The impending coronation of King Charles in Britain is drawing near, as Buckingham Palace recently shared an elaborate invitation to the ceremony with the press. The invitation, designed by heraldic artist and manuscript illuminator Andrew Jamieson, is a stunning white card adorned with flowers and symbols related to the royal family, surrounding the card on all four sides. The invitation, which will be printed on recycled paper, features hand-painted watercolor illustrations using gouache.
The letter on the invitation reads: ‘The Coronation of Their Majesties King Charles III and Queen Camilla. By command of the King the Earl Marshal is directed to invite [name] to be present at the Abbey Church of Westminster on the 6th day of May 2023.’
Upon close inspection, the invitation reveals two birds perched on the letter C, representing the coats of arms of King Charles and Queen Camilla. Additionally, the invitation indicates that Queen Camilla has received a status update, as she is now designated as the highest in command after King Charles. Her crest has been updated to reflect her status as a Royal Lady of the Order of the Garter.
The floral border on the invitation is not just abstract, but intentionally designed to resemble a British wildflower meadow, featuring lily of the valley, cornflowers, wild strawberries, dog roses, and bluebells, along with a sprig of rosemary for remembrance. The flowers are arranged in bunches of three, symbolizing that Charles is the third King of his name. The floral illustrations also incorporate butterflies, bees, a lion, a unicorn, and a boar from the coats of arms of the royal couple.
The invitation further includes an illustration of the Green Man, an ancient figure from British folklore symbolizing spring and rebirth, celebrating the new reign, according to the palace.
Notably, there is no information on whether King Charles’ younger son, Prince Harry, and his wife Meghan Markle will be attending the event, as the couple has been publicly at odds with the royal family, accusing the ‘institution’ of being racist and unfair towards them. Prince William, Charles’ elder son and heir to the throne, along with his wife Kate Middleton, is expected to take a leading role in the coronation ceremony.
Post Your Comments