King Charles’ coronation is now just one week away. Millions of people will watch the historical day on television, and the streets of London will be packed with those wanting to get a glimpse of the new king and queen.
Of course, the entire Royal Family will be there, including future king Prince George. He’s set to have an honorable role during the coronation at Westminster Abbey, though there won’t be a rehearsal, if reports are to be believed.
Instead, his parents, Prince William and Kate Middleton are said to be helping him prepare as much as possible. According to one royal expert, they’ve gone about it in a rather creative way…
After months of speculation, it’s been made clear that Prince George will have a memorable part in his grandfather’s coronation. The future king, now second-in-line to the throne, will serve as a Page of Honor. That means holding King Charles and Queen Camilla’s robes during the ceremony – expected to be around two-and-a-half hours long – as they advance together through Westminster Abbey.
Prince George made Pages of Honor for King Charles coronation
As reported by the Mirror, the Pages of Honor will wear a scarlet frock coat with gold trimmings, a white waistcoat, hose, white gloves, black shoes, a lace cravat, and ruffles at the coronation.
There will be seven other pages alongside George, including three of Camilla’s grandchildren, Freddy Parker Bowles, Gus Lopes, and Louis Lopes.
“Throughout the Coronation Service on 6th May, Their Majesties will each be attended by four Pages of Honour. The Pages will form part of the procession through the Nave of Westminster Abbey,” a statement from Buckingham Palace read.
“The King’s Pages of Honour will be His Royal Highness Prince George of Wales, Lord Oliver Cholmondeley, Master Nicholas Barclay and Master Ralph Tollemache.”
Lord Oliver Cholmondeley, 13, is the son of former Lord Great Chamberlain David Cholmondeley, 62. Nicholas Barclay is the grandson of Camilla’s friend, Sarah Troughton, and finally, Ralph Tollemache, 12, is the son of Charles’s godson, Edward.
“The Queen Consort’s Pages of Honour will be Her Majesty’s grandsons, Master Gus and Master Louis Lopes and Master Freddy Parker Bowles, and Her Majesty’s great-nephew, Master Arthur Elliot,” the statement continued.
Buckingham Palace shared the official coronation invitation, which was sent to more than 2,000 guests, online. The invite was reportedly printed on a recycled card, a nod to King Charles’ passion for sustainability. It’s been a cause close to his heart throughout his entire life.
“The Coronation of Their Majesties King Charles III and Queen Camilla. 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 invite reads.
How William and Kate have prepared Prince George for coronation role
There is no doubt that King Charles and Queen Camilla will be the stars of the show on their big coronation day. But the fact that Prince George, the future king, will get such an honorable assignment shows that he is getting more and more responsibility as a member of the Royal Family, even though it will be many years before he’s expected to start working.
Naturally, many eyes will be on Prince George come coronation day. His is an honorable task, and to prepare him, Prince William and Kate Middleton are doing all they can.
While they both have reportedly argued about whether or not their eldest son was ready for a significant role in the coronation, the Prince and Princess of Wales have given him everything he needs. According to royal expert and author Ingrid Seward, he – along with his younger siblings –was given lessons of a sort.
“As one of four Pages of Honour, the nine-year-old will have had to learn about the six stages of his grandfather’s coronation in preparation for the big day,” Seward told the Mirror.
“Over the Easter holidays, Catherine will have been teaching not just George but all three of the children a simplified version of what they will be witnessing on the day.
“The recognition, the oath, the anointing, the investiture (which includes the crowning) the enthronement and the homage.”
Neither William nor Kate has been to a coronation, but they’ve received a detailed plan of how Charles’s big day will go down.
“He will have the last laugh over his friends”
So how does one teach young Prince George everything he needs to know? Well, parents have settled on an interesting method: using theater.
“By making it fun and by re-enacting parts of what their grandfather will be doing, both she and William hope George won’t be too daunted by his responsibilities,” Ingrid said.
“He will form part of the King’s Procession with the three others through the nave of Westminster Abbey.”
Moreover, William and Kate have used their computers to give their children a “virtual tour” of how Westminster Abbey will look on the day. As there isn’t any rehearsal for the coronation, George’s parents have been forced to get creative.
“If he can visualise where he is supposed to go and what to do, it will reduce any nerves he might feel being the youngest page. The other three boys are 13 and 12 respectively,” Seward explained.
The royal expert continued: “He will also have to get used to the idea of wearing the red-coated livery and lace of a page of honor, as I can’t see him going in a jacket and tie.”
“Prince Michael of Kent, who was 11 at the late Queen’s Coronation, recalls his buckle shoes and dark green velvet jacket and how his schoolfriends teased him about wearing ‘fancy dress.’ No doubt George has had a bit of teasing to,” Seward concluded.
“But on the day, he will have the last laugh over his friends. When they watch on TV he will be there and they won’t. He will certainly never forget it.”
While it was rumored for months that Prince George would be getting a significant role at the coronation, the young prince’s participation at his grandfather’s event reportedly sparked a “bit of an argument.”
William and Kate were worried over putting too much pressure on Prince George
One expert even claimed that Prince William and Kate Middleton were worried about the pressure being placed on the young royal’s shoulders.
According to royal commentator and author Tom Quinn, William and Kate were worried that the pressure might be too much for the young prince so early in his life.
“I’ve heard from my contacts that there is a bit of an argument going on about whether George should play a more formal role,” he told the Express. “I’ve heard that Kate and William are worried that it will be too much for him.”
A royal source also spoke with People about the possibility that William and Kate feel like they are putting too much pressure on their son.
They are “cognizant that he is old enough to understand what’s going on,” the royal source said. “But they’re mindful that normal life resumes when George is back at school with his classmates the following week, where the weekend’s events will likely be the talk of his classmates.”
Prince George will be joined by his siblings, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis, in the procession from and to Buckingham Palace. It’s reserved for the more senior members of the Royal Family – the same goes for the balcony appearance when they arrive back at Buckingham Palace.
Though William and Kate were said to have been worried about how a more prominent role at the coronation might negatively affect George, they appear to have softened their stances over the last few weeks. As per speculation, this was likely after their son showed a “deep interest” in his grandfather’s coronation.
“We’re all very excited about Prince George’s role in the coronation, it will be an incredibly special moment,” a Kensington Palace spokesperson said.
Of course, it’s not only William and Kate who get to be excited about Prince George’s role.
“A wonderful sign of the future”
King Charles is in charge and wants his grandson in a very prominent and honorable position. Not only because of their close bond, but also for the monarchy.
“The King is very keen to show those in the line of succession, his natural heirs, at the centre of his Coronation,” a royal insider told the Mirror.
“Even though he is only nine, George is very mature and already has a deep understanding of the roles of his grandfather and father, as well as his future role.”
The insider added: “This task is a wonderful sign of the future being laid out by the King.”
Meanwhile, Prince Charlotte and Prince Louis will not have any particular role in the coronation. The simple explanation is likely that they are too young. Nonetheless, the siblings will be there to see their grandfather symbolically crowned king. Charles officially became the ruling monarch after Queen Elizabeth II passed away.
Interestingly, the invitations to the coronation were not only beautifully designed but, more importantly, contained very significant wording.
Namely, they mark the first time Buckingham Palace has referred to Camilla as “Queen Camilla.” According to Buckingham Palace, Queen Consort is Camilla’s “rank,” while Queen will be her title.
May 6 is the historic day that King Charles is coronated in Westminster Abbey. For Prince George, it’s certain to be an occasion he will remember forever.
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