The Robe of State (also known as the Parliament Robe) is a robe worn by the British monarch on state occasions. A monarch typically has a robe made for their coronation and reuses it when attending the State Opening of Parliament at the start of each legislative session. Traditionally the robes have an ermine cape with a long train made of crimson coloured velvet, trimmed in gold lace and lined with ermine.
The Robe of State is worn by the monarch for their entrance into Westminster Abbey for their coronation. It is worn subsequently for the State Opening of Parliament and from this association derives its alternative name of Parliament Robe. Recent kings Edward VII, George V and George VI all wore the Cap of State in conjunction with the robe at their coronations but Charles III may chose not to do so. [1] The Robe of State remains in place during Recognition, Acclamation, the administering of the Coronation Oath and the first part of the service of Communion. [2]
The Robe of State is removed for the Anointing ceremony, during which the monarch wears the plain Colobium sindonis ("shroud tunic") to symbolise they are divesting themselves of worldly vanity. The monarch later dons the Supertunica, Robe Royal and Imperial Robe for the final parts of the ceremony. [3] During the Coronation the monarch is enrobed by the Lord Great Chamberlain who is assisted by the Groom of the Robes and the Master of the Robes. [2]
A new Robe of State is often commissioned ahead of each coronation. They are traditionally in the same style, a waist-length ermine cape with a long crimson velvet train, lined with ermine and trimmed in gold lace. [4]
George III's Robe of State was made by Ede and Ravenscroft and was formed of 36 yards (33 m) of red velvet and 116 yards (106 m) of gold lace and was worn over a suit made from cloth of gold. The Robe was 104 centimetres (41 in) wide and 471.5 centimetres (185.6 in) long. [5]
The Robe of State for the coronation of Queen Victoria was made by John Hunter and cost £643 8s 9d. [6] The robe was re-used by Elizabeth II for her first state opening of parliament, before she had her own robe made for her coronation. [7]
George V wore the Robe of State of his father, Edward VII, for his first state opening of parliament but a new Robe of State was made for his 1911 coronation. This was made by Wilkinsons of Maddox Street, London. [8]
The Robe of State of George VI was of crimson velvet, trimmed in ermine and with a border of gold lace. [9] The robe was draped over the King's coffin at his lying in state. [10] His grandson, Charles III, wore the same robe for his coronation. The velvet was conserved by the Royal School of Needlework, with the lining and gold lace conserved by Ede & Ravenscroft. [11]
The Robe of State for the coronation of Elizabeth II was made by Ede & Ravenscroft with embroidery designed and made by the Royal School of Needlework. The ermine used came from Canada. [1] The robe is of crimson velvet with a cape of ermine, with black fur tails. It is 18 feet 4.5 inches (5.601 m) in length and at the end of the train measures 4 feet (1.2 m) in width. The entire train is lined with ermine and the outside has a border of ermine several inches thick. There is also a border of gold lace and several ermine tails. [7] Elizabeth II's robe was used for the coronation of her daughter-in-law, Camilla, in 2023 after adjustments by Ede & Ravenscroft. [11]
The Lord Mayor of London is the mayor of the City of London and the leader of the City of London Corporation. Within the City, the Lord Mayor is accorded precedence over all individuals except the sovereign and retains various traditional powers, rights, and privileges, including the title and style The Right Honourable Lord Mayor of London.
The Crown Jewels of the United Kingdom, originally the Crown Jewels of England, are a collection of royal ceremonial objects kept in the Tower of London, which include the coronation regalia and vestments worn by British monarchs.
The Imperial State Crown is one of the Crown Jewels of the United Kingdom and symbolises the sovereignty of the British monarch. It has existed in various forms since the 15th century. The current version was made in 1937 and is worn by a new monarch for the first time in the royal procession following their coronation and subsequently used at State Openings of Parliament. The crown is adorned with 2,901 precious stones, including the Cullinan II diamond, St Edward's Sapphire, the Stuart Sapphire, and the Black Prince's Ruby.
The coronation of the monarch of the United Kingdom is a ceremony in which they are formally invested with regalia and crowned at Westminster Abbey. It corresponds to the coronations that formerly took place in other European monarchies, all of which have abandoned coronations in favour of inauguration or enthronement ceremonies. A coronation is a symbolic formality and does not signify the official beginning of the monarch's reign; de jure and de facto their reign commences from the moment of the preceding monarch's death, maintaining the legal continuity of the monarchy.
The State Crown of George I is the imperial and state crown crafted in 1714 for King George I. It was modified and used by subsequent monarchs until 1838. The empty gold frame and its aquamarine monde which dates from the reign of King James II are both part of the Crown Jewels of the United Kingdom. They are on public display in the Martin Tower at the Tower of London.
Typical of British heraldry, a cap of maintenance, known in heraldic language as a chapeau gules turned up ermine, is a ceremonial cap of crimson velvet lined with ermine, which is worn or carried by certain persons as a sign of nobility or special honour. It is worn with the high part to the fore, and the tapering tail behind. It may substitute for the torse in the heraldic achievement of a person of special honour granted the privilege by the monarch. It thus appears in such cases on top of the helm and below the crest. It does not, however, feature in the present royal coat of arms of the United Kingdom, which shows the royal crest upon the royal crown, itself upon the royal helmet.
Court uniform and dress were required to be worn by those in attendance at the royal court in the 19th and early 20th centuries.
Fashion in the period 1700–1750 in European and European-influenced countries is characterized by a widening silhouette for both men and women following the tall, narrow look of the 1680s and 90s. This era is defined as late Baroque/Rococo style. The new fashion trends introduced during this era had a greater impact on society, affecting not only royalty and aristocrats, but also middle and even lower classes. Clothing during this time can be characterized by soft pastels, light, airy, and asymmetrical designs, and playful styles. Wigs remained essential for men and women of substance, and were often white; natural hair was powdered to achieve the fashionable look. The costume of the eighteenth century, if lacking in the refinement and grace of earlier times, was distinctly quaint and picturesque.
Academic dress at the University of St Andrews involves students wearing distinctive academic gowns whilst studying at the University of St Andrews. Undergraduate gowns in Scotland were once common at all the ancient universities of Scotland, with each having its own distinctive style. St Andrews undergraduates wear either a scarlet gown if they are part of the United College and studying in the Faculties of Arts, Medicine and Science, or a black gown if they are part of St Mary's College and studying in the Faculty of Divinity.
The academic and official dress of the University of Warwick dates originally from the mid-1960s, shortly after the university's foundation. Despite persistent offers from Charles Franklyn the theatrical costume designer Anthony Powell was commissioned to design robes for officials and graduates of the university. Due to pressure of other work, and some apparent differences of opinion, Powell withdrew from the project, and the robes for graduates subsequently designed in consultation with J. Wippell and Company of Exeter, with Ede and Ravenscroft designing and making the robes for officials.
Academic dress at the University of Edinburgh is compulsory at official ceremonial occasions, such as graduation and the installations of Rector and Chancellor, and otherwise optional, usually only worn for events.
Academic dress of the University of Manchester describes the gowns, hoods and headwear which are prescribed by the university for its graduates and officers.
Queen Elizabeth II's coronation took place on 2 June 1953. Ordered in October 1952, her gown took eight months of research, design, workmanship, and intricate embroidery to complete. It featured the floral emblems of the countries of the United Kingdom and those of the other states within the Commonwealth of Nations, including the English Tudor rose, Scots thistle, Welsh leek, Irish shamrock, Canadian maple leaf, Australian wattle, New Zealand silver fern, South African protea, Indian lotus flower for India, the Lotus flower of Ceylon, and Pakistan's wheat, cotton, and jute.
Several Swedish coronation robes from the 16th to the 19th century are preserved at The Royal Armoury in Stockholm, Sweden. The youngest one, Oscar II's robe coronation robe from 1873 is in the Treasury at Stockholm Palace.
Peerage robes are worn in the United Kingdom by peers and are of two varieties for two occasions: Parliament robes, worn on ceremonial occasions in the House of Lords, and Coronation robes, worn at coronations of monarchs.
The coronation of Henry VIII and his wife Catherine as King and Queen of England took place at Westminster Abbey, London, on 24 June 1509. Henry ascended the throne two months prior, following the death of King Henry VII on 21 April, and Catherine became his wife and queen on 11 June. The ceremony was presided over by William Warham, the incumbent Archbishop of Canterbury, and organized by Lady Margaret Beaufort, the King's grandmother.
The coronation of Mary I as Queen of England and Ireland took place at Westminster Abbey, London, on Sunday 1 October 1553. This was the first coronation of a queen regnant in England, a female ruler in her own right. The ceremony was therefore transformed. Ritual and costume was interlinked. Contemporary records insist the proceedings were performed "according to the precedents", but mostly these were provisions made previously for queens consort.
A Supertunica is a robe worn by a British monarch at their coronation. It is donned shortly after the Anointing ceremony for the vesting of the Spurs, Sword of Offering and the Armills. Afterwards the Stole Royal and Robe Royal are worn on top of the Supertunica for the crowning of the monarch. The Supertunica, Stole and Robe are replaced with the Imperial Robe for the final procession from Westminster Abbey.
The Stole Royal is an item of regalia used during the coronation of a British monarch, similar to the stoles worn as vestments by clergymen. It is donned after the Anointing of the monarch and is worn throughout the crowning, receiving of homage and conclusion of the communion. The Stole Royal is removed, with other garments, before the procession from Westminster Abbey for which the Imperial Robe is worn.
The Imperial Robe is a robe used in the coronation of British monarchs. It is donned in the final stages of the ceremony for the procession of the monarch from Westminster Abbey to the waiting Gold State Coach.
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