Charles III’s coronation: why a spoon and not a crown
carries more weight
Most items of regalia used for coronation are at most
350-years-old, but there is one notable exception
Caroline
Davies
Sun 9 Apr
2023 22.30 BST
https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2023/apr/09/charles-iii-coronation-regalia-spoon-crown
Jewel-encrusted
crowns, swords and sceptres may glitter the brightest at Charles III’s coronation,
but of all regalia the most significant from a historical perspective may be a
simple spoon.
When the
2,000 guests witness the crowning at Westminster Abbey on 6 May, the regalia –
sacred objects symbolising monarchical duties and powers – will play the part
they have played in this same theatre for almost 1,000 years.
Yet most of
these priceless objects are no older than 350 years, after the crown jewels
were destroyed, and the gold and silver melted down for coin, following the
English civil war and Charles I’s 1649 execution. They were recreated by the
royal goldsmith on the orders of Charles II in 1660-1 after the Restoration.
One rare
survivor is the silver-gilt coronation spoon, the oldest of all the regalia to
be used, details of which were released by Buckingham Palace on Sunday.
Dating from
the 12th century, the spoon – into which the chrism oil, consecrated at the
Holy Sepulchre church in Jerusalem, is poured before the anointing of the new
king and queen – survived Oliver Cromwell’s regalia purge.
It was sold
for 16 shillings to Clement Kynnersley, an official who looked after Charles
I’s wardrobe, then Cromwell’s. Kynnersley returned it – some say for a small
profit – for Charles II’s coronation. Thought to have first been supplied to
Henry II or Richard I, the spoon has an oval bowl divided into two lobes that
enables the archbishop of Canterbury to dip two fingers easily into the oil to
then makes crosses on the hands, breast and head of the new monarch.
“Although
perhaps the most humble in the [royal] collection it is the oldest … [and] is
the one real great survivor,” said Kathryn Jones, senior curator of decorative
arts at the Royal Collection Trust. Jones believes perhaps because it was just
a spoon, it was not automatically associated with a the grandest of royal
ceremonial occasions.
While the
spoon may be the oldest, one of the most controversial item of regalia may be
the queen consort’s rod with dove. Used in coronations since James II’s in
1685, the sceptre is made of ivory, with gold mount, is almost a metre long and
surmounted with an enamel dove, representing the holy spirit.
Reports it
would be absent from this coronation are unfounded, royal officials have said,
despite the controversy over ivory and the fact Prince William has reportedly
said in the past he would like to see all ivory owned by Buckingham Palace
destroyed.
Separately,
the government has announced new screening sites for the coronation, bringing
the total to 57. More than 32,000 coronation big lunch packs have been ordered,
with about 50,000 neighbourhood events planned, the Department for Digital,
Culture, Media and Sport said. The government’s official coronation website has
so far showed 1,030 public events/opportunities and 251 street parties or
private events registered on its interactive map by Easter Sunday morning.
Guide to coronation regalia and its significance
The Procession
Two silver
maces dating from 1660 and 1695 are carried before the monarch as ceremonial
emblems of his authority.
Also
carried is the golden St Edward’s staff (1660), thought to be associated with
Edward the Confessor. Three swords, which escaped the 1649 destruction, are
carried by peers, points upwards and unsheathed: the sword of temporal justice,
signifying the monarch’s role as head of the armed forces; the sword of
spiritual justice, signifying him as defender of the faith; and the sword of
mercy or curtana, which has a blunted tip, symbolising the sovereign’s mercy.
The swords were first used at the coronation of Charles I in 1626.
The sword
of state (1678) symbolising royal authority is carried before the monarch, and
is used after the coronation in place of the jewelled sword of offering, which
is kept with other regalia at the Tower of London.
The Anointing
Chrism oil
is poured from a solid-gold eagle-shaped ampulla (1661) into the coronation
spoon. The head of the eagle is removable and oil dispensed through a tiny hole
in the beak.
The Investiture
Gold spurs
are among objects given to the monarch during the ceremony since Richard the
Lionheart. They symbolise knightly values such as protecting the weak,
protecting the church, and bringing justice. These gold and red velvet spurs
were made for Charles II. Traditionally fastened to the sovereign’s feet, since
the Restoration they have simply been held to the ankles.
The
jewelled sword of offering is symbolically offered by the monarch at the high
altar, then bought back for 100 shillings. Made in 1820 for George IV, richly
decorated and adorned with diamonds, rubies and emeralds it has a blade of
blued and gilt steel.
Two
armills, gold bracelets with enamelled national symbols, are put around the
monarch’s wrists. Traditionally known as the Bracelets of Sincerity and Wisdom,
they date back to 1661.
The
Sovereign’s orb (1661), which is hollow and made of gold, is divided into three
sections, representative of the three continents known in medieval times.
Symbolic of the sovereign’s Christian power, it is placed into the right hand
of the monarch and moved to the high altar before the moment of crowning.
The
Sovereign ring is a symbol of dignity and faith. Made for William IV’s
coronation (1831), it features sapphire and rubies in the shape of St George’s
cross and surrounded by diamonds. The ring is placed on the monarch’s finger.
Sovereign
sceptre with cross. Made in 1661, it was adapted in 1910 to hold the huge
drop-shaped Cullinan I, or the Star of Africa, a 530.2-carat diamond. The
sceptre represents the sovereign’s temporal power and is associated with good
governance.
Sovereign’s
rod with dove. Traditionally known as “the rod of equity and mercy”, it is
symbolic of the spiritual power of the monarch. The enamelled dove represents
the holy spirit. This is placed in the left hand during the ceremony and held
for the crowning and enthronement.
The Crowning.
The St
Edward’s crown, named after Edward the Confessor, is only ever used for the
moment of crowning, and weighs nearly 2.28kg (5lbs). Made for Charles II in
1661 as a replacement for the medieval crown which had been melted down. Topped
with an orb and a cross, symbolising the Christian world, and is made up of a
solid gold frame set with rubies, amethysts, sapphires, garnet, topazes and
tourmalines.
The Queen Consort
The consort
undergoes her own coronation alongside the king though not on the same scale.
The queen consort’s ring, a ruby in a gold setting, made for the coronation of
King William IV and Queen Adelaide in 1831, is placed on her finger. The queen
consort’s rod with dove is symbolic of “equity and mercy“. The queen consort’s
sceptre with cross was originally supplied for the coronation of Mary of
Modena, Queen Consort of James II, in 1685.
Queen
Mary’s crown, chosen by the queen consort for the coronation, is the first
instance in modern times of an existing crown being used for the coronation of
the consort. Minor changes and additions to the crown for this occasion include
the removal of four half-arches, and the addition of the Cullinan III, IV and V
diamonds, which were part of Queen Elizabeth II’s personal jewellery
collection. The design was inspired by Queen Alexandra’s crown of 1902.
The Departure
At the end
of the coronation, the St Edward’s Crown is exchanged for the imperial state
crown. Made for George VI in 1937, this is the “working crown”. Set with 2,868
diamonds (of which the Cullinan II is the largest at 317.4 carats), 17
sapphires, 11 emeralds and 269 pearls. Also set with some of the most historic
jewels in the royal collection, including the 14th-century Black Prince ruby –
actually a spinel – which legend says was worn by Henry V to hold his helmet
plume at Agincourt, and the St Edward’s sapphire, which legend says was buried
with Edward the Confessor before being removed when he was moved to a new
shrine.
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