LONDON (Portal) – From traditional robes to statement headpieces, royals and guests wore a range of colorful outfits for the coronation of Britain’s King Charles III on Saturday, filling London’s Westminster Abbey with a mix of hues and designs.
The monarch arrived in the crimson velvet robe of state donated by his grandfather, King George VI. at his coronation in 1937, a crimson coronation tunic and cream silk overshirt with royal navy trousers.
He morphed into ceremonial regalia worn by his predecessors to be crowned: the full-length gold silk supertunic mantle and coronation sword belt, and above that the gold imperial mantle originally worn for the coronation of George IV in 1821 and the oldest was made robe in service.
A white leather glove embroidered with gilded metallic threads was placed on his right hand.
Charles was crowned with the historic St. Edward’s Crown, used since the coronation of King Charles II in 1661.
Queen Camilla arrived in the Robe of State, originally made for the late Queen Elizabeth in 1953, over an ivory gown embellished with silver and gold floral embroidery and designed by British couturier Bruce Oldfield.
Both left the abbey in purple robes of estate – Charles’ robes previously worn by George VI and Camilla’s robes designed by the Royal School of Needlework and embroidered with motifs of nature.
“For the first time, insects such as bees, butterflies, a beetle and a caterpillar are featured on the coronation robe, relating to the themes of nature and the environment and reflecting Their Majesties’ affection for nature,” said Buckingham Palace.
The Prince and Princess of Wales, William and Catherine, wore formal robes and mantles over their outfits, with the heir apparent in the ceremonial dress uniform of the Welsh Guards and his wife wearing a silver and crystal leaf headpiece rather than a tiara.
Both she and her daughter Charlotte wore ivory silk-crepe dresses embroidered with rose, thistle, daffodil and shamrock motifs – a nod to the four nations of the United Kingdom, designed by Alexander McQueen, the same label Kate launched for in 2011 chose her wedding dress.
Charles’ siblings also wore traditional robes, while his nieces – Princesses Beatrice, Eugenie, Zara and Lady Louise – wore fuchsia, blue and floral dresses or coats respectively.
His son Prince Harry, no longer a working royal, wore a morning dress.
Among the celebrity guests were actress Emma Thompson in a red coat adorned with rose patterns and US singer Katy Perry, who is set to perform at Sunday’s Coronation Concert in Windsor, dressed in a fitted purple short sleeve skirt suit with matching opera gloves and statement hat.
Veteran actresses Maggie Smith and Judi Dench, who have portrayed both Queen Elizabeth I and Queen Victoria on screen, chose different shades of blue.
Singers Nick Cave and Lionel Ritchie, who will also perform at Sunday’s concert, wore black three-piece suits, while actor Stephen Fry added a pop of color with a yellow vest.
There were traditional outfits from across the Commonwealth and colleagues wore red robes.
Colour-block outfits were also popular with American and French first ladies Jill Biden and Brigitte Macron in powder blue and light pink respectively, while Ukrainian first lady Olena Zelenska chose a matching sage-colored dress and coat.
Colorful statement hats and fascinators in fuchsia, orange and red peppered the abbey.
Reporting by Marie-Louise Gumuchian Editing by Alexandra Hudson
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