofficial Royalty.

Works Cited

  • Charles Brandon, 1. Duke of Suffolk (2022) Wikipedia (German). Wikimedia Foundation. Available at: https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Brandon,_1._Duke_of_Suffolk (Accessed: March 5, 2023).
  • Charles Brandon, 1st Duke of Suffolk (2023) Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation. Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Brandon,_1st_Duke_of_Suffolk (Accessed: March 5, 2023).
  • Cracknell, Eleanor. (2013) Charles Brandon, Duke of Suffolk, College of St George. Available at: https://www.stgeorges-windsor.org/charles-brandon-duke-of-suffolk/ (Accessed: March 5, 2023).
  • DeLisle, Leanda. (2013) Tudor – Passion, Manipulation, Murder. New York: PublicAffairs.
  • Flantzer, Susan. (2016) Mary Tudor, Queen of France, Duchess of Suffolk, Unofficial Royalty. Available at: https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/mary-tudor-queen-of-france-duchess-of-suffolk/ (Accessed: March 5, 2023).
  • Perry, Maria. (1998) The Sisters of Henry VIII. New York, NY: St. Martin’s Press.
  • Sir William Brandon, Kt. (2022) geni_family_tree. Available at: https://www.geni.com/people/Sir-William-Brandon-Kt/6000000006444764167 (Accessed: March 5, 2023).
  • Weir, Alison. (2001) Henry VIII – The King and His Court. New York, NY: Ballantine Books.

Royal News Recap – The Coronation of King Charles III and Queen Camilla

photo: Royal Collection Trust / © His Majesty King Charles III 2023

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Chairs of Estate and Throne Chairs

by Scott Mehl
© Unofficial Royalty 2023

Throne Chair of Queen Elizabeth II, 1953. photo: Royal Collection Trust / © His Majesty King Charles III 2023

In addition to the Coronation Chair, used for the actual crowning of the Sovereign, there are other chairs used during the Coronation Ceremony. For the majority of the service, the Sovereign and Consort are seated in Chairs of Estate, which are placed on the south side of the sanctuary. The Sovereign is crowned in the Coronation Chair and then moves to a Throne Chair (also known as a Chair of State). After the Queen Consort is crowned, she then moves to a similar Throne Chair beside the King.

Typically, both the Chairs of Estate and Throne Chairs are made new for each coronation. However, it has been announced that King Charles III and Queen Camilla will use chairs already in the Royal Collection. They will use Chairs of Estate made for the 1953 Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II, and Throne Chairs made for the 1937 Coronation of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth (the King’s grandparents).

Chairs of Estate

The Chair of Estate of King Charles III. photo: Royal Collection Trust / © His Majesty King Charles III 2023

The Chair of Estate of Queen Camilla. photo: Royal Collection Trust / © His Majesty King Charles III 2023

The Chairs of Estate are placed on the south side of the sanctuary, and are used by the Sovereign and Consort for the majority of the Coronation Service. For the 2023 Coronation, King Charles and Queen Camilla are using the Chairs of Estate made for the 1953 Coronation of the King’s late mother, Queen Elizabeth II. Although only one was used at the 1953 Coronation, a second chair was made for Prince Philip, The Duke of Edinburgh. This is the one that will be used by Queen Camilla. Following the 1953 coronation, the Chairs of Estate were moved to Buckingham Palace, where they were displayed on the dais in the Throne Room of Buckingham Palace. On either side of them were the Chairs of Estate of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth, and King George V and Queen Mary. Prior to the coronation of George V in 1911, it was customary that the Chairs of Estate were sold to people who had attended the event.

Throne Chairs (Chairs of State)

Throne Chair of King George VI, 1937. photo: Royal Collection Trust / © His Majesty King Charles III 2023

The throne chairs are placed on a dais behind the Coronation Chair. Following the crowning, the Sovereign moves to the Throne Chair, where the homage is received. A second Throne Chair is located on the dais, usually one or two steps lower, for the Queen Consort.

For the 2023 Coronation, King Charles and Queen Camilla are using the Throne Chairs made for the 1937 Coronation of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth. The chairs have been updated with new material, featuring the cyphers of the new King and Queen.

Throne Chair of King Edward VII, 1902. photo: Royal Collection Trust / © His Majesty King Charles III 2023

The Throne Chair of Queen Elizabeth II (pictured at the top of this article) is displayed in the Garter Throne Room at Windsor Castle. Those of King George V and Queen Mary are at The Palace of Holyroodhouse, and those of King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra are in the Ballroom at Buckingham Palace.

Throne Chair of King George V, 1911. photo: Royal Collection Trust / © His Majesty King Charles III 2023

 

Coronation of King Charles III and Queen Camilla of the United Kingdom

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2023

The coronation of King Charles III and Queen Camilla took place at Westminster Abbey in London, England on Saturday, May 6, 2023, at 11:00 AM British Time.

Westminster Abbey; Photo Credit – By Σπάρτακος – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=26334184

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The Procession

The Diamon Jubilee State Coach; Credit – By Grahamedown – Own work, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=9426700

King Charles III and Queen Camilla arrived at Westminster Abbey in a procession that started from Buckingham Palace. They arrived in the 2014 Diamond Jubilee State Coach and returned to Buckingham Palace in the 1762 Gold State Coach.

Credit – Time Out

The procession route was only 1.3 miles. The same route was used for the return trip to Buckingham Palace. The route is the normal route royals use to get to Westminster Abbey: leaving Buckingham Palace through the Centre Gate, and proceeding down The Mall, passing through Admiralty Arch and south of King Charles I Island, down Whitehall and along Parliament Street, around the east and south sides of Parliament Square to Broad Sanctuary, arriving at Westminster Abbey.

Queen Elizabeth II had somewhat the same route to the Abbey with a small .3-mile addition but had a five-mile return trip. On the map above, Charles’ route to and from is in red, Elizabeth’s route to the Abbey is in light blue and her route back to Buckingham Palace is in dark blue. Elizabeth’s route allowed for people to stand on 5.3 miles of street while Charles’ route allowed for people to stand on only 1.3 miles of street.

Participants

One of King Charles III’s grandchildren and three of Queen Camilla’s grandchildren and one of her great-nephews participated.

King Charles III was attended by four pages of honour:

Queen Camilla was attended by four pages of honour:

  • Gus Lopes, the Queen’s grandson, son of her daughter Laura Lopes
  • Louis Lopes, the Queen’s grandson, son of her daughter Laura Lopes
  • Frederick Parker Bowles, the Queen’s grandson, son of her son Tom Parker Bowles
  • Arthur Elliot, the Queen’s great-nephew, son of her nephew Ben Elliot

In addition, Queen Camilla had two Ladies in Attendance:

Some Peers of the Realm carried standards, banners, and the coronation regalia in the procession and/or presented regalia during the coronation. Edward Fitzalan-Howard, 18th Duke of Norfolk, Earl Marshal of England is the most senior peer in the Peerage of England. The Earl Marshal is a hereditary royal officeholder. The Dukes of Norfolk have held the office since 1672. The Earl Marshal organizes major ceremonial state occasions such as the monarch’s coronation and state funerals. He is also the leading officer of arms, oversees the College of Arms, and is the sole judge of the High Court of Chivalry.

Peers of the Realm Who Participated in the Coronation

Armed Forces Who Participated in the Coronation

  • General Sir Patrick Sanders, Chief of the General Staff, carried the Queen’s sceptre
  • Cadet Warrant Officer Elliott Tyson-Lee, carried the Union Flag
  • Petty Officer Amy Taylor, carried the Jewelled Sword of Offering

Others Who Participated in the Coronation

Penny Mordaunt memorably bore the heavy Sword of State throughout the coronation.

  • Penny Mordaunt, Lord President of the Council and Leader of the House of Commons, presented the Jewelled Sword of Offering and carried the Sword of State
  • Rupert Carington, 7th Baron Carrington, Lord Great Chamberlain, presented the Golden Spurs
  • Rose Hudson-Wilkin, Bishop of Dover, presented The Queen Consort’s Rod
  • John McDowell, Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of All Ireland, presented the Sovereign’s Orb
  • Iain Greenshields, Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, presented the Bible
  • Mark Strange, Bishop of Moray, Ross and Caithness and Primus of the Scottish Episcopal Church, presented the Sceptre with Cross
  • Andrew John, Archbishop of Wales and Bishop of Bangor, presented the Sceptre with Dove
  • John Armes, Bishop of Edinburgh, Usher of the White Rod

The Coronation Ceremony

King Charles III and Queen Camilla were crowned in Westminster Abbey in London in a service conducted by Justin Welby, Archbishop of Canterbury assisted by David Hoyle, Dean of Westminster with other clergy participating.

Read about the British coronation regalia at the links below:

The Coronation Theatre; Credit – Westminster Abbey

Like many other Christian churches, Westminster Abbey is built in the shape of a cross. The space where coronations happen, called the Coronation Theatre, is at the point at which the two parts of the cross meet, at the very center of Westminster Abbey, directly in front of the High Altar. It is here that the 700-year-old Coronation Chair, also called St. Edward’s Chair and King Edward’s Chair, on which the monarch sits for the majority of the service, is placed, facing the High Altar.

The coronation involves six basic stages based on the coronation service written by Saint Dunstan, Archbishop of Canterbury used in 973 for the coronation of Edgar the Peaceful, King of the English: the recognition, the oath, the anointing, the investiture/the crowning, the enthronement, and the homage.

King Charles III and Queen Camilla’s coronation service was shorter than coronations in the past. The Coronation Liturgy for the coronation (link below) followed the six basic stages but the text of the service was quite different from the text of past coronations, and there were some changes from past coronations and some modern additions.

St. Edward’s Crown; Credit – By Firebrace – Own work, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=116459012

King Charles III was crowned with the traditional St. Edward’s Crown and Queen Camilla was  crowned with Queen Mary’s Crown, first worn by King Charles’ great-grandmother Queen Mary when she was crowned as Queen Consort with her husband King George V in 1911.

Coronation Music

Credit – https://www.royal.uk/coronation-music-westminster-abbey

The music at the coronation of King Charles III, who was very much involved in the music selection, featured twelve new orchestral, choral, and organ pieces commissioned for the coronation including a coronation anthem based on Psalm 98 by Andrew Lloyd Webber, Baron Lloyd Webber. One of the liturgical sections of the ceremony was performed in Welsh in tribute to King Charles III’s long tenure as Prince of Wales. At King Charles III’s request, Greek Orthodox music was included in tribute to his late father Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, born a Greek prince.

I Was Glad, with text from Psalm 122, has been sung at the entrance of the monarch at every coronation since that of King Charles I in 1626. Sir Hubert Parry wrote a setting of the psalm for the coronation of King Edward VII in 1902. It was also used for the coronations of King George V, King George VI, Queen Elizabeth II, and King Charles III.

At the coronation of every monarch since the coronation of King James II in 1685, the King’s (or Queen’s) Scholars of the Westminster School have had the privilege of acclaiming the monarch by shouting “Vivat” during the monarch’s procession from the Quire of Westminster Abbey towards the Coronation Theatre in front of the High Altar. The Vivat was incorporated into Sir Hubert Parry’s anthem I Was Glad, at the end. The Latin version of the names is used, and so “Vivat, Rex! / Vivat, Rex Carolus! / Vivat! Vivat! Vivat!” and “Vivat, Regina! / Vivat, Regina Camilla! / Vivat! Vivat! Vivat!” was heard.

In 1727, George Frederic Handel composed four coronation anthems for the coronation of King George II and his wife Queen Caroline. One of the anthems, Zadok the Priest, has been played at every British coronation since the coronation of King George II in 1727, traditionally performed just prior to the sovereign’s anointing, including the coronation of King Charles III.

Zadok the Priest is the most famous of the anthems and is every bit as rousing as Handel’s Hallelujah Chorus from the oratorio The Messiah. The text of Zadok the Priest comes from the biblical account of the anointing of King Solomon of ancient Israel by Zadok, the High Priest of Israel and the prophet Nathan, and the rejoicing of the Israelites. These words have been used in every English coronation since that of King Edgar the Peaceful at Bath Abbey in 973.

From 1 Kings 1:34-45:

Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet anointed Solomon king.
And all the people rejoiced and said:
God save the King! Long live the King! God save the King!
May the King live forever. Amen. Hallelujah.

The Coronation Liturgy

Liturgy information is from THE AUTHORISED LITURGY FOR THE CORONATION RITE OF
HIS MAJESTY KING CHARLES III for use on Saturday 6th May 2023, 11:00am at Westminster Abbey. Commissioned and Authorised by The Most Reverend & Right Honourable Justin Welby, The Archbishop of Canterbury. The liturgy can be seen at the link below along with an excellent and informative commentary.

The Procession of The King & The Queen: As King Charles III and Queen Camilla entered Westminster Abbey, I Was Glad by Sir Hubert Parry was sung by the choir.

Greeting The King: A  young person (a Chapel Royal chorister) greeted King Charles III, saying:
“Your Majesty, as children of the Kingdom of God we welcome you in the name of the King of Kings”. King Charles III responded: “In his name, and after his example, I come not to be served but to serve.”

Silent Prayer: King Charles III stood at his Chair of Estate, head bowed, in a moment of silent prayer.

Greeting and Introduction: Justin Welby, Archbishop of Canterbury started the service with a blessing of God’s love, grace and presence for all who gathered in God’s name.

Kyrie eleison: Kyrie eleison, an ancient Christian prayer, is Greek for ‘Lord, have mercy’. Sir Bryn Terfel, a Welsh bass-baritone opera singer, performed Kyrie Eleison by Paul Mealor in Welsh, composed for the coronation.

The Recognition: The Archbishop of Canterbury along with Lady Elish Frances Angiolini (a Lady of the Order of the Thistle), Christopher Finney (a holder of the George Cross for bravery under friendly fire during the 2003 invasion of Iraq) and Valerie Ann Amos, Baroness Amos (a Lady of The Garter) presented King Charles III to the East, South, West, and North sides of the coronation theater. Each person said: “I here present unto you King Charles, your undoubted King: Wherefore all you who are come this day to do your homage and service: are you willing to do the same?” Each time, the congregation responded, “God save King Charles.”

The Presentation of the Bible: Dr. Iain Greenshields, Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, presented the Bible to King Charles III saying, “Sir: to keep you ever mindful of the law and the Gospel of God as the Rule for the whole life and government of Christian Princes, receive this Book, the most valuable thing that this world affords. Here is Wisdom; This is the royal Law; These are the lively Oracles of God.”

The Oath: The Archbishop of Canterbury said, “Your Majesty, the Church established by law, whose settlement you will swear to maintain, is committed to the true profession of the Gospel,and, in so doing, will seek to foster an environment in which people of all faiths and beliefs may live freely. The Coronation Oath has stood for centuries and is enshrined in law. Are you willing to take the Oath?” King Charles III replied, “I am willing. King Charles III placed his hand on the Bible, and the Archbishop administered the Oath, saying, “Will you solemnly promise and swear to govern the Peoples of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, your other Realms and the Territories to any of them belonging or pertaining, according to their respective laws and customs?” King Charles III responded, “I solemnly promise so to do.” The Archbishop said, “Will you to your power cause Law and Justice, in Mercy, to be executed in all your judgements? King Charles III responded, “I will.”

The Archbishop of Canterbury said, “Will you to the utmost of your power to maintain the Laws of God and the true profession of the Gospel? Will you to the utmost of your power maintain inthe United Kingdom the Protestant Reformed Religion established by law? Will you maintain and preserve inviolably the settlement of the Church of England, and the doctrine, worship, discipline, and government thereof, as by law established in England? And will you preserve unto the Bishops and Clergy of England, and to the Churches there committed to their charge, all such rights and privileges as by law do or shall appertain to them or any of them?” King Charles III responded, “All this I promise to do. The things which I have here before promised I will perform and keep. So help me God.”

The Archbishop of Canterbury said, “Your Majesty, are you willing to make, subscribe and declare to the statutory Accession Declaration Oath?” King Charles III responded, “I am willing.”

King Charles III said, “I Charles do solemnly and sincerely in the presence of God profess, testify, and declare that I am a faithful Protestant, and that I will, according to the true intent of the enactments which secure the Protestant succession to the Throne, uphold and maintain the said enactments to the best of my powers according to law.”

During the signing of the Oath, the choir sang the anthem Prevent Us, O Lord by William Byrd.

The King’s Prayer: King Charles III said, “God of compassion and mercy whose Son was sent not to be served but to serve, give grace that I may find in thy service perfect freedom and in that freedom knowledge of thy truth. Grant that I may be a blessing to all thy children, of every faith and conviction, that together we may discover the ways of gentleness and be led into the paths of peace, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.”

Gloria: The choir sang Gloria from Mass for Four Voices by William Byrd.

Collect: The Archbishop of Canterbury said, “Let us pray. Lord, enthroned in heavenly splendour: look with favour upon thy servant Charles our King, and bestow upon him such gifts of wisdom and love that we and all thy people may live in peace and prosperity and in loving service one to another, to thine eternal glory; who with the Father and the Holy Spirit reigns supreme over all things, one God, now and for ever. Amen.”

The Epistle: The Prime Minister The Rt Hon. Rishi Sunak, MP read the Epistle of St. Paul Colossians 1: 9-17: “For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God; Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness; Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light: Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son: In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the
forgiveness of sins: Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature: For by him were all things created, that are in heaven,and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.”

The Prime Minister: This is the word of the Lord.
Congregation: Thanks be to God.

The Ascension Gospel Choir sang Sung Alleluia Psalm 47:1-2 by Debbie Wiseman

The Gospel: Dame Sarah Mullally,Bishop of London, Dean of HM Chapels Royal read the gospel according to Luke 4:16-21: ”

Dame Sarah Mullally: The Lord be with you
Congregation: And with thy spirit.
Dame Sarah Mullally: Hear the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Luke.
Dame Sarah Mullally Glory be to thee, O Lord.

Jesus came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and, as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and stood up for to read. And there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Isaiah. And when he had opened the book, he found the place where it was written, The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the broken-hearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, To preach the acceptable year of the Lord. And he closed the book, and he gave it again to the minister, and sat down. And the eyes of all them that were in the synagogue were fastened on him. And he began to say unto them, This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears.

Dame Sarah Mullally: This is the Gospel of the Lord.
Congregation: Praise be to thee, O Christ.

The Ascension Gospel Choir sang Sung Alleluia Psalm 47:6-7 Debbie Wiseman

Sermon: Given by Justin Welby, Archbishop of Canterbury

The choir sang Veni Creator (Come Creator Spirit), Plainsong, mode VIII

Thanksgiving for the Holy Oil: The Archbishop of Canterbury was presented with the coronation oil, by The Most Reverend Dr Hosam Naoum, The Anglican Archbishop in Jerusalem. The Archbishop said, “Blessed art thou, Sovereign God, upholding with thy grace all who are called to thy service. Thy prophets of old anointed priests and kings to serve in thy name and in the fullness of time thine only Son was anointed by the Holy Spirit to be the Christ, the Saviour and Servant of all. By the power of the same Spirit, grant that this holy oil may be for thy servant Charles a sign of joy and gladness; that as King he may know the abundance of thy grace and the power of thy mercy, and that we may be made a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for thine own possession. Blessed be God, our strength and our salvation, now and for ever. Amen.

The Anointing: During the Annointing the choir sang Zadok the Priest by George Frederic Handel. The Anointing was done in private. The Annointing screen was arranged around the Coronation Chair where King Charles III sat. The Dean of Westminster poured oil from the ampulla into the spoon and the Archbishop of Canterbury anointed the King on hands, breast, and head, and said, “Be your hands anointed with holy oil. Be your breast anointed with holy oil. Be your head anointed with holy oil, as kings, priests, and prophets were anointed. And as Solomon was anointed king by Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet, so may you be anointed, blessed, and consecrated King over the peoples, whom the Lord your God has given you to rule and govern; in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

The clergy returned to the High Altar. The Annointing screen was removed to the St. Edward the Confessor Shrine behind the High Altar. King Charles III moved to the faldstool in front of the High Altar, and knelt. The Archbishopof Canterbury said ‘Oil of Gladness’ prayer of blessing: “Our Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who by his Father was anointed with the Oil of gladness above his fellows, by his holy Anointing pour down upon your Head and Heart the blessing of the Holy Spirit, and prosper the works of your Hands: that by the assistance of his heavenly grace you may govern and preserve the People committed to your charge in wealth, peace, and godliness; and after a long and glorious course of ruling a temporal kingdom wisely, justly, and religiously, you may at last be made partaker of an eternal kingdom, through the same Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.”

King Charles III was vested in the Colobium, Sindonis, Supertunica and Girdle.

The Presentation of Regalia:

The Spurs: The Spurs were brought forward from the altar by the Dean of Westminster and handed to The Lord Great Chamberlain. The Lord Great Chamberlain approached The King, and presented the regalia. The King acknowledgesdthem. The Archbishop of Canterbury said, “Receive these spurs, symbols of honour and courage. May you be a brave advocate for those in need.” The spurs were returned to the altar.

The Sword: During Exchange of Swords, a Greek choir sang Psalm 72 (Psalm 71 in the Greek Septuagint Psalter) in honor of The King’s late father The Duke of Edinburgh who was born a Prince of Greece.

The Jewelled Sword was presented to The Lord President of the Council in its scabbard and passed to the Archbishop of Canterbury who held it up before the altar. The Archbishop said, “Hear our prayers, O Lord, we beseech thee, and so direct and support thy servant King Charles, that he may not bear the Sword in vain; but may use it as the minister of God to resist evil and defend the good, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.” The Archbishop returned the sword to The Lord President and it was carried to the King. The sword was placed in the King’s right hand. The Archbishop said, “Receive this kingly Sword. May it be to you, and to all who witness these things, a sign and symbol not of judgement, but of justice; not of might, but of mercy. Trust always in the word of God, which is the sword of the Spirit, and so faithfully serve our Lord Jesus Christ in this life, that you may reign for ever with him in the life which is to come. Amen. The King stood, the sword was clipped on the girdle, and the King sat.

The Archbishop of Canterbury said, “With this sword do justice, stop the growth of iniquity, protect the holy Church of God and all people of goodwill, help and defend widows and orphans, restore the things that are gone to decay, maintain the things that are restored, punish and reform what is amiss, and confirm what is in good order: that doing these things you may be glorious in all virtue; and so faithfully serve our Lord Jesus Christ in this life, that you may reign for ever with him in the life which is to come. Amen.”

The King stood, the sword was unclipped and The King stepped forward and offered the sword to the Dean of Westminster, who placed it on the altar. The sword was redeemed from the altar by The Lord President of the Council, who placed the redemption money on the almsdish, held by the Dean of Westminster. The sword was handed to the Lord President of the Council, who carried it thereafter before The King.

The Armills: The Armills were taken from the altar and given to Lord Kamall by the Dean of Westminster. Lord Kamall approached The King, and presented the regalia. The King
acknowledged them. The Archbishop of Canterbury said, “Receive the Bracelets of sincerity and
wisdom, tokens of God’s protection embracing you on every side.” The Armills were returned to the altar.

The Robe and Stole Royal: The Prince of Wales entered the Coronation Theatre. The Stole Royal and Robe Royal were brought to The King. The Bishop of Durham vested the King in the Stole Royal. Baroness Merron with The Prince of Wales and Assisting Bishops clothed The King in the Robe. The Archbishop of Canterbury said, “Receive this Robe. May the Lord clothe you with the robe of righteousness, and with the garments of salvation.”

The Orb: The Dean of Westminster gave the Anglican Archbishop of Armagh the Orb, who brought the Orb to the Archbishop of Canterbury, who placed it in the King’s right hand.
The Archbishop said, “Receive this Orb, set under the Cross, and remember always the kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ.” The Orb was retrieved by The Archbishop of Armagh, who gives it to the Dean, who places it back on the altar.

The Ring: The Ring was taken from the altar and given to The Lord Patel, KT, by the Dean of Westminster. Lord Patel approached The King, and presented the Ring. The King acknowledged it. The Archbishop of Canterbury said, “Receive this Ring, a symbol of kingly dignity, and a sign of the covenant sworn this day between God and King, King and people.” The Ring was returned to the altar.

The Glove: The Glove was taken from the altar and given to The Lord Singh of
Wimbledon by the Dean of Westminster. Lord Singh approached The King, and presented the ring. The Archbishop of Canterbury said, “Receive this glove. May you hold authority with gentleness and grace, trusting not in your own power but in the mercy of God who has chosen you.” The King picked up the glove and placed it on his right hand.

The Sceptre and Rod: The Sceptre and Rod were taken from the altar and given to The Archbishop of Wales and The Primus of Scotland by the Dean of Westminster. The Archbishop of Canterbury delivered them into The King’s right and left hands respectively. The Archbishop of Canterbury said, “Receive the Royal Sceptre, the ensign of kingly power and justice; and the Rod of equity and mercy, a symbol of covenant and peace. May the Spirit of the Lord which anointed Jesus at his baptism, so anoint you this day, that you might exercise authority with wisdom, and direct your counsels with grace; that by your service and ministry to all your people, justice and mercy may be seen in all the earth: through the same Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

The Crowning: The Dean of Westminster brought The Crown of St Edward to The Archbishop of Canterbury who said the prayer of blessing: “King of kings and Lord of lords, bless, we beseech thee, this Crown, and so sanctify thy servant Charles upon whose head this day thou dost place it for a sign of royal majesty, that he may be crowned with thy gracious favour and filled with abundant grace and all princely virtues; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who with thee and the Holy Spirit liveth and reigneth, supreme over all things, one God, world without end. Amen.

The Archbishop of Canterbury brought the crown down onto The King’s head and said, “God save The King!” The congregation said, “God save The King!”

Fanfare: The Wiener Philharmoniker Fanfare by Richard Strauss was played and the the Abbey bells rang for 2 minutes. A fanfare was sounded followed by a Gun Salute by The King’s Troop Royal Horse Artillery stationed at Horse Guards Parade. There were Gun Salutes at His Majesty’s Fortress the Tower of London fired by the Honourable Artillery Company, and at all Saluting Stations throughout the United Kingdom, Gibraltar, Bermuda, and Ships at Sea.

The Blessing: The Archbishop of York said,”The Lord bless you and keep you. The Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you. The Lord lift up the light of his countenance upon you, and give you his peace.”

The Greek Orthodox Archbishop of Thyateira & Great Britain said, “The Lord protect you in all your ways and prosper all your work in his name.”

The Moderator of The Free Churches said, “The Lord give you hope and happiness, that you may inspire all your people in the imitation of his unchanging love.”

The Secretary General of Churches Together in England said, “The Lord grant that wisdom and knowledge will be the stability of your times, and the fear of the Lord your treasure.”

The Cardinal Archbishop of Westminster said, “May God pour upon you the riches of his grace, keep you in his holy fear, prepare you for a happy eternity, and receive you at the last into immortal glory.”

The Archbishop of Canterbury said, “…and the blessing of God Almighty, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, be with you and remain with you always. Amen.”

The choir sang the anthem O Lord, grant the king a long life by Thomas Weelkes.

Enthronment The King: King Charles III was set upon the throne. The Archbishop of Canterbury said, “Stand firm, and hold fast from henceforth this seat of royal dignity, which is yours by the authority of Almighty God. May that same God, whose throne endures for ever, establish your throne in righteousness, that it may stand fast for evermore.”

The Homage of The Church of England: The Archbishop led the words of fealty: “I, Justin, Archbishop of Canterbury, will be faithful and true, and faith and truth will bear unto you,
our Sovereign Lord, Defender of the Faith, and unto your heirs and successors according to law. So help me God.”

The Homage of Royal Blood: The Prince of Wales led the words of fealty. “I, William, Prince of Wales, pledge my loyalty to you and faith and truth I will bear unto you, as your liege man of life and limb. So help me God.”

The Homage of The People: The Archbishop of Canterbury said, “I now invite those who wish to offer their support to do so with a moment of private reflection, by joining in saying ‘God save King Charles’ at the end, or, for those with the words before them, to recite them in full.”All who so desired, in the Abbey, and elsewhere, said together: “I swear that I will pay true allegiance to Your Majesty, and to your heirs and successors according to law. So help me God.”
A fanfare is played. The Archbishop of Canterbury said, “God save The King.” The congregation said, “God save King Charles. Long live King Charles. May The King live for ever.”

The choir sang the anthem Confortare by Sir Walford Davies.

The Coronation of The Queen

The Annointing: The Dean of Westminster poured oil from the ampulla into spoon, and held the spoon for the Archbishop of Canterbury. Queen Camilla was anointed on the forehead as the
Archbishop of Canterbury said, “Be your head anointed with holy oil.” The Archbishop then said, “Almighty God, the fountain of all goodness; hear our prayer this day for thy servant Camilla, whom in thy name, and with all devotion, we consecrate our Queen. Make her strong in faith and love, defend her on every side, and guide her in truth and peace; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

The Ring: The Ring was presented by The Keeper of The Jewel House to The Queen who
acknowledged it. The Archbishop of Canterbury said, “Receive this Ring, a symbol of royal
dignity, and a sign of the covenant sworn this day.” The Ring was returned to the High Altar.

The Crowning: The Dean of Westminster brought Queen Mary’s Crown from the altar and handed it to the Archbishop of Canterbury who said, “May thy servant Camilla, who wears this crown, be filled by thine abundant grace and with all princely virtues; reign in her heart, O King of love, that, being certain of thy protection, she may be crowned with thy gracious favour; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.” The Archbishop of Canterbury brought the crown down onto The Queen’s head.

The Rod and Sceptre: The Rod was presented to The Queen by The Bishop of Dover, and the Sceptre by Lord Chartres and she acknowledged them both. The Archbishop of Canterbury said, “Receive the Royal Sceptre and the Rod of equity and mercy. May the Spirit guide you in wisdom and grace, that by your service and ministry justice and mercy may be seen in all the earth.”

Enthroning The Queen: Queen Camilla was set upon the throne as the choir sang the anthem Make a Joyful Noise by Andrew Lloyd Webber.

Offertory Hymn: At the start of the communion service, the choir and congregation sang the hymn Christ Is Made the Sure Foundation.

Prayer over the Gifts: The Archbishop of Canterbury said, “Bless, O Lord, we beseech thee, these thy gifts, and sanctify them unto this holy use, that by them we may be made partakers of the Body and Blood of thine only-begotten Son Jesus Christ, and fed unto everlasting life of soul
and body: And that thy servant King Charles may be enabled to the discharge of his weighty office, whereunto of thy great goodness thou hast called and appointed him. Grant this, O Lord, for Jesus Christ’s sake, our only Mediator and Advocate. Amen.”

The Eucharistic Prayer:

The Archbishop of Canterbury: “The Lord be with you.”
Congregation: “And with thy spirit.”
The Archbishop: “Lift up your hearts.”
Congregation: “We lift them up unto the Lord.”
The Archbishop: “Let us give thanks unto the Lord our God.”
Congregation: “It is meet and right so to do.”

The Archbishop said, “It is very meet, right, and our bounden duty, that we should at all times and in all places give thanks unto thee, O Lord, holy Father, almighty, everlasting God, through Jesus Christ thine only Son our Lord; who hast at this time consecrated thy servant Charles to be our King, that, by the anointing of thy grace, he may be the Defender of thy Faith and the Protector of thy people; that, with him, we may learn the ways of service, compassion, and love,
and that the good work which thou hast begun in him this day may be brought to completion in the day of Jesus Christ. Therefore with angels and archangels, and with all the company of heaven, we laud and magnify thy glorious name, evermore praising thee and saying:”

Sanctus:

All sang: “Holy, holy, holy, Lord God of hosts, heaven and earth are full of thy glory. Glory be to thee, O Lord most high.”

Eucharistic Prayer continues:

The Archbishop of Canterbury said, “All glory be to thee, almighty God, our heavenly Father, who, of thy tender mercy, didst give thine only Son Jesus Christ to suffer death upon the cross for our redemption; who made there, by his one oblation of himself once offered, a full, perfect and sufficient sacrifice, oblation and satisfaction for the sins of the whole world; and did institute, and in his holy gospel command us to continue, a perpetual memory of that his precious death, until his coming again. Hear us, O merciful Father, we most humbly beseech thee, and grant that, by the power of thy Holy Spirit, we receiving these thy creatures of bread
and wine, according to thy Son our Saviour Jesus Christ’s holy institution, in remembrance of his death and passion, may be partakers of his most blessed body and blood; who, in the same night that he was betrayed, took bread; and when he had given thanks to thee, he broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying: Take, eat; this is my body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of me.”

The Archbishop continued, “Likewise after supper he took the cup; and when he had given thanks to thee, he gave it to them, saying: Drink ye all of this; for this is my blood of the new covenant, which is shed for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins. Do this, as oft as ye shall drink it, in remembrance of me.

Wherefore, O Lord and heavenly Father, we thy humble servants, having in remembrance the precious death and passion of thy dear Son, his mighty resurrection and glorious ascension,
entirely desire thy fatherly goodness mercifully to accept this our sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving; most humbly beseeching thee to grant that by the merits and death of thy Son Jesus Christ, and through faith in his blood, we and all thy whole Church may obtain
remission of our sins, and all other benefits of his passion. And although we be unworthy, through our manifold sins, to offer unto thee any sacrifice, yet we beseech thee to accept this our bounden duty and service, not weighing our merits, but pardoning our offences; and to grant that all we, who are partakers of this holy communion, may be fulfilled with thy grace and
heavenly benediction; through Jesus Christ our Lord, by whom, and with whom, and in whom,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit, all honour and glory be unto thee, O Father almighty, world without end. Amen.

The Lord’s Prayer: The Archbishop of Canterbury said, “Let us pray with confidence as our
Saviour has taught us. All say: “Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name; thy kingdom come; thy will be done; on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, the power and the glory,for ever and ever. Amen.

Agnus Dei: The choir sang Agnus Dei by Tarik O’Regan during which Holy Communion is
privately received by The King an Queen.

Prayer after Communion: The Archbishop of Canterbury said, “O Almighty Lord, and everlasting God, vouchsafe, we beseech thee, to direct, sanctify and govern both our hearts and bodies, in the ways of thy laws, and in the works of thy commandments; that through thy most mighty
protection,both here and ever, we may be preserved in body and soul; through our Lord and  Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen.”

The Final Blessing: The Archbishop of Canterbury said, “Our help is in the Name of the Lord;Who hath made heaven and earth. Blessed be the Name of the Lord; Now and henceforth, world without end. Christ our King, make you faithful and strong to do his will, that you may reign with him in glory; and the blessing of God almighty, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, rest upon you, and all whom you serve, this day, and all your days. Amen.

Sung Amen: The choir sang a Sung Amen by Orlando Gibbons.

Hymn: The choir and congregation sang Praise my Soul by Henry Francis Lyte

Anthem: The choir sang the anthem The King Shall Rejoice by William Boyce

Te Deum: The choir sang The Coronation Te Deum by Sir William Walton

The National Anthem: The choir and congregation sang the national anthem God Save The King.

The King’s Outward Procession & Organ Voluntaries: The orgamist played Pomp & Circumstance March no 4 by Sir Edward Elgar, arranged by Iain Farrington and March from The Birds, Sir Hubert Parry, arranged by John Rutter.

Greeting Faith Leaders & Representatives and The Governors-Generals: At the end of the procession The King received a greeting by Leaders and Representatives from Faith Communities (Jewish, Hindu, Sikh, Muslim, Buddhist). As the King stood before the Leaders
and Representatives of the Faith Communities, they delivered the following greeting in unison.
Faith Leaders & Representatives: “Your Majesty, as neighbours in faith, we acknowledge the value of public service. We unite with people of all faiths and beliefs in thanksgiving, and in service with you for the common good.” The King acknowledged the greeting, and
turned to greet the Governors-General. The King acknowledged their greeting and proceeded to the Gold State Coach.

After the Coronation

The Imperial State Crown; Credit – By Cyril Davenport (1848 – 1941) – G. Younghusband; C. Davenport (1919). The Crown Jewels of England. London: Cassell & Co. p. 6. (See also The Jewel House (1921) frontispiece.), Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=37624150

King Charles III and Queen Camilla proceeded to St. Edward’s Chapel, directly behind the high altar, where the Shrine of St. Edward the Confessor, King of England stands. King Charles gave St. Edward’s Crown, the Sceptre, and the Rod to the Archbishop of Canterbury who placed them on the altar in the chapel. After a short period, King Charles III emerged from St. Edward’s Chapel wearing the Imperial State Crown with the Sceptre with the Cross in his right hand and the Orb in his left hand. King Charles III and Queen Camilla, still carrying her Sceptre with the Cross in her right hand and the Ivory Rod with the Dove in her left hand, left St. Edward’s Chapel to the singing of the National Anthem and then proceeded up the aisle to the West Door of the Westminster Abbey. They returned to Buckingham Palace in the Gold State Coach using the same route as their outgoing route.

Gold State Coach; Credit – By Crochet.david (talk) – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=7395195

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Guests

The Coronation Invitation designed by Andrew Jamieson, a heraldic artist and manuscript illuminator; Credit – Wikipedia

There were 8,000 guests at the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II in 1953. Westminster Abbey was closed for five months prior to the coronation so that the construction needed for seating the 8,000 guests could be completed. However, because of current safety and health regulations, the capacity of Westminster Abbey is legally approximately 2,000.

In 1953, 800 Members of Parliament and over 900 Peers were invited to the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II. Because of the limited space, far fewer Members of Parliament and Peers were invited to the coronation of King Charles III and Queen Camilla. This change caused a stir among Peers and Members of Parliament who believed they have a right to attend. Although some Members of Parliament were invited, the spouse of the British Prime Minister and the Head of Government Rishi Sunak was the only invited spouse of a Member of Parliament. The seven living past British Prime Ministers and their spouses were also invited.

450 recipients of the British Empire Medal. attended the coronation. They were invited to join the congregation at Westminster Abbey in recognition of their services and support to their local communities, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. Representatives from the Commonwealth of Nations and foreign dignitaries from other countries attended. First Lady Jill Biden represented her husband Joe Biden, President of the United States.

Traditionally, foreign sovereigns have not attended British coronations. Instead, members of their royal houses were sent to represent them. King Charles III broke with that tradition, and invited foreign sovereigns, and a number of them attended. All current or former royal families who were invited sent guests except for the Kingdom of Cambodia.

The following world leaders were invited but did not attend:

  • Zoran Milanović, President of Croatia was unable to attend due to a defect with the government’s plane.
  • Aleksandar Vučić, President of Serbia cancelled his attendance following the Belgrade school shooting.
  • Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, President of Turkey, declined his invitation, as he did to Elizabeth II’s funeral, due to the upcoming presidential election.

The governments of seven countries, Afghanistan, Belarus, Iran, Myanmar, Russia, Syria and Venezuela, were not invited.  Invitations were extended only to senior diplomats of North Korea and Nicaragua, and not their heads of state.

Note: This is a partial guest list. Links are from Unofficial Royalty or Wikipedia. Not all people listed have a link. A more complete list of guests can be seen at Wikipedia: List of guests at the coronation of Charles III and Camilla.

British Royal Family

Descendants of King Charles III

Descendants of Queen Elizabeth II

Descendants of King George VI

  • David Armstrong-Jones, 2nd Earl of Snowdon, the King’s maternal first cousin
  • Charles Armstrong-Jones, Viscount Linley, the King’s maternal first cousin once removed
  • Lady Margarita Armstrong-Jones, the King’s maternal first cousin once removed
  • Lady Sarah Chatto and Daniel Chatto, the King’s maternal first cousin and her husband
  • Samuel Chatto, the King’s maternal first cousin once removed
  • Arthur Chatto, the King’s maternal first cousin once removed

Descendants of King George V

Bowes-Lyon Family

  • Sir Simon Bowes-Lyon and Caroline Bowes-Lyon, Lady Bowes-Lyon, the King’s maternal first cousin once removed and his wife

Mountbatten Family

Shand and Parker Bowles Families

  • Brigadier Andrew Parker Bowles, the Queen’s former husband
  • Thomas Parker Bowles, the Queen’s son
  • Lola Parker Bowles, the Queen’s granddaughter
  • Frederick Parker Bowles, the Queen’s grandson, one of the Queen’s pages of honour
  • Laura Lopes and Harry Lopes, the Queen’s daughter and son-in-law
  • Eliza Lopes, the Queen’s granddaughter
  • Louis Lopes, the Queen’s grandson, one of the Queen’s pages of honour
  • Gus Lopes, the Queen’s grandson, one of the Queen’s pages of honour
  • Annabel Elliot, the Queen’s sister, one of the Queen’s two Ladies in Attendance
  • Sir Benjamin Elliot and Mary-Clare Elliot, the Queen’s nephew and his wife
  • Arthur Elliot, the Queen’s grandnephew, one of the Queen’s pages of honour
  • Ike Elliot, the Queen’s great-nephew
  • Alice and Luke Irwin, the Queen’s niece and her husband
  • Otis Irwin, the Queen’s great-nephew
  • Violet Irwin, the Queen’s great-niece
  • Catherine Elliot, the Queen’s niece
  • Ayesha Shand, the Queen’s niece, daughter of the Queen’s late brother

Middleton Family

Current Monarchies

Former Monarchies

Ceremonial Monarchs

United Kingdom Government Officials

Prime Ministers

Great Officers of State – England

Great Officers of State – Scotland

Officers of Arms – England

Officers of Arms – Scotland

  • Joseph Morrow, Lord Lyon King of Arms
  • Adam Bruce, Marchmont Herald
  • Liam Devlin, Rothesay Herald
  • Sir Crispin Agnew of Lochnaw, Albany Herald Extraordinary
  • George Way of Plean, Carrick Pursuivant
  • John Stirling, Ormond Pursuivant
  • Roderick Alexander Macpherson, Unicorn Pursuivant
  • Colin Russell, Falkland Pursuivant Extraordinary
  • Professor Gillian Black, Linlithgow Pursuivant Extraordinary
  • Philip Tibbetts, March Pursuivant Extraordinary

Members of the Cabinet

Leaders of Other United Kingdom Political Parties

Members of Parliament

First Ministers of Devolved Governments

Leaders of Other Political Parties in Devolved Countries

  • Jim Allister, Leader of the Traditional Unionist Voice
  • Doug Beattie, Leader of the Ulster Unionist Party
  • Alex Cole-Hamilton, Leader of the Scottish Liberal Democrats
  • Colum Eastwood, Leader of the Social Democratic and Labour Party
  • Naomi Long, Leader of the Alliance Party
  • Douglas Ross, Leader of the Opposition in the Scottish Parliament and Leader of the Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
  • Anas Sarwar, Leader of the Scottish Labour Party

Members of Devolved Parliaments

Peers of the Realm

Other Politicians

Lord Lieutenants

Armed Forces

Civil Servants

  • David McGill, Chief Executive of the Scottish Parliament
  • Lesley Hogg, chief Executive of the Northern Ireland Assembly
  • Antonia Romeo, Clerk of the Crown in Chancery in Great Britain
  • Susanna McGibbon, His Majesty’s Procurator General and Solicitor for the Affairs of His Majesty’s Treasury

Representatives of Orders of Chivalry and Gallantry (Some representatives are listed elsewhere.)

Crown Dependencies

British Overseas Territories

Commonwealth Realms

Antigua and Barbuda

  • Sir Rodney Williams, Governor-General of Antigua and Barbuda, and his wife Lady Sandra Williams
  • Gaston Browne, Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda, and his wife Maria Bird-Browne
  • Paula Frederick-Hunte, Permanent Secretary in the Office of the Governor-General
  • Atlee Rodney, Commissioner of Police of the Royal Police Force of Antigua and Barbuda
  • Dale Mercury, Aide-de-Camp to the Governor-General and Assistant Superintendent of Police
  • Ickford Roberts, Accountant General
  • Laurie Freeland Roberts, Registrar in the Civil Registry
  • Bernard Warner, Field Officer at the Rehabilitation Centre for Persons with Disabilities
  • Kiz Johnson, Senator, carried the flag of Antigua and Barbuda

Australia

  • General David Hurley, Governor-General of Australia, and his wife Linda Hurley
  • Anthony Albanese, Prime Minister of Australia, and his partner Jodie Haydon
  • Margaret Beazley, Governor of New South Wales
  • Linda Dessau, Governor of Victoria
  • Jeannette Young, Governor of Queensland
  • Christopher Dawson, Governor of Western Australia
  • Frances Adamson, Governor of South Australia
  • Barbara Baker, Governor of Tasmania
  • Leanne Benjamin, retired Principal Dancer for the Royal Ballet
  • Nicholas Cave, singer, songwriter, actor, novelist, and screenwriter
  • Jasmine Coe, artist and the creator and curator of Coe Gallery
  • Adam Hills, comedian, presenter, writer, and disability rights advocate
  • Daniel Nour, founder of Street Side Medics
  • Yasmin Poole, public speaker, board director, and youth advocate
  • Emily Regan, London-based nurse who worked for the National Health Service
  • Minette Salmon, studying for a PhD in Genomic Medicine and Statistics
  • Claire Spencer, arts leader and the inaugural CEO of the Barbican Centre
  • Merryn Voysey, Associate Professor of Statistics in Vaccinology at the Oxford Vaccine Group
  • Corporal Daniel Keighran, recipient of the Victoria Cross for Australia
  • Corporal Mark Donaldson, recipient of the Victoria Cross for Australia
  • Warrant Officer Class Two Keith Payne, recipient of the Victoria Cross
  • Richard Joyes, recipient of the Australian Cross of Valour
  • Yvonne Kenny, soprano
  • Samantha Kerr, football (soccer) player, carried the flag of Australia

The Bahamas

Belize

  • Dame Froyla Tzalam, Governor-General of Belize, and her husband Daniel Mendez
  • Francis Fonseca, Minister of Education, Culture, Science and Technology
  • Cameron Gegg, finance professional, carried the flag of Belize

Canada

  • Mary Simon, Governor General of Canada, and her husband Whit Fraser
  • Justin Trudeau, Prime Minister of Canada, and his wife Sophie Grégoire Trudeau
  • Janice Charette, Clerk to the Privy Council of Canada and Secretary to the Cabinet
  • RoseAnne Archibald, National Chief of the Assembly of First Nations
  • Natan Obed, President of the Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami
  • Cassidy Caron, President of the Métis National Council
  • Sarah Mazhero, member of the Prime Minister’s Youth Council
  • Christina Caouette, CEO of Young Diplomats of Canada
  • Rebeccah Raphael, founder of Halifax Helpers
  • Marguerite Tölgyesi, President of the French-Canadian Youth Federation
  • Maryam Tsegaye, winner of the Breakthrough Junior Challenge
  • Jennifer Sidey-Gibbons, Canadian Space Agency astronaut
  • Margaret MacMillan, member of the Order of Merit and companion of the Order of Canada
  • Leslie Arthur Palmer, recipient of the Canadian Cross of Valour
  • Colonel Jeremy Hansen, Canadian Space Agency astronaut, carried the flag of Canada

Grenada

  • Dame Cécile La Grenade, Governor-General of Grenada
  • Dickon Mitchell, Prime Minister of Grenada
  • Kisha Abba Grant, High Commissioner for Grenada to the United Kingdom
  • Sergeant Major Johnson Beharry, Victoria Cross recipient
  • Afy Fletcher, athlete
  • Lindon Victor, athlete
  • Lance Sergeant Chen Charles, carried the flag of Grenada

Jamaica

  • Sir Patrick Allen, Governor-General of Jamaica, and his wife Lady Patricia Allen
  • David Salmon, 2023 Rhodes scholar, carried the flag of Jamaica

New Zealand

  • Dame Cindy Kiro, Governor-General of New Zealand, and her husband Richard Davies
  • Chris Hipkins, Prime Minister of New Zealand
  • Phil Goff, High Commissioner for New Zealand to the United Kingdom
  • Christopher Luxon, Leader of the Opposition
  • Sir Tom Marsters, King’s Representative in the Cook Islands, and Lady Tuaine Marsters
  • Richie McCaw, Order of New Zealand representative
  • Willie Apiata, Victoria Cross for New Zealand representative
  • Abdul Aziz, New Zealand Cross representative
  • Dame Naida Glavish, former President of the Māori Party and
  • Lorraine Toki, Māori advocate
  • Ben Appleton, kaiāwhina and director of Ngāti Rānana
  • Sarah Smart, UK general manager of The Dairy Collective
  • Craig Fenton, 2023 UK New Zealander of the Year
  • Rebecca Scown, former Olympic rower and CEO of Youth Experience in Sport
  • Rhieve Grey, graduate student and 2021 Rhodes scholar
  • Sergeant Hayden Smith, carried the flag of New Zealand

Papua New Guinea

  • Sir Bob Dadae, Governor-General of Papua New Guinea, and his wife Lady Dadae
  • Koni Iguan, Deputy Speaker of the National Parliament of Papua New Guinea
  • Justin Tkatchenko, Minister for Foreign Affairs and his wife Savannah Tkatchenko
  • Rainbo Paita, Minister for Finance and National Planning
  • Taies Sansan, Secretary for the Department of Personnel Management
  • Gisuwat Mangere Siniwin, former Vice Minister of Education and MP for Nawae
  • Noel Leana, acting Chief of State Protocol, carried the flag of Papua New Guinea

Saint Kitts and Nevis

  • Dame Marcella Liburd, Governor-General of Saint Kitts and Nevis
  • Terrance Drew, Prime Minister of Saint Kitts and Nevis
  • Hyleta Liburd, Deputy Governor-General for Nevis
  • Mark Brantley, Premier of Nevis
  • Denzil Douglas, Minister of Foreign Affairs, former Prime Minister of Saint Kitts and Nevis
  • Naeemah Hazelle, permanent secretary in the Prime Minister’s Office
  • Christine Walwyn, Diaspora Ambassador
  • Thouvia France, Protocol Foreign Service Officer in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Saint Lucia

Solomon Islands

  • Sir David Vunagi, Governor-General of the Solomon Islands, and his wife Lady Vunagi
  • Moses Kouni Mose, High Commissioner for the Solomon Islands to the United Kingdom
  • Jeremiah Manele, Minister of Foreign Affairs and External Trade

Tuvalu

Other Commonwealth Countries

Foreign Dignitaries

Heads of State

Governmental Representatives Representing the Head of State

Diplomats Representing the Head of State

  • Javier Esteban Figueroa, Argentinian Ambassador to the United Kingdom
  • Susana Herrera Quezada, Chilean Ambassador to the United Kingdom
  • Teferi Melesse Desta, Ethiopian Ambassador to the United Kingdom
  • José Alberto Briz Gutiérrez, Guatemalan Ambassador to the United Kingdom
  • Euvrard Saint Amand, Haitian Ambassador to the United Kingdom
  • Iván Romero Martínez, Honduran Ambassador to the United Kingdom
  • Desra Percaya, Indonesian Ambassador to the United Kingdom
  • Josefa González Blanco Ortiz Mena, Mexican Ambassador to the United Kingdom
  • Hakim Hajoui, Moroccan Ambassador to the United Kingdom
  • Ahmed Albably, Consul at the Yemeni Embassy in the United Kingdom

International Organizations

Religious Leaders

Church of England

  • Justin Welby, Archbishop of Canterbury and Primate of All England
  • Tosin Oladipo, Chaplain to the Archbishop of Canterbury, carried the Primatial Cross of Canterbury
  • Stephen Cottrell, Archbishop of York and Primate of England
  • Dr Jenny Wright, Chaplain to The Archbishop of York, carried the Primatial Cross of York
  • Adrian Daffern, Chaplain Extraordinary to the Archbishop of Canterbury
  • Dame Sarah Mullally, Bishop of London and Dean of His Majesty’s Chapels Royal
  • Paul Butler, Bishop of Durham
  • Michael Beasley, Bishop of Bath and Wells
  • Graham Usher, Bishop of Norwich
  • Richard Jackson, Bishop of Hereford
  • David Hoyle MBE, Dean of Westminster
  • David Stanton, Sub-Dean and Canon Treasurer
  • Anthony Ball, Canon Rector
  • Dr James Hawkey, Canon Theologian and Almoner
  • Tricia Hillas, Canon Steward and Archdeacon of Westminster and Chaplain to the Speaker of the House of Commons
  • Mark Birch MVO, Minor Canon and Precentor
  • Robert Latham, Minor Canon and Sacrist
  • Ralph Godsall, Acting Minor Canon
  • Paul Baumann CBE, Receiver General of Westminster Abbey
  • Sir Kenneth Olisa OBE, High Bailiff and Searcher of the Sanctuary of Westminster Abbey
  • Canon Paul Wright LVO, Sub-Dean of His Majesty’s Chapels Royal
  • Professor David Fergusson OBE, Dean of the Chapel Royal in Scotland and Dean of the Thistle
  • David Conner KCVO, Dean of Windsor

Church of Scotland

Roman Catholic Church

Other Christian Denominations

  • Nikitas Loulias, Greek Orthodox Archbishop of Thyateira and Great Britain
  • Hosam Naoum, Anglican Bishop in Jerusalem
  • Helen Cameron, Moderator of the Free Churches Group
  • Bishop Mike Royal, General Secretary of Churches Together in England

Other Religions

  • Rabbi Sir Ephraim Mirvis, Chief Rabbi of the United Hebrew Congregations of Great Britain and the Commonwealth
  • Marie van der Zyl, President of the Board of Deputies of British Jews
  • Ven Bogoda Seelawimala Thera, Head Priest of the London Buddhist Vihara and Chief Sangha Nayaka of Great Britain
  • Malcolm Deboo, President, Zoroastrian Trust Funds of Europe

Royal Household

The King’s Household

  • Sir Anthony Johnstone-Burt, Master of the Household
  • Lieutenant-Colonel Michael Vernon, Comptroller of the Lord Chamberlain’s Office
  • Jo Churchill, Vice Chamberlain of the Household
  • Marcus Jones, Treasurer of the Household
  • Rebecca Harris, Comptroller of the Household
  • James Newcome, Bishop of Carlisle, Clerk of the Closet
  • Dr John Inge, Bishop of Worcester, Lord High Almoner
  • Lieutenant Colonel Jonathan Thompson, Groom of the Robes
  • Sir Michael Stevens, Keeper of the Privy Purse and Treasurer to His Majesty
  • Sir Edward Young, Joint Principal Private Secretary to The King
  • Sir Clive Alderton, Principal Private Secretary to The King and Queen
  • Tim Knox, Director of the Royal Collection
  • Lieutenant Colonel Stephen Segrave, Secretary of the Central Chancery of the Orders of Knighthood
  • Sarah Clarke, Lady Usher of the Black Rod
  • Paul Whybrew, Sergeant at Arms
  • Richard Thompson, Sergeant at Arms
  • Francis Dymoke, The Honourable The King’s Champion and bearer of the Royal Standard
  • Brigadier Andrew Jackson, Resident Governor of the Tower of London and Keeper of the Jewel House

The Queen’s Household

  • Sophie Densham, Private Secretary to The Queen
  • Major Oliver Plunket, Groom of the Robes to the Queen
  • Carlyn Chisholm, Baroness Chisholm of Owlpen, Queen’s Companion
  • Lady Sarah Keswick, Queen’s Companion
  • Lady Brooke, Queen’s Companion and Sir Francis Brooke Baronet, His Majesty’s Representative at Ascot
  • Sarah Troughton, Lord Lieutenant of Wiltshire and Queen’s Companion (the King’s second cousin), and her husband Peter Troughton
  • Jane von Westenholz, Queen’s Companion

Queen Elizabeth II’s Household

Notable Guests

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Unofficial Royalty’s Coronation Articles

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This article is the intellectual property of Unofficial Royalty and is NOT TO BE COPIED, EDITED, OR POSTED IN ANY FORM ON ANOTHER WEBSITE under any circumstances. It is permissible to use a link that directs to Unofficial Royalty.

Order of Service for the Coronation of the British Monarch

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2023

St. Dunstan, Archbishop of Canterbury crowns Edgar the Peaceful, King of the English Stained glass at Bath Abbey; Credit – By Jules & Jenny from Lincoln, UK https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=71397822

The coronation of the British monarch has its roots in the Kings of Wessex and the early Anglo-Saxon Kings of the English being installed on the Kings’ Stone or Coronation Stone which can still be seen in Kingston-upon-Thames, Surrey, England.

Coronation Stone in Kingston-upon-Thames, England; Credit – By Hellodavey1902 Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=94084918

For the coronation of Edgar the Peaceful, King of the English in 973, Saint Dunstan, Archbishop of Canterbury felt there was a need for a major ceremony similar to the coronations of the King of the Franks and the German Emperor. Although Edgar probably had a ceremony at Kingston-on-Thames, a coronation using Dunstan’s order of service was held for Edgar at Bath Abbey in Bath, England on May 11, 973. Since then, the main elements of the British coronation service and the form of the oath taken by the sovereign can be traced to the order of service devised by Saint Dunstan, Archbishop of Canterbury.

Although the coronation service, which takes place within the service for Holy Communion, has had translations, revisions, and modifications over the centuries, the sequence of taking an oath, anointing, investing of regalia, crowning, and enthronement found in the Anglo-Saxon original text has remained constant. The coronation involves six basic stages based on the coronation service written by Saint Dunstan, Archbishop of Canterbury used in 973 for King Edgar: The recognition, the oath, the anointing, the investiture/the crowning, the enthronement, and the homage.

What follows below is the basic order of service based upon past coronations. For more information, see the complete Orders of Service and the Unofficial Royaly articles for the last two coronations, linked below. In addition, after the sections dealing with the stages of the Coronation, there are short YouTube videos showing that stage from Queen Elizabeth II’s Coronation.

The Order of Service released by the Church of England on April 29, 2023, for coronation of King Charles III and Queen Camilla follows the six basic stages listed above but the text of the service is quite different from the text of past coronations. There have also been some changes in the Order of Service for King Charles III and Queen Consort Camilla’s coronation. For instance, Prince William, The Prince of Wales will be the only Prince of Blood Royal to do the Homage. You can see the order of service for the coronation of King Charles III and Queen Camilla at the following link:

Coronation of a King and Queen Consort

Coronation of a Monarch

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The Recognition

The Recognition of King George VI, 1937

The Recognition involves the presentation of the monarch to the people and dates back to ancient practices of the Witan, the king’s council of England during the Anglo-Saxon period. The Garter Principal King of Arms, the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Lord Chancellor, the Lord Great Chamberlain, the Lord High Constable, and the Earl Marshal all go to the east, south, west, and north of the coronation theatre. On each side of the coronation theatre, the Archbishop of Canterbury calls for the recognition of the monarch, with the words:

“Sirs, I here present unto you [name], your undoubted King/Queen. Wherefore all you who are come this day to do your homage and service, are you willing to do the same?” The People reply each time, “God Save King/Queen [name].”

The Oath

King Edward VII swearing the Oath, 1902

The monarch sits in the Chair of Estate. The Chairs of Estate for the monarch and queen consort, if there is one, are placed on the south side of the coronation theatre. These chairs are used during the first part of the service, before the monarch’s anointing and crowning. In the Oath, the monarch makes a series of promises: to reign according to the law, to exercise justice with mercy, and to maintain the Church of England. The Oath is administered by the Archbishop of Canterbury. The monarch proceeds to the altar and solemnly swears the Oath with his/her right hand on the Bible. Afterward, he/she kisses the Bible and signs the Oath.

Below is the Oath King Edgar took in 973, followed by the Oath Queen Elizabeth II took in 1953. Although Queen Elizabeth II’s Oath is longer, similar themes are obvious.

King Edgar’s 973 Oath

In the name of the Holy Trinity, I promise three things to the Christian people subject to me:

  • Firstly, that God’s church and all the Christian people of my dominions will be held in true peace
  • Secondly, I forbid robbery and all unlawful deeds by all ranks of men.
  • Thirdly, I promise and command justice and mercy in all judgments, in order that the gracious and merciful lord, who liveth and reigneth, may thereby forgive us all through his everlasting mercy.

Queen Elizabeth II’s 1953  Oath

The Archbishop of Canterbury asked The Queen these questions to which she responded, “I will.”

  • Will you solemnly promise and swear to govern the Peoples of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, the Union of South Africa, Pakistan and Ceylon, and of your Possessions and other Territories to any of them belonging or pertaining, according to their respective laws and customs?
  • Will you to your power cause Law and Justice, in Mercy, to be executed in all your judgments?
  • Will you to the utmost of your power maintain the Laws of God and the true profession of the Gospel?
  • Will you to the utmost of your power maintain in the United Kingdom the Protestant Reformed Religion established by law?
  • Will you maintain and preserve inviolably the settlement of the Church of England, and the doctrine, worship, discipline, and government thereof, as by law established in England?
  • And will you preserve unto the Bishops and Clergy of England, and to the Churches there committed to their charge, all such rights and privileges, as by law do or shall appertain to them or any of them?

The Anointing

The canopy is placed over Queen Elizabeth II for the anointing, 1953

During the most sacred part of the coronation, the monarch is anointed, blessed, and consecrated by the Archbishop of Canterbury. The choir sings Veni, Creator Spiritus (Come, Holy Spirit).

After some prayers, the choir sings one of the Coronation Anthems by George Frideric Handel, the rousing Zadok the Priest. Written for and first performed at the coronation of King George II, it has been sung at every coronation ever since. The words, taken from the Old Testament, are: “Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet anointed Solomon king; and all the people rejoiced and said: God save the king, Long live the king, May the king live forever. Amen. Hallelujah.”

During the singing of Zadok the Priest, the monarch is disrobed of his/her crimson robe, and as the anthem ends, the monarch is seated on the Coronation Chair, also called St. Edward’s Chair and King Edward’s Chair.

You can see a concert performance of Zadok the Priest with orchestra and choir at the link below.

Four Knights of the Garter hold a canopy over the monarch for privacy. There is no video or photographs of the anointing. The Dean of Westminster pours Holy Oil from the Ampulla into the Spoon. The Archbishop of Canterbury then anoints the monarch in the form of a cross on the palms of both hands, the breast, and the crown of the head.

The Investiture and The Crowning

The Crowning of Queen Elizabeth II, 1953

After being sanctified with Holy Oil and the Archbishop of Canterbury’s blessing, the monarch is dressed in the Colobium Sindonis, a sleeveless white garment, and the Supertunica, a robe of cloth of gold a long coat of gold that reaches to the ankles and has wide-flowing sleeves. While the monarch is sitting in the Coronation Chair, the Lord Great Chamberlain presents the Golden Spurs, a symbol of chivalry, and the Archbishop of Canterbury, assisted by the Archbishop of York, the Bishop of London, and the Bishop of Winchester, presents the monarch with the Sword of Offering. The monarch then goes to the altar, returns the sword to its scabbard, and sits down in the Coronation Chair.

The Dean of Westminster gives the Armills to the Archbishop of Canterbury, who says a prayer while putting the Armills on the monarch’s wrists. The monarch stands and the Robe Royal and Stole Royal are placed on top of the Supertunica. After the monarch sits back down in the Coronation Chair, the Sovereign’s Orb is brought from the altar by the Dean of Westminster and is delivered into the monarch’s right hand by the Archbishop of Canterbury. The monarch then gives the Orb to the Dean of Westminster who returns it to the altar.

The Archbishop of Canterbury places the Coronation Ring on the fourth finger of the monarch’s right hand. The Dean of Westminster brings the Sceptre with the Cross and the Sceptre with the Dove to the Archbishop of Canterbury, who puts it in the monarch’s hands.

The video below is titled The Holy Anointing but as noted above, there was no video or photographs of the anointing so little is seen. The video does show Queen Elizabeth II being clothed with Colobium Sindonis and the Supertunica, and receiving the Sword of Offering.

The congregation stands up and the Archbishop of Canterbury takes St. Edward’s Crown from the altar, then lays it back on the altar, and says a prayer. The Archbishop of Canterbury proceeds to the monarch who is sitting in the Coronation Chair. The Dean of Westminster brings the St. Edward’s Crown to the Archbishop of Canterbury who reverently puts the crown on the monarch’s head. The congregation repeatedly shouts, “God Save The King/Queen.” The princes and princesses, the peers and peeresses put on their coronets and caps. Trumpets sound and the great guns at the Tower of London are fired.

The Enthronement

After a blessing, the monarch goes to the throne and is lifted up into it by the archbishops and bishops, and other peers of the kingdom. The monarch will receive the Homage while seated in the throne.

The Homage

The Homage at the Coronation of King Edward VII, 1902

The Archbishop of Canterbury kneels down before the monarch while the rest of the Bishops kneel in their places and do their Homage together. As the Archbishop of Canterbury says the following, each Bishop also says it: “I <name>, Archbishop of Canterbury [Bishops say, I <name> Bishop of <place>] will be faithful and true, and faith and truth will bear unto you, our Sovereign Lord/ Lady, King/Queen of this Realm and Defender of the Faith, and unto your heirs and successors according to law. So help me God.”

The Royal Dukes and Princes of the Blood take off their coronets, kneel down before the monarch (this has been done individually or in a group with the senior Royal Duke of Prince of the Blood kneeling directly before the monarch), and pronounce the words of the Homage, “I <name> Prince, or Duke of <place> do become your Liege man of Life and Limb, and of earthly worship; and Faith and Truth I will bear unto you, to live and die, against all manner of Folks. So help me God.”

The most senior peer of each of the five ranks of peerage – Duke, Marquess, Earl, Viscount, and Baron – individually kneels before the monarch. The other peers who are in seats, in turn, kneel down, take off their coronets, and do their homage: the Dukes first by themselves, then the Marquesses, the Earls, the Viscounts, and the Barons. Each rank of the peerage, saying together, “I, <name> Duke, or Marquess, Earl, Viscount, Baron of <place> do become your liege man of Life and Limb, and of earthly worship; and Faith and Truth I will bear unto you, to live and die, against all manner of Folks. So help me God.

The Queen Consort’s Coronation

The Archbishop of Canterbury crowns Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Consort of King George VI, 1937

If there is a Queen Consort, her anointing and crowning happen after the Homage.

The queen consort goes to the steps of the altar, and supported by two bishops, kneels down on the faldstool (kneeler) placed before the High Altar. The Archbishop of Canterbury says a prayer asking God’s blessing upon the queen consort. Four peeresses hold a canopy over her for privacy. The Archbishop of Canterbury anoints the crown of the queen consort’s head and placed the Queen Consort’s Ring on her fourth finger on her right hand. The Archbishop of Canterbury then takes the Queen’s Crown – Queen Consort Camilla used Queen Mary’s Crown – from the high altar and reverently sets it upon the queen’s head, at which time, the princesses and peeresses put their coronets on their heads. The queen consort is then handed her Sceptre with the Cross and the Ivory Rod with the Dove, and walks over to her own throne beside the King, where she sits.

The Communion

Queen Victoria receiving Holy Communion at her Coronation, 1838 by Charles Robert Leslie

The monarch (and queen consort) kneels and takes Holy Communion during a service that includes a general confession and absolution, and, along with the people, the reciting of the Lord’s Prayer.

The Recess

Queen Elizabeth II wearing the Imperial State Crown and carrying the Orb and Sceptre with Cross leaves Westminster Abbey at the end of the Coronation Ceremony

The monarch (and queen consort) proceeds to St. Edward’s Chapel, directly behind the High Altar, and gives St. Edward’s Crown, the Sceptre, and the Rod to the Archbishop of Canterbury who lays them on the altar in the chapel. The monarch is disrobed of the Robe Royal and clothed in a Robe of purple velvet and the Imperial State Crown. The Archbishop of Canterbury puts the Sceptre with the Cross into his/her right hand and the Orb in his/her left hand. The monarch (and the queen consort still carrying her Sceptre with the Cross in her right hand and the Ivory Rod with the Dove in her left hand) leaves St. Edward’s Chapel to the singing of the National Anthem and then proceeds up the aisle.

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Works Cited

  • A Guide to Coronations (no date) Westminster Abbey. Available at: https://www.westminster-abbey.org/about-the-abbey/history/coronations-at-the-abbey/a-guide-to-coronations (Accessed: March 31, 2023).
  • A History of Coronations (no date) Westminster Abbey. Available at: https://www.westminster-abbey.org/about-the-abbey/history/coronations-at-the-abbey/a-history-of-coronations (Accessed: March 31, 2023).
  • Flantzer, Susan. (2023) Coronation of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth, Unofficial Royalty. Available at: https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/coronation-of-king-george-vi-and-queen-elizabeth/ (Accessed: March 31, 2023).
  • Flantzer, Susan. (2017) Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II, Unofficial Royalty. Available at: https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/june-2-1953-coronation-of-queen-elizabeth-ii-at-westminster-abbey/ (Accessed: March 31, 2023).
  • Keay, Anna. (2012) The Crown Jewels. London: Thames and Hudson, Historic Royal Palace.
  • Order of Service (no date) Westminster Abbey. Available at: https://www.westminster-abbey.org/about-the-abbey/history/coronations-at-the-abbey/spotlight-on-coronations/order-of-service (Accessed: March 31, 2023).
  • Strong, Roy. (2005, 2022) Coronation – A History of the British Monarchy. London: William Collins.
  • The Coronation of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth in 1937 (no date) Oremus. Available at: https://www.oremus.org/coronation/1937/ (Accessed: March 31, 2023).
  • The Form and Order of Service that is to be performed and the Ceremonies that are to be observed in the Coronation of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II (no date). Available at: http://www.oremus.org/liturgy/coronation/cor1953b.html (Accessed: March 31, 2023).