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The royal family has finally unveiled the invitation for King Charles III’s coronation. It’s a colorful and intricate card that represents a significant milestone in the royal family’s legacy. Here’s a closer look at the coronation invitation and a breakdown of the symbolism behind it. 

King Charles at a royal event
King Charles | HANNAH MCKAY/Contributor

Andrew Jamieson designed King Charles III’s coronation invitation

The royal family revealed King Charles III’s coronation invitation a month before the grand event. According to the Royal Family’s website, it will be printed on recycled paper. It is expected to be issued to nearly 2,000 guests, including members of the royal family, foreign dignitaries, and other VIPs who will attend the ceremony at Westminster Abbey. 

“The Coronation of Their Majesties King Charles III and Queen Camilla,” the invitation reads. “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.”

The card was designed by heraldic artist and manuscript illuminator Andrew Jamieson, a Brother of the Art Workers Guild — an institution the King is also an honorary member of. The south London-based artist told the Times that he used old chivalric themes as inspiration. 

“I came up with the concept of a wildflower meadow, inspired by medieval books of hours and tapestries, and the motif of a green man,” Jamieson explained. “Butterflies, birds, bees, anything you would see in a flower meadow. The official flowers, of course — the rose, shamrock, thistle, daffodil — and there’s a sprig of rosemary in there for remembrance as well as wild strawberries.”

The artist was sworn to secrecy when he learned he would design the invite. “The whole thing was absolutely ‘hush, hush,'” he recalled. 

The invitation features symbolic flowers and animals

King Charles’ coronation invitation is more in tune with nature than majesty. The floral border represents a British wildflower meadow and features clusters of flowers, each with its own symbolic meaning. 

The border includes roses to represent England; daffodils, which represent Wales; shamrocks for Ireland; and thistles for Scotland. The Lily of the Valley may be there to represent Queen Elizabeth’s favorite flower. Some of the flowers are grouped in bunches of three to reflect Charles as the third king of his name. 

The border also includes a butterfly, a bee, and small drawings of a lion, unicorn, and boar from the royal couple’s coats of arms. The bee symbolizes industry and diligence, while the butterfly represents transformation and metamorphosis. The lion and unicorn are symbols of England and Scotland, respectively. The boar is a symbol of bravery and strength.

A gold letter “C” featured on the border represents Charles’ name, and a second “C” made of green vines and flowers inside it may represent Queen Camilla. They are adorned with two birds — a robin and a wren. The birds symbolize rebirth and can also be considered a tribute to the King’s parents, Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip. 

Strawberries also adorn the card. This may also be a tribute to Queen Elizabeth II, as strawberries were her favorite fruit. She was known to eat strawberry jam every day. 

King Charles III’s coronation invite also features two coats of arms

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Along with the beauty and symbolism of nature, King Charles’ coronation invite also features notable symbols of the monarchy. Charles’ coat of arms — which he was given at the age of 13 — sits at the upper left corner of the card. It features a lion representing England, a harp symbol for Ireland, a unicorn for Scotland, and the Latin version of the phrase “God and my right.”

Queen Camilla’s coat of arms — which she received in 2015 — sits in the upper right corner. It features the same lion and harp from Charles’ crest but also includes a boar representing her father.

The coronation card features a ‘Green Man’ at the bottom

King Charles III’s coronation invitation card also features a “Green Man” figure, a symbol of rebirth and the renewal of nature. It’s a symbol that has been used in art and literature for centuries. 

The Green Man is often depicted with leaves and branches growing out of his mouth, symbolizing the power of nature to sustain life. As the Royal Family’s website details, the Green Man is also a symbol “to celebrate the new reign.” Its crown of natural foliage is “formed of leaves of oak, ivy, and hawthorn, and the emblematic flowers of the United Kingdom.”

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