King Charles and Camilla’s coronation robes
King Charles and Camilla, the Queen Consort, will each wear two robes during their coronation. Camilla will first wear the Robe of State that Queen Elizabeth wore to her coronation in 1953. She will then change into a personalized Robe of Estate whose details are rife with meaning.
For the first time, according to the royal family’s website, the Robe of Estate will include designs of insects. The stitching will consist of bees and a beetle, each representing “Their Majesties’ affection for the natural world.”
Continuing with the natural-world theme, the robe includes several plants and flowers.
King Charles III will wear the same vestments his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, wore during her coronation — the Supertunica and the Imperial Mantle.
During the investiture, Charles will wear an embroidered Supertunica made of gold silk. Over that garment, he will wear the Imperial Mantle made for King George IV in 1821.
“Both the Supertunica and the Imperial Mantle were last worn at the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II, on 2nd June, 1953, so they haven’t been worn for 70 years. As part of our care of items in the collection, obviously they’re very carefully looked after,” said Caroline de Guitaut, Deputy surveyor of The King’s Works of Art for the Royal Collection Trust. “So, a very long tradition of re-wearing these two pieces, and that is what gives them incredible symbolism and of course their great significance and sense of place in history.”
Over the golden Supertunica, Charles will wear the Imperial Mantle made for King George IV in 1821.
