Buckingham Palace is pleased to announce further details on the Ceremonial roles to be performed by individuals in the Coronation Service at Westminster Abbey.
The Ceremonial roles include bearing the Regalia in the Procession and presenting the items to Their Majesties. Those undertaking these historic roles in the Service have been chosen to recognise, thank and represent the Nation due to their significant service, and include representatives from Orders of Chivalry, the military and wider public life.
The first processions into Westminster Abbey will be made up of Faith Leaders and Faith Representatives followed shortly afterwards by representatives from His Majesty’s Realms. Flags of each Realm will be carried by national representatives accompanied by the Governors General and Prime Ministers. Bearing the Flag of the United Kingdom ahead of Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and Mrs Akshata Murty will be Cadet Warrant Officer Elliott Tyson-Lee, who said: “It is a great and incredible honour to be a part of Their Majesties’ Coronation Service as a representative of the Royal Air Force Air Cadets."
This will be followed by The Procession of The King and The Queen which will be led by the Marquess of Anglesey, the Duke of Westminster, the Earl of Caledon and the Earl of Dundee who will carry the Standards of the Quarterings of the Royal Arms and Standard of the Principality of Wales. Francis Dymoke will carry The Royal Standard.
Mr Dymoke’s claim to undertake a historic role in the Coronation was upheld by the Coronation Claims Office. The title of King or Queen’s Champion has been held by the Dymoke family since the Middle Ages. The King’s Champion would previously ride on horseback into the Coronation Banquet and challenge any who doubted the right of The King or Queen to the throne. There has not been a Coronation Banquet since that held by King George IV in 1821 so the Champion has instead undertaken a different role since, usually bearing a flag or Standard.
Also taking part in the procession will be Admiral Sir Tony Radakin, Chief of the Defence Staff, acting as Lord High Constable of England, an office held for the day only. Traditionally the Lord High Constable is a Great Officer of State and has historically been connected to the military. He will take part alongside the Earl Marshal, the Duke of Norfolk.
The Earl of Erroll will act as Lord High Constable of Scotland. Similar to that of Lord High Constable of England, this role has historically been connected to the military and the Earldom of Erroll through a Coronation claim. The Earl of Crawford and Balcarres will act as Deputy to the Great Steward of Scotland, HRH The Prince of Wales.
The following will then process to the altar carrying Her Majesty’s Regalia:
- Baroness (Helena) Kennedy of The Shaws – Carrying The Queen Consort's Rod
- General Sir Patrick Sanders – Carrying The Queen Consort's Sceptre
- The Duke of Wellington – Carrying Queen Mary’s Crown
- The Rt. Reverend and Rt. Hon the Lord Chartres– Carrying The Queen Consort's Ring
Lord Chartres said: “The ceremonies of the Coronation are ancient but they have been freshly interpreted for our contemporary world.”
The following will then process to the altar carrying His Majesty’s Regalia:
- General Sir Gordon Messenger, the Constable of HM Tower of London – Carrying St Edward’s Crown as Lord High Steward of England
- Baroness (Elizabeth) Manningham-Buller LG – Carrying St Edward's Staff
- The Duke of Buccleuch and Queensberry KT – Carrying the Sceptre with Cross
- Baroness (Floella) Benjamin OM – Carrying the Sceptre with the Dove
- Dame Elizabeth Anionwu OM – Carrying the Orb
- The Keeper of the Jewel House, Brigadier Andrew Jackson – Carrying The Sovereign’s Ring
- Petty Officer Amy Taylor – Carrying the Sword of Offering
- Lord Hastings and The Earl of Loudoun – Carrying the Spurs
- Lord President of the Council, Penny Mordaunt – Carrying the Sword of State in The King’s Procession
- Air Chief Marshal the Lord Peach – Carrying the Sword of Mercy (The Curtana)
- General the Lord Richards of Herstmonceux – Carrying the Sword of Spiritual Justice
- General the Lord Houghton of Richmond – Carrying the Sword of Temporal Justice
General Sir Gordon Messenger, the Lord High Steward of England, (also an office held for the day only) is the most senior Great Officer of State for the Coronation, in order to bear the St Edward’s Crown into the Abbey, the most significant item of Regalia. On carrying St Edward’s Crown, General Sir Gordon Messenger said: “It is a huge and unique honour to be appointed Lord High Steward for His Majesty’s Coronation. To be playing a key role on such an important and historic occasion is a source of great pride to me, my family, the Royal Marines, and the Tower of London community.”
Petty Officer Amy Taylor will be the first woman to bear the Jewelled Sword of Offering into the Abbey. She has been selected to represent Service men and women, as a Royal Navy Petty Officer, a tribute to His Majesty’s military career. She said: "Having served most of my senior career as an Aircraft Engineer on 845 Naval Air Squadron at RNAS Yeovilton where His Majesty originally trained and served as a pilot, I am deeply honoured and humbled to play my part in this historic event. Coming from a farming family His Majesty has always been such a great advocate for our community and someone I have admired growing up."
Baroness Benjamin and Dame Elizabeth Anionwu are amongst recent appointees to the Order of Merit, the final members to be chosen for the Order by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. Baroness Benjamin said: “I feel honoured and privileged to be part of the historic Coronation ceremony. To be selected to carry the Sovereign’s Sceptre with Dove, which represents spirituality, equity and mercy, is for me very symbolic as it’s everything I stand for and sends out a clear message that diversity and inclusion is being embraced."
Participating in the act of Recognition of His Majesty whereby His Majesty will be presented to the Congregation at the start of the Service will be:
The Archbishop of Canterbury, Baroness (Valerie) Amos LG, Lady Elish Angiolini LT, and Christopher Finney GC, Chair of the Victoria Cross and George Cross Association.
During the Coronation Service the Regalia will be presented to Their Majesties. Those presenting have been chosen on the advice of Government. Those presenting Regalia to His Majesty will be:
- The Lord Carrington, Lord Great Chamberlain – Presenting the Spurs
- The Lord (Syed) Kamall – Presenting the Armills
- Baroness (Gillian) Merron – Presenting the Robe Royal
- The Most Reverend John McDowell, the Church of Ireland Archbishop of Armagh – Presenting the Orb
- Lord (Narendra) Patel KT – Presenting the Ring
- Lord (Indarjit) Singh of Wimbledon – Presenting the Coronation Glove
- The Most Reverend Mark Strange, Bishop of Moray, Ross and Caithness, and Episcopal Primus of Scotland – Presenting the Sceptre with Cross
- The Most Reverend Andrew John, the Archbishop of Wales – Presenting the Sceptre with Dove
- The Archbishop of Canterbury – Performing the crowning with St Edward’s Crown
Those presenting Regalia to Her Majesty will be:
- The Rt. Reverend Rose Hudson-Wilkin CD, The Bishop of Dover – Presenting The Queen Consort's Rod
- The Rt. Reverend and Rt Hon. Lord Chartres – Presenting The Queen Consort's Sceptre with Cross
- Brigadier Andrew Jackson, The Keeper of the Jewel House at HM Tower of London – Presenting The Queen Consort's Ring
- The Archbishop of Canterbury – Performing the crowning with Queen Mary’s Crown
On presenting Regalia to Her Majesty, The Bishop of Dover said: “I am surprised, excited and honoured to have been asked to play a part in this historic once in a lifetime occasion. As I make my presentation, both Their Majesties will remain in my prayers as they seek to serve the nation and the Commonwealth.”
