King Charles‘ coronation is days away, and preparations for the ceremony revolve around the monarch’s love for the environment.
Before earning his seat on the British throne, the former Prince of Wales gained recognition for advocating the end of sustainability issues. While serving as heir apparent, the 74-year-old raised awareness about climate change and other environmental problems.
The philanthropist actively supported humanitarian and nature-based projects through his foundation, The Prince’s Charities. Once again proving his commitment to the green cause, the King reuses historical items on his big day instead of making new garments.
Blast From The Past — King Charles To Wear Coronation Vestments Used By His Predecessors
When the world tunes in to watch the highly-anticipated ceremony on May 6, viewers, especially those knowledgeable about the royal family, will take a trip down memory lane.
The monarch, who would be officially crowned in the Coronation Chair, will kill two birds with a stone at the upcoming event. Per reports, the King will pay tribute to his royal predecessors by reusing old vestments while incorporating his love for sustainability.
Some garments dating to crowning ceremonies as far back as 1821 were last worn by the 74-year-old’s mother, Queen Elizabeth II. The late monarch donned the historic robes during her 1953 coronation.
Apart from wearing the former Head of the Commonwealth’s robes, King Charles will adorn himself with other vestments from his predecessors. Addressing the King’s choice in a statement, Buckingham Palace revealed:
“Although it is customary for the Supertunica and the Imperial Mantle to be reused, His Majesty will also reuse the Colobium Sindonis, Coronation Sword Belt, and Coronation Glove worn by his grandfather King George VI in the interests of sustainability and efficiency.”
The Palace’s statement continued, “His Majesty will reuse vestments which featured in the Coronation Services of King George IV in 1821, King George V in 1911, King George VI in 1937, and Queen Elizabeth II in 1953.”
The historic pieces might be decades old, but their significance has not dwindled. For example, the Colobium Sindonis is crucial to the crowning ceremony. The white tunic, symbolizing the “purity before God,” would be used at the most sacred part of the coronation — the anointing.
The Colobium Sindonis shall be covered by the full-length, gold-embroidered Supertunica, on which the Imperial Mantle and the Stole Royal would be placed on top. After the crowning ceremony, Charles shall wear the Robe of State when entering Westminster Abbey.
These royal vestiges are not the only relics making a grand appearance at the 74-year-old’s coronation as Pope Francis also added a holy touch to the upcoming event. The sovereign of the Vatican City State blessed the King with a sacred gift in honor of his ascension.
The Head of the Catholic Church reportedly gave out two shards of wood removed from the “true cross.” The term is used to describe the original cross Jesus was crucified on centuries ago.
This holiest of gifts was described as the Bishop of Rome’s “personal coronation gift” to the King, and the splinters were added to the center of the Cross of Wales. This sacred object shall be used to lead the coronation procession at London’s Westminster Abbey.
Lionel Richie Promised To Give Fans The Best Performance At The King’s Coronation Concert
Last month, the headliners for King Charles’ coronation concert were unveiled and the legendary singer Lionel Richie was one of the big names. The ten-time AMA winner will perform at the May 7 event, a day the entertainer promised fans would never forget.
While attending the Breakthrough Awards ceremony in Los Angeles, the R&B icon raved about participating in the upcoming ceremony. “You don’t get in the business and say, ‘You know what? I’ll be at the King’s coronation.’ That never comes up,” the four-time Grammy winner gushed.
Sharing his gratitude to be a part of the King’s big day, the Tuskegee native said: “[It’s] A, a surprise. B, what an honor. And C, because of all the names he could have had for this, he called my name.”
The “All Night Long” artist claimed the concert would be a spectacular experience, promising his performance would beat the likes of other music legends. In the Oscar winner’s words:
“I want to see the pomp and circumstance because I don’t care what you thought Michael Jackson did. I don’t care what you thought Prince did. I don’t care what you thought Madonna did. Nothing’s going to be like this. This is glorious of superb right here.”
