Green symbols to restore the king’s image

An ordinary spinach quiche as the signature dish of a royal coronation? Invitations on recycled cardboard that look like an ode to flora and the environment? Cruelty-free anointing oil? Symbols have always been used to consolidate and carry royal power, and are clearly still at the forefront of a 2023 version coronation, with a monarch who seems to want to avoid controversy, and above all, to appear disconnected from his people.

Charles III puts on his royal clothes at a time when indignation is served daily and when one scandal does not wait for another on social networks.

To restore the image of a flayed monarchy whose usefulness was called into question long before his accession to the throne, Charles III gives the impression of having thought out each fragment of a coronation without too much pomp, where recycling and the environment are in the spotlight.

There is great attention to detail, a search for “the balance between centuries-old traditions, but with a modern twist”, summed up royal historian Carolyn Harris.

There will be far fewer guests than at the coronation of his mother, Queen Elizabeth II — there were 8,000 of them, whereas the king only invited 2,200 people — a shorter procession, fewer aristocrats in his ranks and more diversity, she notes. In 1953 it was “a celebration of Britain’s elite”.

But on May 6, the ceremony will be “a celebration for the people”.

There is also this effort to avoid pomp so as not to appear disconnected from the people, notes the historian and author, who also teaches at the University of Toronto and Queen’s University.

While the tradition for the Queen is to order a new crown from the silversmiths, Queen Consort Camilla has chosen to “reuse one” that once belonged to Queen Mary. This decision also allows him to avoid the so-called “queen mother” crown, set with the gigantic but controversial Koh-i-Noor diamond, repeatedly claimed by India.

The crowning dish, a modest spinach and bean quiche, is an inexpensive meal that citizens who are struggling to feed themselves with rampant inflation will be able to afford. Queen Elizabeth II had made fashionable the coronation chickenwhich has since become a staple of British cuisine.

“There have been criticisms of monarchs in the past that have been deemed too extravagant,” says Ms.^me Harris. King George IV wore a lavish coronation cloak similar to that of Emperor Napoleon and hosted an extravagant banquet that cost the equivalent of today’s million pounds. But his successor, William IV, bucked the trend with modest celebrations — earning him the nickname “the half-crowned king,” she says.

“It’s really about finding a balance. »

But for Brian Cowan, professor of history at McGill University, even if the monarch wants to give the impression of being frugal, it is a waste of time.

“It’s not going to work,” he exclaimed in an interview. Royal ceremonies are inherently magnificent and display splendour. They’re supposed to be like that. »

And then, he argues, this displayed frugality “probably serves to deflect questions about the accumulation of wealth by the royal family” and the tax exemptions from which it benefits.

An eco-king

Through the symbols he puts forward, Charles III seems to want to establish his trademark by positioning himself as a king who cares about the environment and ecology. This does not date from today: in 1970, more than 50 years ago, he delivered a message in which he worried about the quantity of waste polluting the environment and denounced the use of plastic.

On the invitation to the coronation, he dropped the usual monarchical symbols – the scepter and the orb, used in particular by his mother – perceived by many as a reminder of the yoke of authority and enslavement. Instead, he opted for an elegant floral display with the central figure “The Green Man,” an ancient folkloric character who personifies nature and the renewal of spring, Buckingham Palace reported. The invitations were also printed on recycled cardboard.

In addition, “in the interest of sustainable development”, Their Majesties have chosen to reuse ceremonial chairs that have been used in previous coronations, writes the palace, showing the photo of a craftsman busy restoring them. Ditto for the king’s ceremonial coats, which have already been worn: respect for tradition, without waste.

“All of this is to project the image of an environmentally conscious monarchy,” Professor Cowan notes. “Monarchs are well aware of their public relations role. That’s their job, actually,” he added.

Animal protection has also been a source of concern: the quiche was chosen in particular because it is a dish that can be slightly modified to be vegetarian or even vegan.

And for the first time in history, the holy oil used for the anointing will be “without animal products”. Usually, there was ambergris from whale intestines or civet glands. Whether or not the coronation cloaks will sport the usual ermine cape remains to be seen, since fur is also a target of animal rights groups.

For King Charles III, “there is this desire to avoid controversy, but also to reflect its values, such as the protection of the environment and biodiversity”, explains Ms.^me Harris.

“Royalties will stay relevant by being engaged on issues that transcend the political cycle,” with monarchs usually staying in office much longer than prime ministers. “And they think in terms of future generations.

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