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What will King Charles III wear and hold during his coronation?

King Charles III in front og a background of royal robes and crowns.
The King will wear a number of opulent items during his coronation (Pictures: Getty Images)

The Coronation of King Charles III is just weeks away.

Though the accession took place in September last year, the coronation will take place next month where King Charles will be crowned alongside Queen Camilla.

We now know what crown Camilla will wear for the historic ceremony, as it has been confirmed she will be coronated using Queen Mary’s Crown, but reset with the Cullinan III, IV and V diamonds.

A chaotic rehearsal for the coronation has taken place, with insiders suggesting there have been rows over the coronation route, confusion over tiaras, seating plans still yet to be arranged, and the rehearsal itself overrunning.

There was also mention of fears Charles could stumble over his elaborate robes during the ceremony – of which there are quite a few.

But what exactly is the monarch wearing during his coronation? Here’s what we know so far.

What will King Charles III wear for his coronation?

The King will don a number of spectacular robes as part of the coronation ceremony steeped in tradition.

Queen Elizabeth II during her coronation
Queen Elizabeth II wore a number of regal robes during her coronation (Picture: PA)

For each part of the ceremony, a different robe will be worn, each playing their own distinct role in the coronation.

These robes will include:

  • The Robe Of State, worn when entering Westminster Abbey
  • The Shroud Tunic, worn during part of the anointing
  • The Supertunica, which is worn during the investiture
  • The Robe Royal, which the monarch dons during the crowning
  • The Imperial Robe, worn at the conclusion of the ceremony

According to Historic UK, these robes are traditionally made new for each coronation, with the exception of the Supertunica and the Robe Royal, which have been worn since the coronation of George IV in 1821.

A page from the Liber Regalis
The Liber Regalis dictates the order in which each robe should be worn (Picture: Getty Images)

The order in which the robes are worn was established in 1308 for Edward II’s coronation and recorded in the Liber Regalis, also known at the Royal Book, which is now preserved at Westminster Abbey.

When entering Westminster Abbey, the King will wear the Robe Of State, which is also sometimes known as the Parliament Robe due to its role in each State Opening of Parliament.

It is traditionally a long crimson train made of velvet, adorned with handmade gold lace.

The Robe Of State is lined in regal ermine from Canada and also has a matching ermine cape.

Queen Elizabeth II in the Robe of State
Queen Elizabeth II wearing the Robe Of State during the State opening of Parliament (Picture: Tim Graham Photo Library via Getty Images)

Moving on to the anointing, the King will wear the Colobium Sindonie, which is Latin for Shroud Tunic, after all symbols of his status are removed.

This robe is plain and symbolises ‘divesting oneself of all worldly vanity, to stand bare before God’, according to Historic UK.

Moving on to the investiture, the Pallium Regale is work, also known as the Robe Royal.

This is the robe worn during the crowning and is embroidered with the national symbols of the home nations.

King Charles III will also wear the Supertunica over the Colobium Sindonie, but under the Pallium Regale.

King George V's Coronation Supertunica
The Supertunica was created for King George VI’s coronation (Picture: Getty Images)

The robe is inspired by the full dress consul uniform of the Byzantine Empire, and thus is made of golden silk and adorned with gold lace. It is also decorated with the national symbols of the home nations.

As the ceremony comes to an end, the final robe the King will wear is the Imperial Robe, also known as the Robe of Estate.

The opulent purple silk velvet robe is trimmed with Canadian ermine and, much like the Robe of State, also comes with an ermine cape.

It weighs a whopping 15lb and is adorned with a three-dimensional embroidered golden crown.

This is the robe that the King will wear as he prepares for the final exit and the Coronation Procession.

The Robe of State
The Robe of State worn by Queen Elizabeth II (Picture: Steve Finn/Getty Images)

Though the ceremony is packed full of symbology and tradition, a source has claimed the King will ditch wearing traditional silk stockings and breeches at the ceremony.

Another notable change could be that the King may opt to arrive at the service in his military uniform, which could be his main outfit for the ceremony, the Telegraph reported.

What crown will he be coronated with?

King Charles III will be crowned with the St Edward’s Crown, as is tradition for monarchs.

The solid gold St Edward’s Crown is often called the centrepiece of the Crown Jewels and will take centre stage with the King during the coronation.

St Edward's Crown
St Edward’s Crown is the crown the King will be coronated in (Picture: Jack Hill/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)

It was worn by the late Queen Elizabeth II, the King’s mother, during her own coronation in June 1953.

In December 2022, it was removed from its place among the Crown Jewels in the Tower of London to undergo ‘modification work’ ahead of the coronation, which was completed in February this year.

The monarch will wear two crowns for the coronation, later donning the Imperial Crown, one of the better-known crowns of the royal collection.

This crown dates back to 1937, and was made by jewellers Garrard & Company for the coronation of George VI.

The Imperial State Crown
The Imperial State Crown will also appear during the ceremony (Picture: PA)

It was featured during the lying in state and funeral procession of Queen Elizabeth II and is also present during every State Opening of Parliament.

What will the King hold during the ceremony?

During the investiture, the King will be handed the ceremonial objects.

These will include:

  • The Royal Orb – representing moral and religious authority
  • The Royal Sceptre – representing power
The Royal Orb and Sceptre
The Sovereign’s Orb and Sovereign’s Sceptre will be held by the King during the ceremony (Picture: The Print Collector/Heritage Images via Getty Images)

He will then be seated in the coronation chair, known as Edwards Chair, while holding these objects.

Following the ceremony, he will then leave the abbey while still holding the orb and sceptre.

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