The coronation chair as a pendant or a pillow in the shape of a crown: for the coronation of King Charles III. (74) on May 6th, souvenir makers show a lot of creativity. Royal fans can gear up for the historic London event from magnets, keyrings to clothing. However, you sometimes have to dig deep into the tables.
The monarch himself offers “coronation gifts” through his private resident’s shop at Highgrove Gardens. The website says: “Highgrove Gardens have selected a collection of products to commemorate the coronation.” The cheapest item is a magnet for £2.50 (€2.80), the most expensive is a limited edition lithograph of Balmoral Castle for £3,500 (€3,966). A mug with a Westminster Abbey motif is available for £45 (€51), a “Coronation Teddy Bear” for £170 (€193), three chocolates for £15 (€17). After all, like all sales from the online shop, the proceeds are donated to charity. The “Highgrove Coronation Whiskey” for 295 pounds (334 euros) is already sold out.
Buckingham Palace is selling official historic event tableware in its online shop. It is described thus: “This commemorative collection is crafted from the finest English bone china and finished with 22k gold, creating a prestigious commemoration of this historic occasion.” The fine crockery is also advertised on the Instagram page of the royal house souvenir shop. Cost Point: £50 cup, £40 pill box. All proceeds from the Royal Collection Shop go to the Royal Collection Trust. This is used to maintain the royal art collections.
The Westminster Abbey shop has already reported delivery problems: “Due to the high order volume, please expect a delivery delay of two weeks. We cannot guarantee that your order will arrive before the coronation.” So royal fans have to worry about whether they will still be able to get a crown keychain for 4.95 pounds (5.10 euros) and a crown silver ring for 25 pounds (28 euros) by May 6th. The most expensive is a whiskey decanter set for £390 (€442) through the Westminster Abbey shop.
The British department store Marks and Spencer also senses big business, which offers everything from food such as sandwiches and cakes to “funny household goods” for the “real royal celebration”. On its Instagram page, the retailer advertises: “We have everything you need to celebrate the coronation in style.”
These include a soap set for £12.50 (€14), an LED candle for £10 (€11) and a £25 (€28) cushion with a Westminster Abbey motif and embedded LED lights.
The souvenir trade related to the royals has been going well in Great Britain for decades and is now an important pillar of the economy. When Queen Elizabeth II (1926-2022) married in 1947, handkerchiefs featuring the bride and groom’s portrait became a bestseller. Since then, the demand for articles related to the royal family has been unbroken. For the marriage of Prince Harry (38) and Duchess Meghan (41) in 2018, souvenir dealers expected income of 50 million pounds (56.7 million euros).
