WhenKing Charlesis officially crowned during his coronation ceremony on May 6, he will be seated upon centuries of British history.
For over 700 years, theCoronation Chairhas been integral to marking the beginning of a new monarch’s reign, providing a centerpiece for the crowning of royals like Henry VIII, Elizabeth I and Charles' mother,Queen ElizabethII.
The Coronation Chair and the Stone of Scone were kept together for hundreds of years — and endured several traumas, including a bombing and robbery — until the stone was returned to Scotland in 1996.
Currently, the Coronation Chair is undergoingsignificant conservation workahead of King Charles' crowning, where it will be reunited with the Stone of Scone for the ceremony. Because the stone is now kept in Scotland, it wastransported to Westminster Abbeyfor the coronation.
In addition to the Coronation Chair,several other ceremonial chairs of historical significance, including the Chairs of Estate, Throne Chairs and some of the Congregation Chairs, will be used for the crowning. According to a press release from Buckingham Palace, King Charles and Queen Camilla will sit in the Chairs of Estate for the early parts of the service and the Queen Consort’s coronation before moving to the Throne Chairs for the Enthroning and the Homage.
Ahead of King Charles' May 6 coronation, here’s everything to know about the Stone of Scone and Coronation Chair on which he will be crowned.
What is the Stone of Scone?
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What is the history of the Stone of Scone?
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While the legend of the Stone of Scone traveling across continents was widely believed for many years, geologists who have studied the stone have disproven many of the surrounding beliefs. According toHistoric Environment Scotland, a public research institution based in Edinburgh, Scotland, the stone underwent a technical examination in 1998.
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In 1924, Scottish politician David Kirkwood brought a bill toparliamentproposing the stone’s return, but it was ultimately turned down. Then in 1950, a group of Scottish students broke into Westminster Abbey and successfully stole the stone. They drove the relic back to Scotland, where it was briefly on display at Arbroath Abbey. British police ultimately returned the stone to England. The group was charged, but not prosecuted, with criminal activity.
In July 1996, around 700 years after the stone was originally stolen, Prime MinisterJohn Majorannounced that it would finally be returned to Scotland. The announcement came as a surprise to many. On Nov. 15, 1996, the stone was officially handed over at the border between England and Scotland, perCNN.
For King Charles' coronation, the stone will temporarily return to England, where it will be placed in the Coronation Chair.
What is the Coronation Chair?
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Constructed out of oak, the chair was covered in gold leaf to appear as if it were made of solid gold. It was also intricately decorated with colored glass and painted with patterns of birds and foliage. A figure of Edward I with a lion at his feet was also painted on the back, though it has long since faded. In the early 16th century, gilded lions were placed on each corner at the base of the chair, though the base was later replaced during the 18th century.
Though it was not originally designed to be a Coronation Chair, the piece was first used in the coronation of Henry IV in 1399 and became part of the ceremony from then on. Originally, the Stone of Scone was placed uncovered at the base of the chair, and monarchs sat on the stone itself until a platform was added during the 17th century.
Over the years, the chair has gone through several renovations. “It has suffered occasionally over its lifetime, there is graffiti on the back from local schoolboys and visitors carving their names in the 18th and 19th centuries, and a bomb attack in 1914 knocked a small corner off it,” a Westminster Abbey official said in a March 2023 release. The chair also lost its primary function — housing the Stone of Scone — when the stone was returned to Scotland in 1996.
Which other royal coronations used the Stone of Scone?
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After the stone was brought to England, it was used during the coronations of British monarchs, includingQueen Elizabeth’s crowningin 1953.
Where are the Stone of Scone and Coronation Chair kept?
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When the Stone of Scone was first given back to Scotland in 1996, it was displayed in the Crown Room ofEdinburgh Castle, where the public could view it for a fee. In 2019, the Scottish Government opened a discussion with the public as to whether the stone should remain at Edinburgh Castle or be featured in a new museum in Perth, Scotland. In December 2020,Scotland’s First MinisterNicola Sturgeonannounced that the stone would be transferred to thePerth Museum, which is set to open in the spring of 2024.
As for the Coronation Chair, the piece is kept behind glass at St. George’s Chapel, located in the Abbey’s Nave. Since its creation, the chair has only been removed from Westminster Abbey twice — once for a ceremony in 1653 and once out of security concerns during World War II.
source: people.com
