King Charles Has Sweet Memories of His Mother Queen Elizabeth’s Coronation Practice: ‘I Shall Never Forget’
TL;DR
- King Charles III was three on Queen Elizabeth’s coronation day in 1953 after she inherited the throne from her father upon his unexpected death.
- Charles still remembers watching his mother prepare for the historic event despite his young age.
- The king’s own coronation is just around the corner but has hit a few snags along the way.
King Charles III shared sweet memories of watching Queen Elizabeth II prepare for her 1953 coronation. As the time for Charles’ crowning ceremony draws closer, here’s what he recalled about his late mother’s big day.
Queen Elizabeth’s coronation day
King George VI died in his sleep after a long illness in 1952, and his oldest daughter became Queen Elizabeth II. Though she became the acting monarch immediately upon his death, as Charles did when she died, her coronation day did not come until June 2, 1953.
On the eve of the ceremony, the young queen made a broadcast announcement to make clear her commitment to her role. “Throughout all my life and with all my heart, I shall strive to be worthy of your trust,” she declared, according to the website for the royal family, Royal UK.
Her was the first televised coronation and an estimated 27 million people in Britain tuned in. Approximately 11 million more listened on the radio (Royal UK).
King Charles recalls Queen Elizabeth practicing wearing the crown before her coronation day
On Elizabeth’s coronation day, Charles was only three. Despite his youth, he recalled sweet memories of his mother preparing for the historic occasion during a BBC special, A Tribute to Her Majesty the Queen (via Daily Mail).
“I shall never forget when we were small, having a bath, and she came in practicing wearing the crown before the coronation,” the king said. He added, “All those sorts of marvelous moments, I shall never forget.”
Charles also shared his feeling that her loss will be “very difficult” as he prepares for his own coronation. “She was always there, I could talk to her about this, that, or the other,” he explained. “I think that’s always going to be something that will be very difficult not to have.”
King Charles’ coronation could be an indication of how his reign will go, according to a royal superstition
An old royal superstition dictates that a monarch’s coronation day will be an indication of their reign. In other words, any trouble on the big day could foreshadow more difficulties ahead. As such, Queen Elizabeth was supposedly determined to make sure her ceremony was perfectly planned to avoid mishaps.
Charles has faced a few blunders so far, including the bombshells about the family released by Prince Harry and Meghan Markle in the months after the queen died. Then there was the will they or won’t they over whether they would attend the king’s coronation. By the way, Harry will be attending without Meghan.
There was also the issue of finding a musical act after multiple artists declined, though that has been resolved.
