The coronation has received new information, such as special roles for Prince George and Queen Camilla’s grandsons, a change in her official title, and a first look at the official invitation.
The announcements coincide with the release of a stunning new portrait of the King and Queen by Buckingham Palace to commemorate one month until their big day on May 6.
Photo: Hugo Burnand
The royal couple can be seen standing close to one another and grinning broadly for the camera in this March photo taken in the Palace’s Blue Drawing Room. Camilla matches her husband’s outfit by donning a blue Fiona Clare dress with a diamond clasp necklace. Charles is dressed in a navy blue pinstripe suit with a patterned tie.
Camilla’s ‘new’ title
In a recent development, Camilla’s “Consort” title has been removed from the official invitations, allowing her to be referred to going forward as simply Queen Camilla.
In the months following the late Queen’s passing, a royal source told HELLO! that it “made sense” to refer to her as Queen Consort, but that “Queen Camilla” is the proper title to set against “King Charles” on the invitation.
It’s appropriate to start referring to “Queen Camilla” in official capacities after the coronation.
Clarence House announced that Camilla Parker Bowles would be referred to as Princess Consort when Prince Charles eventually became King at the time of their 2005 wedding.
However, the late Queen Elizabeth II expressed her “sincere wish that, when that time comes, Camilla will be known as Queen Consort as she continues to her own loyal service” in a message to mark the beginning of her Platinum Jubilee year on February 6, 2017. But after the coronation, the Palace will adhere to the rules established by earlier royal consorts like Queen Alexandra, Queen Mary, and Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother.
First look at the coronation invitation
The official invitation for the ceremony, created by Andrew Jamieson, a heraldic artist, manuscript illuminator, and Brother of the Art Workers’ Guild, of which The King is an Honorary Member, bears a change in Camilla’s title.
Before being distributed to about 2,000 guests, the original watercolour and gouache design will be copied and printed on recycled card with gold foil detailing.
The Green Man, an ancient figure from British folklore who represents spring and rebirth and is used as a motif to commemorate the new reign, is at its center. The United Kingdom’s national flowers—the rose, thistle, and daffodil—as well as natural foliage made of oak, ivy, and hawthorn leaves crown the figure.
Photo: Getty Images
A British wildflower meadow that surrounds the invitation pays homage to the King’s love of the natural world with lily of the valley, cornflowers, wild strawberries, dog roses, bluebells, and a sprig of rosemary for remembrance, as well as other wildlife like a bee, a butterfly, a ladybird, a wren, and a robin. Three flowers appear together to represent The King becoming the third monarch to bear his name.
From the King and Queen’s coats of arms, a lion, a unicorn, and a boar can be seen among the flowers. Following her installation as a Royal Lady of the Order of the Garter last summer, Her Majesty’s arms are now protected by the Garter.
Prince George’s role at the coronation
According to Buckingham Palace, Prince George and the Queen Camilla’s grandsons will play significant roles during the Coronation on May 6.
The second-in-line to the throne, who is nine years old, is one of the four Pages of Honor to the King, alongside Lord Oliver Cholmondeley, 13, Nicholas Barclay, 13, and Ralph Tollemache, 12, who are friends’ kids.
Her grandsons Gus and Louis Lopes, 13, Freddy Parker Bowles, 12, and her great-nephew Arthur Elliot, 11, will serve as the Queen’s Pages of Honor in the meantime.
The procession through the nave of Westminster Abbey will include the pages carrying the lengthy trains of the ceremonial robes worn by the King and Queen Consort.
Photo: Rex
Teenage sons of the nobility are typically given the title of “Page of Honor,” and they participate in important royal ceremonies like coronations and the State Opening of Parliament.
They typically dress in a scarlet frock coat with gold trimmings, a white satin waistcoat, breeches and hose, white gloves, black buckled shoes, a lace cravat and ruffles, and other traditional attire.
Prince George, the eldest child of the Prince and Princess of Wales, has previously performed the role of pageboy at the royal nuptials of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex and Princess Eugenie to Jack Brooksbank, but this will be his largest-scale public appearance to date.
Queen Camilla’s grandson’s roles at the coronation
The grandsons of Queen Camilla will also be making their most well-known appearance to date; up until this point, their parents have kept them out of the limelight.
Freddy is a child of her son Tom Parker Bowles and his ex-wife Sara Buys, while Gus and Louis are twin sons of her daughter Laura and her husband Harry Lopes. Ben Elliot and his wife Mary-Clare have a son named Arthur. Ben is Camilla’s nephew.
Eliza Lopes, 15, and Lola Parker Bowles, 15, are her granddaughters, but it is unknown if they will play any roles.
Photo: Rex
The Marquess and Marchioness of Cholmondeley, David and Rose, who reside in Norfolk close to the Prince and Princess of Wales, are the parents of Lord Oliver Cholmondeley. The Marquess was previously a page of honor to Queen Elizabeth II and served as her Lord Great Chamberlain from 1990 until her passing in September.
The granddaughter of Sarah Troughton, a close friend and companion of the Queen, is Nicholas Barclay.
Edward Tollemache, who was also the King’s godson and a page of honor, is the father of Ralph Tollemache.
