King Charles' Coronation Invitation Unveiled — How The Hidden Symbols Represent His Reign
By Fiyin Olowokandi on April 8, 2023 at 5:00 PM EDT
The official invitation for the coronation of King Charles III has finally been unveiled!
Following the death of Queen Elizabeth II, the longest-serving heir became the oldest person to ascend the British throne at 73. Formerly regarded as the Prince of Wales, Charles III shall be crowned King in an upcoming ceremony.
Two thousand lucky guests attend the highly-anticipated event, whose appearances will be confirmed by intricately designed invites. The colorful card celebrates the monarch's ascension with powerful symbolism representing his reign.
King Charles's Coronation Invitation Paid Tribute To His Sustainability Interests
On April 5, the Royal Family updated their official Instagram page with a carousel of historic coronation cards, including King Charles's specially illustrated invitation to the late Queen's 1953 crowning ceremony.
The slideshow's highlight was a picture of the monarch's upcoming coronation invitation. The breathtaking card featured an array of colors, giving off whimsical vibes with its carefully painted flowers and animal details.
The vibrant illustrations bore a striking resemblance to the beautifully crafted card for Queen Elizabeth's coronation. As stated in the picture, the former Prince of Wales was the only person to receive this hand-painted invitation as a child.
Designed with a young boy's interests, the card featured marching bands, trumpeting Grenadier Guards, a lion, and a unicorn, among other details. Like this 1953 invite, the monarch's coronation card honored his passion for environmental sustainability with many wildflowers and wildlife.
In line with the King's love for nature, the intricately designed artwork shall be distributed to two thousand guests on recycled paper with gold foil detailing. The invite was hand-painted in watercolor and gouache by Andrew Jamieson, a heraldic artist and manuscript illuminator.
The bright blue wording on the coronation card introduced Her Majesty Camilla as Queen instead of Queen Consort. The 75-year-old shall be crowned alongside her husband in the anticipated event at the Abbey Church of Westminster on May 6, 2023.
As shared by PEOPLE, the Head of the Commonwealth's invitation included several powerful symbols. At the center was the motif of the Green Man, "an ancient figure from British folklore, symbolic of spring and rebirth, to celebrate the new reign."
The British wildflower meadow was elaborately illustrated as the card's border. It included Lily of the Valley, cornflowers, wild strawberries, dog roses, bluebells, and a sprig of rosemary for remembrance, presumably in memory of the late Queen.
Incorporated in the flora design were wildlife, such as the animals on the royal couple's coats of arms — a lion, unicorn, and boar. A butterfly and bee also appeared amongst the flowers, grouped in threes to represent Charles's reign as the third monarch of his name.
In between Charles and Camilla's coats of arms, two birds were drawn perching on a giant letter C. The robin and wren represented rebirth and immortality, seemingly added to reflect the continuation of the late Queen's legacy.
Additionally, Her Majesty's coat of arms crest which featured a lion and a boar had been updated with a Garter. This came after her installment as a Royal Lady of the Order of the Garter last summer.
Spice Girls Joined The List Of Renowned Artists To Reject Performing At The King's Coronation
As previously shared by The Blast, King Charles's upcoming coronation faced some hiccups regarding finding the right performers to entertain guests. Despite being a historical event, artists were not lining up for the opportunity of a lifetime.
Spice Girls, a group that dominated the music industry in the 90s, were expected to make their anticipated reunion performance at the crowning ceremony. However, Mel B, Mel C, Geri Horner, Emma Bunton, and Victoria Beckham's schedules clashed with the event.
These entertainers joined the list of celebrities to back out of headlining the upcoming celebrations. Elton John and Harry Styles rejected the offer because of their "crazy-busy schedules" as the duo was separately touring the world.
Also, Adele and Ed Sheeran similarly bailed on the crowning ceremony despite being at the top of the monarch's list of wanted entertainers. The "Shape of You" singer explained that he could not accept the offer because of booked performances, while the "Easy on Me" songstress reportedly did not share a reason for declining.
According to a royal source, both rejections were a "shame" to the royal family as Adele and Sheeran were regarded as "titans of the showbiz industry" and "quintessentially British."
