Photos of the lavish, historical robes worn by King Charles III. (74) at his coronation on May 6 have been published in London. Accordingly, like his ancestors, he will wear a heavy, priest-like, golden robe. As “Mail Online” further reports, he will put on the shiny clothes layer by layer during the service in the coronation hall of Westminster Abbey.
For the investiture, at which the coronation takes place, Charles receives a long, shimmering gold coat, the so-called “supertunica”. This garment was designed in 1911 for his great-grandfather George V (1865-1936) and was worn at several coronations, including in 1953 by his mother, Queen Elizabeth II (1926-2022). Also known as the “Close Pall of Cloth of Gold”, the “supertunica” is made of gold cloth, that is, silk threads wrapped with thin pieces of gold and/or silver metal. It weighs about two kilograms and is embroidered with stylized arabesques and floral motifs.
A floor-length cloak, the so-called “Imperial Mantle” – or “Robe Royal” – is worn over the “supertunica”, made in 1821 for the extravagant ancestor of the king, George IV (1762-1830). The cloak is inspired by ancient coronation robes. Crafted from gold fabric, it features colorful motifs including fleur-de-lis in a nod to England’s ancient claim to France, as well as imperial eagles and national floral emblems of red-pink roses, blue thistles and green shamrocks. The coat weighs about three to four kilograms, plus for Charles the St. Edward’s crown weighs another 2.23 kilograms.
The heir to the throne, Prince William, 40, will play a role in the ceremony by entering the coronation hall to help hand over the mantle to his father.
Caroline de Guitaut, deputy director of collections of the King’s artworks for the Royal Collection Trust, described the garments as “absolutely resplendent” and the most important historical textiles in the royal collection. “You are the epitome of the coronation ceremony,” she said. They have been worn at numerous coronations and His Majesty the King follows this tradition by wearing these very old and historic robes again.
