At the coronation of King Charles III. For the first time a woman has taken over one of the great traditions: the head of the Privy Council, Penny Mordaunt, symbolically bought the jeweled state sword “Sword of Offering” – for 100 newly minted 50 pence coins with the likeness of the king. Mordaunt carried the sword in her capacity as President of the Council, a body of advisers to the king made up of senior elected politicians and senior officials.
Penny Mordaunt is a Conservative Tory politician who was Development Secretary and then Defense Secretary under Theresa May. The first woman in Britain to hold this post. She resigned in July 2019 when Boris Johnson became Prime Minister. Last year she tried twice to become party leader and thus prime minister – but failed in both attempts. She is currently leader of the British House of Commons and was appointed leader of the Privy Council in September 2022 by short-term Prime Minister Liz Truss.
Beforehand, she was particularly looking forward to the coronation, she told the US portal “Politico”: “It will be spectacular, it will be wonderful, and something that will make the whole country very proud.” The role of Sword Bearer is a special honor for the Conservative Tory politician. On Twitter, Mordaunt was praised for her walk: “It may all be a bit much, but Penny Mordaunt just delivers as a sword bearer,” writes one user, for example.
At the ceremony, the Archbishop of Canterbury blessed the sword, which was then carried by Mordaunt to the king. It was then hung on the monarch’s golden coronation belt. It was then removed and the King stepped forward to offer it to the Dean of Westminster, who placed it on the altar. In exchange for the coins, Mordaunt then got the sword back. She unsheathed it and wore it for the remainder of the service before the monarch. The small velvet pouch in which Mordaunt presented the coins was made for Charles’ grandfather’s coronation in 1937.
The weapon is one of the British Crown Jewels. It was made for the coronation of King George IV in 1821 and is considered the most beautiful sword in the world. The hilt is set with diamonds, rubies and emeralds, the scabbard is decorated with jeweled roses, thistles and shamrocks. The sword symbolizes royal power, but also the monarch’s acceptance of his duties.
Other sources: “Politico”, “Guardian”
