Prince George performed flawlessly as his grandfather Charles III’s page of honor at his coronation in Westminster Abbey on May 6, 2023. A leading official role for the eldest son of the Prince and Princess of Wales, destined to also reign over the United Kingdom.
At the foot of the west door of Westminster Abbey, he waits patiently. Seeing him alight from the Diamond Jubilee carriage, he takes his place in the procession. On this Saturday, May 6, Prince George attends the coronation of his grandfather, King Charles III. At almost 10 years old, he is the youngest to have an official role during this historic ceremony, the first in 70 years. The eldest son of the Prince and Princess of Wales is indeed one of the four pages of honor of the sovereign, as Buckingham announced last April.
An unforgettable historic day
Shortly before 11 a.m. London time, the procession begins. With a serious face, Prince George enters Westminster Abbey. With his left hand, he wears the train of the coronation mantle. He is accompanied by Nicholas Barclay, Lord Oliver Cholmondeley and Ralph Tollemache, son of friends of Charles III. Just behind, the sovereign’s squire, Lieutenant-Colonel Jonathan Thompson, watches over the four young boys.
If Prince George has already participated in official events with the Windsors, this May 6 marks a new stage in his destiny as future king. Three days earlier, he had accompanied his parents, Kate and William, and his juniors, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis, to the last dress rehearsals.
Read also >> George, Charlotte and Louis take part in the dress rehearsal for the coronation of Charles III
“The King’s Pages of Honor wear a uniform first seen at the coronation of Edward VII in 1902. Their scarlet tunics are decorated with gold lace and blue velvet cuffs,” explains the Telegram. “They are worn with ivory silk satin waistcoats trimmed with gold braid, woolen trousers and boots. The uniforms were originally made by Ede and Ravenscroft during the reign of Elizabeth II and have been re-cut to the coronation”, specifies the British daily.
Once the nave has been reassembled, Prince George and the three other pages of honor take their place behind Charles III and Camilla, standing in front of their prie-dieu. Then the Archbishop of Canterbury invites the assembly to sit down. At around 11:10 a.m. London time, the young boys lead the Sovereign from the Coronation Throne to the State Throne, with Johnny Thompson still behind them to check that all is well. The king signs his oath, one of the highlights of the ceremony.
A few minutes later, Charles III kneels before the altar and pronounces the king’s prayer. His grandson, Nicholas Barclay, Lord Oliver Cholmondeley and Ralph Tollemache again hold the train of the coronation mantle and ensure that it is well disposed. Prince George, always so focused, takes his role very seriously. Seeing his grandfather being crowned is a moment he will never forget. After the ceremony, he will join his family on the Buckingham balcony to greet the millions of Britons gathered around the palace to celebrate this historic moment.
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