The Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II

Posted on September 11, 2013 by barbara

2022 marks the 70th anniversary of the reign of Queen Elizabeth II. To put this into perspective, her great great grandmother Queen Victoria reigned for 64 years from 1837 to 1901. In this post, to honor this historic milestone, I will describe the various parts of the coronation ceremony of Queen Elizabeth II that took place in Westminster Abbey on June 2, 1953.

The Accession and Preparations for the Coronation

Upon the death of King George VI on February 6, 1952, his daughter, Elizabeth ascended to the throne and be proclaimed queen by the Privy Council. The formal coronation ceremony was not held until one year later since the festivities would be deemed inappropriate during the period of mourning that follows the death of the monarch. The coronation ceremony of Queen Elizabeth II was held more than a year after her accession.

In April 1952 the coronation committee, under the chairmanship of Prince Phillip the Duke of Edinburgh was formed to plan the coronation ceremony. The coronation was scheduled to take place on June 2, 1953 which would allow for 16 months of preparation time. Westminster Abbey was closed for several months while construction crews prepared the exterior and interior. Viewing stands were also built along the route from Buckingham Palace to the Abbey.

Sadly just a few weeks before the coronation day Queen Mary, the grandmother of Queen Elizabeth, died on March 24, 1953. Normally, there would be a long mourning period and the coronation would have been postponed for several months but according to the wishes expressed in the dowager Queen’s will she stated that her death should not affect the planned coronation and the event should precede as scheduled.

Rehearsals involving all participants were held in the days prior to the coronation date. Key members that would participate in the coronation rehearsed the different parts of the ceremony and the Queen took part in two full dress rehearsals just days before the coronation date. She had practiced the procession back at the palace with her maids of honor carrying a long sheet instead of the coronation robe that was being specially made for the occasion. The Queen also wore the Imperial State Crown during the days leading up to the event so that she could get used to the heavy weight of the crown.

The Coronation Ceremony

On coronation day in 1953 approximately three million people gathered on the streets of London. Journalists came from around the world to report on the festivities leading up to the coronation and for the first time in history the BBC was going to broadcast the coronation ceremony to more than twenty million viewers around the world. There had been considerable debate within the British Cabinet and Prime Minister Winston Churchill was opposed to the idea but Queen Elizabeth insisted that the event should be filmed for television.

The coronation ceremony for the monarch of England has taken place in Westminster Abbey since William I was crowned in 1066. At the time of his coronation centuries ago there was an older smaller church on the present site in the City of Westminster (London) prior to the building of the current large gothic cathedral. Most people will recognize Westminster Abbey as the place where Prince William married Catherine Middleton in April 2011.

Prior to the arrival of the Queen, various foreign royalty and heads of state arrived in a procession of carriages and one of the last to arrive to the Abbey was the Irish State Coach carrying the Queen Mother. Queen Elizabeth and Prince Phillip traveled in grand style from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Abbey in the Gold State Coach pulled by eight matching horses.

The Gold State Coach was built in 1762 and has been used in every coronation since King George IV; it is also used for other grand occasions such as most recently the royal wedding of Prince William and Catherine Middleton and the Diamond Jubilee. The coach weighs four tons and is 24 feet long and 12 feet high. The gold gilded enclosed coach features panels painted by Giovanni Cipriani and at the four corners are tritons that represent Britain’s imperial power and on the roof are three gilded cherubs that represent England, Ireland and Scotland. The interior of the coach is lined with velvet and satin.

The coronation ceremony for Queen Elizabeth II was performed by the Archbishop of Canterbury, who is the most senior cleric in the Church of England. Other clergy and peer members had additional roles and most of the participants are required to wear ceremonial robes or uniforms. Government officials and representatives from foreign countries along with members of the royal family and invited guests throughout England and the Commonwealth nations, approximately 8,000 guests were invited.

The Procession –

Finally with everyone assembled the coronation ceremony starts with the procession of the royal regalia. Preceding the Queen into the Abbey are the royal maces, three ceremonial swords representing mercy, spiritual and temporal justice, the Sword of State, St. Edward’s Staff and lastly St. Edward’s Crown. Normally the Sovereign enters wearing a traditional crimson surcoat, this is usually worn for the duration of the ceremony and the other coronation garments and robes are placed over it. Instead of a surcoat Queen Elizabeth entered the Abbey wearing her custom designed coronation gown made by Norman Hartnell and the Robe of State carried by her eight Maids of Honor.

The different sections of the coronation ceremony have largely remained unchanged over the centuries. After the procession, Queen Elizabeth arrives at the front of the Abbey, she kneels to pray and then sits in the Chair of Estate as the royal regalia is brought forward and placed on the altar. Then she moves to stand before King Edward’s Chair which is also known as the Coronation Chair.

The Coronation Chair was commissioned in 1296 for the coronation of King Edward I to hold the coronations stone of Scotland, also known as the Stone of Scone. The high back Gothic chair was carved in 1297 from oak which features four gilded lions that are the legs of the chair. Since 1308 all England sovereigns until 1603 and Great Britain thereafter have used the chair at their coronations, with the exception of Queen Mary I who was crowned in a chair given to her by the Pope and Mary II who was crowned in copy of the chair. In 1996 the Stone of Scone was returned to Scotland with the provision that it would be returned to the chair for the next coronation.

The Recognition –

During this section of the ceremony, the Archbishop along with the other clergy presents the Queen to the four corners of the coronation theatre, starting at the east, south, west and north. The congregation signifies their acknowledgement and shouts their joy. The Queen accepts their acclamations while standing in front of the Coronation Chair.

The Oath –

The Queen returns to the Chair of Estate and the Archbishop stands before her to ask her if she is prepared to take the Oath. Then, the Queen approaches the altar with the Sword of State being carried before her and with her right hand on the Bible she pledges to uphold the laws of the State and Church of England. Afterwards she kisses the Bible and signs the Oath.

The service continues with a reading from the Gospel by one of the Bishops followed by several hymns sung by the choir and the Archbishop will recite more prayers.

The Anointing –

The Queen rises and with the assistance of the Mistress of Robes she is dressed in an anointing gown made of plain white cloth that fastens in the back and is specially made to be worn over her coronation gown. The Queen once again moves to the Coronation Chair and four Knights of the Garter approach with a pall (canopy) made of silk to shield the public from this most sacred part of the coronation ceremony.

The Dean of Westminster takes the Ampulla and the Coronation Spoon from the Altar and with the Archbishop goes to stand before the Queen. The Dean pours the Holy Oil into the Spoon and the Archbishop anoints the hands, breast and head of the Queen. She then kneels and the Archbishop gives her a blessing. The Knights of the Garter remove the pall and walk away.

The Queen rises at with the aid of the Mistress of Robes she removes the anointing gown and replaces it with afresh clean tunic, known as the Colobium Sindonis. The Supertunica is put on and fastened with a Girdle and the Stole is draped over her shoulders and finally the Imperial Mantel. The Queen then returns to sit in the Coronation Chair.

The Investiture –

This is the portion of the coronation ceremony when more items of the royal regalia are presented to the Queen, such as the Spurs, the Sword of State, the Armills and the Orb. The Coronation Ring is also presented and placed on the fourth finger of the Queen’s right hand. Next the Sceptre with the Cross and the Rod with the Dove are given to the Queen.

The Crown –

Finally this is the part of the ceremony that is the most solemn. The Archbishop stands before the Altar and takes St. Edward’s Crown into his hands and says a prayer. He returns to the Queen sitting in the Coronation Chair and reverently raises the Crown over her head for a few moments and then slowly lowers it onto the Queen’s head. This act constitutes the actual crowning of the Sovereign who symbolically takes possession of the kingdom. As the Queen is being crowned, simultaneously the Princes, Princesses and Peers put on their crowns and coronets and a shout goes out among those gathered in the Abbey, “God Save the Queen”.

The Homage –

The Sceptre with the Cross and the Rod with the Dove are given to a peer to hold for the duration of the Homage. The first to pay homage to the Queen are the Archbishop and the other bishops who kneel before the Queen and pledge their support. Then the Duke of Edinburgh pays his homage, pledges his support and kisses the Queen’s left cheek. Next follow the other royal members and peers who have gathered to witness the coronation ceremony.

Just before Communion, the Queen will have the Crown removed and the Orb will be given to a peer to hold. After Communion the Queen will kneel before the Coronation Chair with the Duke of Edinburgh at her side, the Duke’s coronet will also be removed. The Archbishop will say several prayers and ends with a blessing for the royal couple.

The Recessional –

The Queen will go into the private chapel for a few minutes and as she returns she is now wearing the Imperial Crown. The Sceptre with the Cross is placed into her right hand and the Orb into her left hand. Then, the Queen will leave the Abbey as the congregation sings the National Anthem. The members of the Royal family, clergy and guests will slowly follow. Upon exiting the Abbey the Queen and Duke take their seats in the Gold State Coach and escorted by thousands of military personnel from around the Commonwealth they make their way back to Buckingham Palace through the streets of London.

The Coronation Wardrobe of Queen Elizabeth II

In 1953, for her coronation ceremony, Queen Elizabeth II worn a specially made gown designed by Norman Hartnell instead of the normal surcoat. The coronation gown was made of white silk with intricate embroidery of the floral symbols of the countries of the United Kingdom and Commonwealth Nations, including the English Tudor rose, a Scottish thistle, a Welsh leek, an Irish shamrock, a Canadian maple leaf, an Australian wattle flower, a New Zealand fern and a South African protea. Unknown to the Queen at the time, Hartnell cleverly had a four-leaf clover embroidered on the left side of the dress where Queen Elizabeth’s hand would touch it throughout the day

Over her gown, the Queen wore the Robe of State when she entered the Abbey for the coronation ceremony. Attached to the shoulders of the dress, the purple hand woven silk velvet robe was lined in ermine and had a train that was six yards long. The robe was beautifully embroidered with gold thread that featured a design of wheat and olive branches to represent peace and prosperity and the train ends with the Queen’s crowned cypher.

The Queen also wore the diamond Coronation Necklace and Earrings that were originally made in 1858 for the coronation of Queen Victoria. The Coronation necklace was also worn at the coronations of Queen Alexandra in 1901, Queen Mary in 1911 and Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother in 1937. At the time of the coronation in 1953 the necklace had 25 graduated cushion-cut diamonds set in silver with gold links and a large 22 carat diamond pendant known as the Lahore Diamond. The matching Coronation Earrings were also made in 1858 and consist of four cushion-cut diamonds and two drop diamond pendants that are approximately 12 and 7 carats each.

Prior to the start of the coronation ceremony on the journey from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Abbey, the Queen wore the Diamond Diadem. The George IV State Diadem was made in 1820 for the coronation of King George IV. The diadem includes 1333 diamonds, including a four-carat yellow diamond, and 169 pearls with a design that alternates between crosses and a floral design which incorporate roses, thistles and shamrocks which are the symbols of England, Scotland and Ireland.

The diadem was later worn by Queen Adelaide, the consort of King William IV. Queen Victoria inherited it in 1837 and she wore it at her coronation during the recessional from Westminster Abbey. Upon her death in 1901 the diadem was passed to a secession of Queen consorts; Queen Alexandra, Queen Mary and Queen Elizabeth. The diamen is now part of the Queen’s Personal Jewel Collection and is easily recognizable as it is worn by the current Queen on the postage stamps, coins and currency of England; it is also worn in the annual procession from Buckingham Palace to the State Opening Parliament.

England is the only European country that still uses royal regalia for the consecration ceremony of their king or queens. Some of these items are hundreds of years old and others more recent items were used in 1953 for the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II. (For more detailed information about the coronation regalia in the Crown Jewels collection please see last month’s post, The Crown Jewels of England – Part One)

Crown Jewels of England (Part Two)

Posted on September 4, 2013 by barbara

Last month I posted the Crown Jewels of England (Part One) that featured interesting information about the royal regalia that is used during the coronation ceremony of the British Monarch. Today’s post will have detailed information about a few of the other items in the royal collection, such as the Imperial State Crown, the Imperial Crown of India, the Queen Victoria’s small diamond crown and the Crown of Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother.

The Imperial State Crown

One of the most famous crowns in the royal collection is the Imperial State Crown. The original crown was made for Queen Victoria in 1838, but when the crown became un-repairable an exact copy was made in 1937 for the coronation of King George VI. Then in 1953, the crown was altered to fit the smaller head of Queen Elizabeth II.

The Imperial State Crown is made with a gold frame with four crosses, four fleurs-de-lis and two crossing arches that were lowered by about one inch to give the crown a more feminine appearance for Queen Elizabeth. At the top of the arches is a cross pattee and the crown includes 2,868 diamonds, 272 pearls, 17 sapphires, 11 emeralds and 5 rubies. Several of the stones are historically famous; such as two of the four dangling pearls were once worn by Queen Elizabeth I, in addition there is the Black Prince’s Ruby, St. Edward’s Sapphire and the Stuart Sapphire. The most famous gemstone in the Imperial State Crown is known as the Second Star of Africa which is the second largest stone cut from the world renowned Cullinan Diamond.

The Imperial State Crown is traditionally worn during the recessional of the Coronation ceremony when the monarch leaves Westminster Abbey. The Crown is also worn by the monarch for the annual State Opening of Parliament. Traditionally, the crown and other royal jewels worn for the occasion are transported to the Robing Room within the Parliament building and this is where the Crown, jewelry and royal robes are put on before the ceremony begins.

The Imperial Crown of India

The Imperial Crown of India was created for George V as the Emperor of India to wear at the Delphi Durbar in 1911. In theory, when the monarch is crowned during the coronation ceremony in Westminster Abbey in London he becomes king or queen of England and all the Commonwealth countries. But King George was advised by his ministers that his presence was need in India after the coronation and the Durbar was arranged but due to the tradition that the Crown Jewels are never to leave the United Kingdom this new crown was specially made for the occasion. Due to the heavy weight the Imperial Crown of India was never worn again.

The crown has a silver frame laminated in gold and set with 6,100 diamonds. The band is set with larger diamonds, emeralds and sapphires surrounded by more diamonds. Above the band are four cross pattee set with rubies and four fleur-de-lis with emeralds surrounded with even more diamonds. The eight half-arches are topped with a cross pattee with an emerald in the center, most British royal crowns traditionally have only four arches.

Queen Victoria’s Crown

Following the death of Prince Albert in 1861, Queen Victoria left London for the seclusion of her other homes and withdrew from any public engagements. Out of respect for her beloved husband, she wore mourning clothes for the rest of her life. Deciding that her elaborate jewels were not appropriate for her status as a widow, she had a smaller diamond crown made that was more suitable and usually wore it over a veil of Honiton lace. This is the image of the older Queen Victoria that is depicted in portraits, sculptures, photographs, coins and currency in the last decades of her reign.

The small crown, less than 4 inches in diameter was made in 1870, has a silver frame laminated in gold and wet with 1,187 diamonds. When Queen Victoria died in 1901, the crown was placed on her coffin as it traveled from Osborne House to the state funeral in London. Subsequently, the crown was worn by Queen Alexandra who later gave it to Queen Mary. In 1937, King George suggested that the crown should be added permanently to the display of Crown Jewels at the Tower of London and it has not been worn seen that time.

The Crown of Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother

For the coronation of King George VI in 1937, a special crown was made for the Queen Consort. The crown is made of platinum with a band set with diamonds with four alternating cross pattee and fluer-de-lis of four each and features four arches that are detachable which allows it to be worn as a circlet. This is how it was worn by the Queen Elizabeth for the State Openings of Parliament during the reign of George VI and also how it was worn in 1953 for the coronation of her daughter, Queen Elizabeth II.

The crown is set with 2800 diamonds; the most notable one is the 105 carat Koh-I-Nor diamond displayed in the middle of the front cross. The diamond was given to Queen Victoria in 1877 when she became Empress of India. The crown also contains the almost 23 carat Lahore Diamond which was given to Queen Victoria by the East India Company in 1851 and a 17 carat diamond that was also given to Queen Victoria by the Sultan of the Ottoman Empire in 1856.

In 2002 when Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother died at the age of 101 the crown was set on her coffin during her state funeral. The crown is now displayed with the Crown Jewels in the Tower of London.

Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother crown at funeral

For more information about additional items in the royal collection, please check out last month’s post, The Crown Jewels of England (Part One). In this post there is detailed information about the royal regalia used for the coronation ceremony of the English kings and queens since 1660.

Also, if you are interested in more information about the Royal Family and their jewels, please click on the links to the following posts: The Queen’s Jewelry Collection (Part One and Part Two) and the Cambridge Emeralds.

Crown Jewels of England (Part One)

Posted on August 27, 2013 by barbara

On a trip to England in 1998 we visited the Tower of London and were able to see the Crown Jewels of England. They are held in a high security section in a building known as the Jewel House. By definition, the Crown Jewels are the Coronation regalia used for the crowning ceremony of the English kings and queens since 1660. More items were added to the collection over the centuries to include additional crowns acquired by various English monarchs, ceremonial robes, church and banquet plate, medals, insignia and the Royal christening font which will be used shortly for the new Royal baby, HRH Prince George of Cambridge. (For additional information about this ceremony, please see this month’s Celebration post, A Royal Christening)

In this post, I will discuss the regalia used during the coronation ceremony which is traditional held at Westminster Abbey in London, England. (For information about the remaining items in the collection, please check out the Crown Jewels of England (Part Two). Britain is the only European monarchy to still use regalia for the consecration ceremony of their king or queens and these are considered the main items of the Crown Jewels collection. The coronation ceremony of the English monarch has taken place in Westminster Abbey since William I was crowned in 1066. At the time of his coronation centuries ago there was an older smaller church on the site in the City of Westminster (London) prior to the current large Gothic cathedral. Most people will recognize Westminster Abbey as the place where Prince William, the Duke of Cambridge married Catherine Middleton in April 2011.

During the coronation ceremony the Sovereign will wear several different robes and garments. The first item of clothing is normally a crimson surcoat and is worn for the duration of the ceremony under all the other robes. The Sovereign will enter Westminster Abbey wearing the surcoat under the Robe of State. In 1953, for her coronation Queen Elizabeth II worn a specially made gown designed by Norman Hartnell instead of the surcoat.

The coronation regalia items used in the first portion of the service are strictly ceremonial and are used only during the procession that precedes the Sovereign’s entrance into the Abbey. These items are listed below:

The Royal Maces – There are sixteen royal maces in the Crown Jewels collection but only two are carried into the Abbey on coronation day. Originally royal maces were used as protection weapons for the king’s sergeant of arms and later they developed into ceremonial staffs that represent royal authority. The maces are approximately 5 feet in length and the head of each is decorated with the royal arms, cyphers and symbols of the rose, thistle, harp and fluer-de-lys.

The Three Ceremonial Swords – There are a total of five swords used in the coronation ceremony. Three swords are used during the coronation procession into the Abbey; they are the Sword of Spiritual Justice, the Sword of Temporal Justice and the Sword of Mercy. The swords were originally made for Charles I coronation and are among the few items of the crown jewels that survived and were not melted down by Oliver Cromwell. The first two swords symbolize the Sovereign’s relationship with the church and the state. The third sword, known as Edward the Confessor’s Sword, has a blade that is broken and squared. This sword represents the quality of mercy and according to legend the tip was broken off by an angel to prevent a wrongful killing.

The Sword of State – This sword is the largest in the crown jewels collection and is carried during the procession into the Abbey and later exchanged for the Jeweled Sword of Offering during a later portion of the coronation ceremony. The sword dates back to 1678 and has a steel blade with a wooden velvet covered scabbard which is decorated with silver gilt floral symbols of the United Kingdom and features a crosspiece in the form of a lion and a unicorn. The Sword of State is also carried during the State Opening of Parliament.

St. Edward’s Staff – The original staff is traditionally thought to have been used by Edward the Confessor, but it did not survive when Oliver Cromwell melted down most of the crown jewels. In 1660 it was recreated for the coronation of Charles II and is carried in the procession but has no official function in the coronation ceremony. The plain gold rod comes in three sections with a steel spike at the end and is 56” in length and weighs 55 ounces.

After the procession, the Sovereign is formally introduced to the congregation and recites the coronation oath. Next, the Sovereign is dressed in an anointing gown made of plain white cloth that fastens in the back, and the Archbishop of Canterbury uses holy water to anoint the Sovereign’s hands, breast and head. The regalia items used in this portion of the coronation ceremony are listed below:

The Ampulla – which dates back to 1661, is a golden eagle flask which holds the consecrated holy oil which is poured into the coronation spoon to anoint the Sovereign.

The Coronation Spoon – The silver gilt spoon decorated with pearls is the oldest piece and dates back to St Edward coronation in 1349 when it was first recorded as part of the regalia.

After the anointing ceremony, the Sovereign puts on a fresh clean tunic, known as the colobium sindonis, which is a loose white sleeveless undergarment made of linen and edged with a lace border that opens at the sides. Between 1661 and 1838, new robes were customarily made for each monarch. Since Queen Victoria’s coronation, all her successors have worn the same robe. The following is a list of the other robes and garments worn during the investiture portion of the coronation ceremony:

The Supertunica – The Supertunica was made for the coronation of George V in 1911 and has been worn by George VI and Queen Elizabeth II. It is full length long sleeved gold silk garment which opens in the front and is lined with red silk which is fastened with an embroidered belt with a gold buckle decorated with roses, thistles and shamrocks.

The Stole – The Stole is worn over the Supertunica and is a long narrow band of gold silk, lined with red silk and fringed ends. Originally made for the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II in 1953, the Stole is embroidered in gold and colored threads and designed with symbols of the United Kingdom and Commonwealth.

The Imperial Mantle – The Imperial Mantle was made for the coronation of George IV in 1821 and is designed in the style of earlier ones worn by the Tudor and Stuart monarchs, it is worn over the Supertunica and the Stole. The Imperial Mantle is made of gold cloth, lined with red silk and woven with colored threads designed with a pattern of crowns, eagles, fleur-de-lis, roses, thistles and shamrock held together at the chest with a gold clasp in the form of an eagle.

During the final portion of the coronation ceremony, the Sovereign is presented with various regalia ornaments and these items are listed below:

The Jeweled Sword of Offerings – This sword is the only one actually presented to the Sovereign by the Archbishop of Canterbury during the coronation ceremony. Originally made for the coronation of George IV in 1911, the blade is made of steel with the hilt and the scabbard decorated with thousands of precious stones of diamonds, rubies and sapphires.

The Spurs – The Spurs date back to 1661 and were made for the coronation of Charles II. Currently the Spurs are presented to the Sovereign to represent knighthood and chivalry; for the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II the Spurs were briefly presented to her, never worn but symbolically placed on the altar. The golden spurs are each designed with Tudor roses with a spike in the center and narrow velvet straps are attached to the buckles with gold embroidery thread.

The Armills – The Armills are symbolic of the Sovereign’s sincerity and wisdom. For the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II, she was presented with 22 carat gold Armills that are lined in red velvet with Tudor rose clasps as a gift from the Commonwealth governments.

The Orbs – There are two orbs in the crown jewels regalia, the Sovereign’s Orb and Queen Mary II Orb. During the coronation ceremony, the Sovereign’s Orb is presented by the Archbishop and placed in the Sovereign’s right hand to represent supreme power and independent authority over the country; it was made for Charles II coronation in 1661 and has been used in all subsequent coronations. The Orb is a golden hallow sphere 6.5” in diameter and decorated with a band of precious stones and pearls across the center and a half-band across the top. As the Sovereign leaves the Abbey after the conclusion of the coronation ceremony the Orb is carried in their left hand.

The Queen Mary II Orb was made in 1689 for the coronation of William and Mary who came to the throne of England as equal King and Queen and reign jointly. Two sets of regalia were needed for their coronation and this second orb was made for Queen Mary II and is smaller in diameter at 5.75” and is also decorated with precious stones and pearls.

The Coronation Rings – There are two different coronation rings in the regalia, the Sovereign’s Ring and the Queen Consort’s Ring. During the coronation ceremony, the Sovereign’s Ring is place by the Archbishop on the fourth finger of the Sovereign’s right hand and represents kingly dignity. The ring was originally made for the coronation of William IV in 1831 and has been used at the subsequent coronations from Edward VII through Queen Elizabeth II. Queen Victoria had very small fingers so an exact replica of the Sovereign’s Ring was made in a smaller size for her coronation. The Sovereign’s Ring is an octagonal sapphire set in gold with an overlay of four rectangular cut and one square cut rubies finished with a border of diamonds and an additional diamond on each side of the band.

The Queen Consort’s Ring was made for Queen Adelaide in 1831 for the coronation of her husband William IV and has been worn subsequently by Queen Alexandra, Queen Mary and Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother. The Queen Consort’s Ring is a rectangular ruby set in gold surrounded by diamonds with smaller rubies decorating the sides of the band.

The Sovereign’s Sceptre with Cross – This sceptre, which symbolizes temporal power, is presented to the Sovereign near the end of the coronation ceremony and is held in their right hand. The Sovereign’s Sceptre with the Cross was originally made in 1661 for Charles II. For the coronation of George V it was redesigned to incorporate the Cullinan I which is the largest flawless cut diamond in the world at over 530 carats. (For additional information about the spectacular Cullinan diamonds used in the Sovereign’s Sceptre and the Imperial State Crown, please check out the Crown Jewels of England (Part Two).

The Sceptre with the Dove – The Sceptre with the Dove symbolizes spiritual power and is presented to the Sovereign to be held in their left hand.

Two additional scepters in the Crown Jewels regalia collection were used for the coronations when a queen consort is crowned, these include the smaller Queen Consort’s Sceptre with Cross and Ivory Rod Dove.

Finally the dramatic end of the coronation ceremony is when the Archbishop of Canterbury approaches the Sovereign, and solemnly holds the St. Edward’s Crown high for a few brief moments and then reverently places it upon the Sovereign’s head. This act constitutes the actual crowning of the Sovereign who symbolically takes possession of the kingdom and then receives the homage of the other royal members, peers and clergy who have gathered in Westminster Abbey to witness the coronation ceremony.

The St. Edward’s Crown – This crown is one of the most important pieces of the coronation regalia and was originally made in 1661. The St. Edward’s Crown is a solid gold frame formed in a circular designed with four crosses, four fluer-de-lis with two crossing arches topped with another cross. The crown has 444 precious stones, including diamonds, sapphires, amethysts and topazes; and weighs almost five pounds.

For more information about some of the remaining items in the royal collection, please check out the Crown Jewels of England (Part Two) which goes into details about such items as the Imperial State Crown, the George IV State Diadem, the Crown of Mary Modena, Queen Victoria’s small diamond crown and the Crown of Queen Elizabeth. Other items in the collection also include several tiaras, necklaces and earring sets and a variety of pins worn by the previous British Royal family.

Mary Poppins – the book, movie and play

Posted on August 26, 2013 by barbara

Today marks the theatrical release of the classic Disney movie, “Mary Poppins”, on August 26, 1964. Living in California at the time, I remember my Mom taking us to the premiere at the Grauman’s Chinese Theater in Hollywood. It was a star-studded event and seemed so glamorous and it was very exciting to see Julie Andrews and Dick Van Dyke the stars of the movie but the best part was seeing Walt Disney!! What a wonderful memory!!

Helen Lyndon Goff (born: August 9,1899 died: April 23,1996) was an Austrailian novelist, actress and writer that emigrated to England in 1924 where she wrote under the pen name P.L. Travers. In 1933 she began writing a first book in a series of children’s books about a magical English nanny called the Mary Poppins. The first book was published in 1934 followed by several more books throughout the years with the last book being published in 1989. Briefly, the story was about the Banks family who lived at Number 17 Cherry Tree Lane in London and their extraordinary nanny that blows into their lives on the winds of the east arriving with her carpetbag and umbrella with the parrot head handle. Quickly the children learn that Mary Poppins might appear to be stern, vain and very proper but she really has a magical quality that becomes apparent as the story unfolds. But, Mary Poppins is only there temporarily and when she is satisfied that her work has been done teaching the Banks family some important lessons she leaves just as suddenly as she first appeared on their doorstep but now leaves on the winds west.

Walt Disney attempted to purchase the film rights as early as 1938; his daughters had enjoyed the Mary Poppins books he had made a promise the story into a movie. Travers had long been resistant to any film adaptations of her Mary Poppins books and she had felt that a film version would not be able to do justice to the character and she definitely did not want an animated cartoon version. Finally in 1961 Disney had persuaded Travers to consent to granting the film rights with full script approval. Once Disney obtained the film rights to Mary Poppins the planning, composing the music and movie productions took over two years. Julie Andrew was cast as Mary Poppins and Dick Van Dyke as Bert the charming chimneysweep. The movie was based on the adventures of Mary Poppins and the Bank family that were taken from the first three books. The memorable songs in the movie were written by the famous Sherman Brothers, who can forget “Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious”.

Travers had a very rocky relationship with Disney and felt that she was treated in a discourteous manner at the film’ premiere and ultimately was dissatisfied with the 1964 movie specifically the animated portion of the movie and she refused to allow any of her other stories filmed. Travers eventually agreed to sell the stage rights to the London theater producer Cameron Mackintosh. The agreement given (per her will) was that only English-born writers, specifically no Americans and in particular no one involved in the previous film production, were to directly be involved in the creative process of the stage musical. The world premiere of the Disney Theatrical stage adaption took place at the Bristol Hippodrome in England in 2004 and later the production was moved to London’s West End were it ran for three years before closing in 2008. In 2006 the musical was performed on Broadway in the United States and the show ran until 2013. (Our family was very fortunate to see the musical performed by one of the national companies in 2009 at the Cadillac Theater in Chicago, IL – it was wonderful performance and thoroughly entertaining!)

Johnes family at Mary Poppins the musical

There is a great book called “Mary Poppins, She Wrote” by Valerie Lawson published in 2008 which is a biography about Travers. The book was originally published in 199 under the title, “Out of the Sky She Came”. The new Disney movie, “Saving Mr. Banks” starring Tom Hanks as Disney and Emma Thompson as Travers that is being released in December 2013 is based on this book. The movie shifts focus between Travers childhood years in Australia, then during the negotiation process with Disney and follows through with the making of the movie in the 1960s. The title of the book/movie refers to Travers father who was the inspiration for Mr. Banks.

“Mary Poppins” Disney Trivia

Originally Disney considered Mary Martin or Angela Lansbury for the part of Mary Poppins given the stern portrayal of the character in the books.
When Disney had seen Julie Andrews on the Ed Sullivan show in 1961 singing the songs from “Camelot” which she was currently starring in the Broadway musical productions and he knew that he might have his Mary Poppins. A month later Disney flew to New York to see Andrews backstage after one of her shows to speak with her about the movie. Andrews was reluctant, holding out for a part in the Warner Brothers movie adaption of “My Fair Lady”, and Disney invited her out to California to visit the Walt Disney Studios and consider the part. Still hesitate to play Mary Poppins she only agreed to play the role after Warner Brothers announced they had cast Audrey Hepburn in “My Fair Lady”.
Travers was very adamant that in the film version of her stories there should be no suggestion of any romance between Mary Poppins and Bert.
Over 100 glass and matte paintings were used in the film’s production to recreate the London skyline.
Prior to the premiere of “Mary Poppins”, the last time Disney attended a movie premiere was in 1937 for “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs”.
Walt Disney regarded “Mary Poppins” as one of the finest achievements of his movie career.
At the 1964 Golden Globes Awards, Julie Andrews won the Best Actress award for “Mary Poppins” and in her acceptance speech she very sweetly “thanked” Jack Warner for his faith in her, this was a subtle yet classy jab at him for not casting her in the movie “My Fair Lady”. Andrews also won the Oscar for Best Actress at the 1964 Academy Awards.
Some of the filming of the 2001 Disney movie “Princess Diaries”, in which Julie Andrew played Queen Clarisse Renald, was shot on the same Disney sound stage in Burbank that “Mary Poppins” was filmed. There is a plaque on the soundstage to commemorate the 1964 musical.
At Disneyland in Anaheim, CA there is the King Arthur Carrousel in Fantasyland. The lead horse is named Jingles with beautiful carvings that include straps of jingle bells hanging from her saddle, she was Walt’s favorite. The horse is very similar to the one that Mary Poppins rides in the fantasy section of the movie. For Disneyland’s 50th anniversary in 2005 Jingles was repainted entirely in gold and trimmed in 18k gold leaf.

Then later Jingles received a refurbishment the saddle decoration details were painted on the saddle blanket with ironic parrot head umbrella from Mary Poppins. On the knee pad of Jingles there is a crest that is divided into four sections with a monogram “JA” (for Julie Andrews), a robin perched at the top high button shoes, the silhouette of Mary Poppins flying and the number 50 for the 50 Magical Years of this original Disneyland attraction. Jingles was officially dedicated to Julie Andrews in 2008 as “Honorary Ambassador to Disneyland and the title is painted beneath the Hidden Mickey on the horses’ saddle.

Personal Note: Disney characters can be found daily throughout Disneyland and they will stop to greet guests and sign autographs. While we were visiting Disneyland in 2005 we saw the characters of Mary Poppins and Bert. Cassie approached them for their autograph and Mary Poppins had her sit on her lap and she started singing “Feed the Birds” from the movie – it was such a sweet and wonderful moment and this is the photo taken on that day!

Ray Bradbury’s Birthday

Posted on August 20, 2013 by jeff0006

Hello everyone! Barbara has graciously allowed me to write another guest post, this time about one of my favorite science fiction writers, Ray Bradbury.

Ray Douglas Bradbury (Born: August 20, 1920 – Died: June 5, 2012) was an American writer. Born Waukegan, Illinois Ray’s father struggled to find work in the depression era and the family moved between Tucson Arizona and Waukegan until 1934 when they moved to Los Angeles.

Ray was an avid reader and started writing his own stories when he was 11 and established a discipline of writing every day when he was 12. He soon discovered magic and would have become a magician but he loved writing more. When the family moved to Los Angeles, Ray attended Los Angeles High School where he participated in the Drama Club. He would roller-skate all over Hollywood in hopes of meeting such greats as Ray Harryhausen (eventually best man at his wedding), master of stop motion animation and George Burns who gave him his first paying job writing for the Burns and Allen show at the age of 14.

During his early career he wrote short stories for various magazines. In 1938, at 18 years old he was invited to join the Los Angeles Science Fiction Society where he met Robert A Heinlein and Fredric Brown. He also wrote plays for Laraine Day’s Wilshire Players Guild. He became a close friend of Charles Addams who illustrated Bradbury’s stories about the Elliotts, a family who resembled the Addams Family. Another friend was Gene Roddenberry who asked him to write for Star Trek, which he never did stating “he never had the ability to adapt other people’s ideas into any sensible form.” (Playboy Interview 1996)

Over his career Ray Bradbury wrote over 500 literary works in many genres including science fiction, horror, psychological realism. There are many novels, but in my mind he is the master of short stories. The Martian Chronicles, The Illustrated Man, and Dandelion Wine, some of Bradbury’s greatest works are sets of packaged short stories. One of his few full length novels is Something Wicked This Way Comes.

Many of his stories were made into movies and he hosted the Ray Bradbury Theater which performed theatrical adaptions of 65 of his short stories. He also co-founded the Pandemonium Theatre Company which produced a number of his works. He received many awards over his life including an Emmy for “The Halloween Tree”, a special citation from the Pulitzer Board, the National Medal of Arts Award and many Lifetime Achievement awards. He was honored in the 85th Academy Awards in the “In Memoriam” section after his death in 2013..

Ray lived at home until he married Marguerite McClure in 1947, the only woman he ever dated. They had four children and remained together until her death in 2003. It is interesting that although Ray Bradbury was a science fiction writer and foresaw the future he was also a noted technophobe. He never drove a car and distrusted the internet, computers, and ATM machines.

My favorite work of his is Fahrenheit 451 which was first published in 1953. It started as a short story called “The Fireman” published in 1951. Ray weaves the story of the human condition where we are bombarded by senseless television, drive so fast on the freeway that signs need to be 200 feet long and there is no respect for life. The government wages a propaganda war banning all books that are considered “disruptive” and firemen burn unauthorized books along with any building they are found in and sometimes the occupants. Guy Montag, a fireman, meets an “odd” girl who likes looking at the stars and actually holding conversations and he starts feeling there is something wrong with the system. In the book’s climax he is chased through the streets by a mechanical hound while the city watches on TV. He escapes across a river, but in order to save face the government kills an innocent man who is walking (not an approved activity). Across the river Guy meets a band of “hobos”, the intellectuals of the country who fled to avoid persecution and are waiting for the population to realize their mistakes and embrace the old ways.

The first of two interesting facts about Fahrenheit 451 is that 451 degrees is the temperature that paper burns at. The second is that when Ray was negotiating the licensing rights to Fahrenheit 451 to be produced as an audio book he insisted on a clause that any library could have a free copy of the audiobook for distribution to it’s customers.

I hope you enjoyed this guest post. I look forward to any questions or comments!

Jeff Jones

The Enchanted Manor

a lifestyle blog by Barbara Jones

Category Archives: Miscellaneous

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