‘Eco-friendly’ King Charles to reuse historic garments for coronation
- The monarch will wear items such as a glove made for his grandfather, George VI, instead of having new ones made
- Much of the regalia dates back centuries, but Charles will also reuse some garments from more recent coronations
Britain’s King Charles, who has spent a lifetime campaigning for sustainability and against a throwaway economy, will wear clothing previously worn by his predecessors, including his mother and grandfather, for his coronation next week.
Charles, 74, will be crowned at London’s Westminster Abbey on May 6, during a grand ceremony at which he will wear or be handed regalia charged with religious and historical symbolism.
Many of those items, such as the crowns and sceptres, date back centuries, but Charles will also be reusing some garments that have appeared at coronations since 1821 “in the interests of sustainability and efficiency”, Buckingham Palace said on Monday.
Among the vestments to reappear will be the coronation glove made for his grandfather, George VI.
“We’ve got this wonderful, sustainable, eco-friendly king who’s reusing something rather than having a new glove,” said Deborah Moore, the chief executive of Dents, which made the glove with gold embroidery for George VI’s 1937 coronation.
“It’s also a little bit of heritage, a bit of looking back to the past for our very modern king,” said Moore, whose firm also made the glove for the 1953 coronation of Charles’ mother, Queen Elizabeth.
During the ceremony, the glove, made of white leather embroidered with gilt metal thread, is placed onto the right hand of the monarch during the ceremony as a reminder that the sovereign should exercise gentleness in raising taxes.