- Shun Koghlan
- Royal Affairs Correspondent
Restoration experts work to rehabilitate King Charles III’s coronation chair
A medieval chair is undergoing meticulous restoration in preparation for the coronation of King Charles IIImay be Described by restoration experts at Monastery Church andYWestminster thechair made of wood Oak This is what witnesses the coronation of kings 700 years ago that he “Too fragile.”
The painstaking restoration work aims to clean the chair and reinstall the fallen layers of gold, as the chair is part of the preparations for the coronation ceremony, which will be held in London on the sixth of May next.
According to Christa Blaisley, who is in charge of the restoration, the historic Coronation Chair, which has been the focus of the celebration for centuries, is a unique work of art, and that it is the oldest piece of furniture that has survived since then and is still used for the same purpose.
image copyright Duncan Stone
Following in the footsteps of his predecessor: King Charles III will be crowned by sitting in this chair
The chair was made by order of Edward I, who ruled from 1272 to 1307, and has been used in almost every coronation ceremony since then, and here the one responsible for the restoration, Christa Blaisley, indicates that the chair was not previously treated as an artifact in a museum, but was displayed For several damages, some of them severe. In the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, tourists and school students drew on the walls of the chair and engraved their names on it.
Among the letters inscribed on the chair on which King Charles III will be crowned are “B. Abbott slept in this chair 5-6 July 1800”. In 1914 the chair was bombed, attributed to suffragist protesters.
image copyright Duncan Stone
Subversive phrases etched on the back of the coronation chair
Belsley also points out that the coronation chair, which is composed of a complex structure of layers, is very fragile, and that the gold layers often peel off, and describes the difficulty of the task by pointing out that any slight change in humidity leads to the movement of wood and the structure of the complex layer, which necessitates the need to work on strengthening the structure. This month, and the possibility of strengthening it once more within two months, so that the chair is completely ready for the coronation ceremony.
Despite the challenges that Blaisley faces, she expresses her happiness and pride in working on this “wonderful craft model” coming from the Middle Ages, as well as discovering a design of fingers on the back of the chair.
In its original medieval form, the chair was covered in gold leaf, stained glass, and carvings of birds, foliage, animals, saints, and kings.
The Coronation Chair was designed to include the famous “Stone of Scone”, also known as the “Stone of Destiny”, which is a rectangular stone block that has great historical importance to the Scots. The stone currently in Edinburgh is expected to be returned to the Westminster Abbey Church to put it in its place The chair during the coronation.
image copyright Universal History Archive
The late Queen Elizabeth II at her coronation in 1953
Dr. George Gross of King’s College London is one of the participants in a research project on the history of coronations. He says that at the last coronation the Gothic chair with a high back was left uncovered, but he points out that in the Tudor and Stuart eras it was possible to cover the chair with luxurious gold cloth.
Given the strong religious connection to the coronation ceremony, Dr. Gross highlights the sacred status of the ancient chair as a deeply mystical relic, which gave it a great spiritual aura.
Details began to emerge regarding the coronation ceremony of King Charles III, which will include an anthem composed by Andrew Lloyd Webber and 12 new pieces of music specially composed for the ceremony. ) Controversial.
And while it is not yet known who will be invited to the ceremony, which is expected to be shorter and more inclusive and attended by regarding two thousand guests instead of the 8 thousand who attended the coronation of the late Queen in 1953, interest is now focused on whether Prince Harry and Megan, Duchess of Sussex will be. Among those present at the ceremony or not.
What we know regarding ATo be crowned so far:
Saturday, May 6th/ May: Ceremony thecoronation in church late AndYWestminster،AndCoronation procession،AndAppearance of The royal family of Buckingham Palace balcony.
Sunday 7 May/ MayConcert and light show at Windsor Castle، AndAccommodation Big lunch parties in the streets.
Monday, May 8th/ MayAdditional holiday for banks،AndEncourage people to participate in local volunteer projects.