King Charles recalls sweet family moments behind the Queen’s coronation

Coronations are a grandiose affair that marks the formal investiture of a monarch with regal power.

For those about to wear the crown, the expectation to perform flawlessly can induce anxiety in even the calmest of royals.

Having made it through the ceremony himself, King Charles III can now fondly recall how both he and his mother, the late Queen Elizabeth II, prepared for this monumental event.

The 76-year-old King shared the touching family anecdotes while appearing in a new documentary, Coronation Girls, which tells the tale of 50 young Canadian women who sailed to England and witnessed Queen Elizabeth II’s coronation in 1953.

The 90-minute documentary follows 12 of the women as they retrace their steps and their accidental meeting with King Charles as they visited Buckingham Palace in December 2023.

During the surprise encounter, Charles greeted each woman individually, making light-hearted comments about the practicalities of wearing the jewel-laden crown.

“It is much heavier and taller, so there’s always that feeling of feeling slightly anxious, in case it wobbles. You have to carry it, you have to look straight ahead,” he said.

He also recalled how his mother prepared for her own coronation. The then Prince Charles was only four years old at the time but he recalled those moments in sharp detail.

“I can remember quite a lot, yes, well, particularly what I was dressed in and what the barber did to me before,” he said.

“I remember it all so well then, because I remember my sister and I had bath time in the evening.

“My mama used to come up at bath time wearing the crown to practice. You have to get used to how heavy it is.

“I’ve never forgotten, I can still remember it vividly.”

He then explained why the Queen practiced wearing the ceremonial headdress in such unusual circumstances.

“It is very important to wear it for a certain amount of time, because you get used to it then. But the big one that you’re crowned with, the St Edward’s Crown, it weighs five pounds,” he said.

Luckily the Queen Mum helped the then Prince Charles understand what was happening.

“My grandmother explained things to me while I was there,” he said.

Charles recently reflected on his historic coronation with a moving video shared on social media of the monumental event.

Accompanying the video was a caption inviting followers to reminisce about their favourite moments from the coronation weekend.

“Today marks the first anniversary of The King and Queen’s Coronation in Westminster Abbey,” the caption read.

“As well as the service itself, the Coronation Weekend saw a carriage procession through central London, a fly-past, a Royal Salute by 4,000 troops in the gardens of Buckingham Palace, a Coronation Concert at Windsor Castle and a UK-wide volunteering initiative.

“What’s your favourite memory of the weekend?”

 

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Royal enthusiasts seized the opportunity to reflect on the significance of the occasion, with one admirer describing it as “monumental” and another expressing admiration for the Royal Family’s unity and resilience in the face of recent health challenges.