5 fascinating facts about British royal coronations

Royal coronations are ceremonies commemorating the official ascension of a British monarch to the throne.

The ceremony is an amalgamation of political and religious rituals, with traditions dating back centuries.

One may wonder: what exactly happens in a coronation? Who is invited to these ceremonies?

To answer all these questions, here are five interesting facts about the British royal coronation ceremonies:

Location where the coronation takes place:

Royal coronations have taken place in Westminster Abbey since 1066, when William the Conqueror was first crowned there.

Westminster Abbey is an Anglican church in the City of Westminster, London, England.

It has been the sole location of the coronations of 39 English and British monarchs.

Moreover, Westminster Abbey is the burial site of many prominent historical figures such as Sir Isaac Newton, Charles Darwin, Charles Dickens, and more.

First coronation televised:

Queen Elizabeth II’s coronation was the first to be televised, taking place on June 2, 1953.

Almost 27 million people in the United Kingdom watched the event on television, while millions more tuned in on their radios.

Discreet details of the coronation:

There is a part in the coronation that is very sacred and kept hidden from the public.

The Act of Consecration is the most divine and solemn part of the ceremony, as this is when the Archbishop anoints the monarch with holy oil.

For those unversed, anointing is a ritual in which a religious leader applies aromatic oil to a person for a sacred purpose.

Difference between a Queen Consort and a King Consort:

The key difference between a queen consort and a king consort lies in their roles during the coronation.

When the new monarch is a queen, her husband (the consort) is not crowned or anointed during the coronation.

On the other hand, if the new monarch is a king, his wife (the consort) is also crowned.

Coronation guidebook:

There is even a guidebook for coronations, called the Liber Regalis, a Latin manuscript created in 1382.

The guidebook, used since the late 14th century, outlines the ceremony’s order of service.

Although some procedures have changed over the years, every coronation ceremony has followed the same basic structure mentioned in the book.