The Royal Regalia. How traditional?
Much will be made at the Coronation of King Charles of the historic nature of the crowns, gowns and baubles that are used.
The Coronation Chair which is one of three Charlie will sit in does indeed date back 700 years, although how much of the original remains is another matter.
However nearly all the rest of the items date back to 1660/1 because of an event that perhaps understandably is a little sensitive for the current King.
On 30th January 1649 his predecessor King Charles 1st was executed in Whitehall and a period of Parliamentary rule started.
The keeper of the King’s Jewels was sir Henry Mildmay who had been post since 1620 but astutely changed sides before 1649.
On 9th August 1649 Parliament looking to raise funds and seeing no further use for Royal Regalia ordered the jewels to be sold and gold items melted down and used for coins.
The only item to survive was the Royal spoon because, as now, no one was really sure what it was for
The Regalia was recreated in 1660/1 but the Royal Goldsmith Sir Robin Vyner at a cost of £12, 174 a huge sum today.
Hence the Royal Regalia on display at Westminster Abbey does indeed have a history, just one that its inconvenient to mention
Leave a Reply