So, King Charles’s coronation is now within touching distance and you think you finally know it inside out. Sure, you’ve memorised the route of the King’s Procession, you’ve got four coronation quiches ready in the freezer and you’re a bonafide expert on the whole crown controversy. Kudos.
But if you really want to impress at the street party, we reckon you need to get even more niche. How about getting to know about the ancient throne that Charles will perch on at the end of the ceremony?
The history of the Coronation Chair (or King Edward’s Chair) is actually pretty fascinating and according to Westminster Abbey it is ‘one of the most precious and famous pieces of furniture in the world’. It has been through months of conservation work ahead of the big day so it’s only fair that it gets some recognition.
How old is the coronation chair?
Very. In fact, it has watched over royal coronations for the past 700 years.
The chair was made by order of Edward I at the turn of the fourteenth century to house the Stone of Scone (aka Stone of Destiny), which he seized and brought back from Scotland in 1296.
What does the coronation chair look like?
The oak piece of furniture was specially constructed so that the Stone of Scone was enclosed within it. However, over time the wood has eroded and the stone is now more exposed.
It is decorated with patterns of birds, foliage and animals and on the back features the figure of a king with his feet resting on a lion. It was originally decorated with gold leaf but that has also disappeared over time.
Four gilt lions were made in 1727 to replace ones that were added to the Chair in the early 16th century.
You might notice a load of graffiti over the back of the chair – this is the work of school boys and visitors who carved their names into it over the 18th and 19th centuries. There’s also a small chunk missing, caused by a bomb attack in 1914 thought to be organised by the Suffragettes.
Where is the chair kept?
The chair is on display at Westminster Abbey, however the Stone of Scone normally resides in Edinburgh Castle after being returned to Scotland in 1996.
The stone has been transported to London and will be reunited with the chair especially for Charles’s big day before heading back up north.
Who has sat on the coronation chair?
Many a royal backside has graced King Edward’s chair. The first monarch that historians all agree sat on it for a coronation was Henry IV in 1399.
Since then all crowned monarchs from King Henry VIII to Queen Victoria have taken a seat in the wooden throne, with the exception of Queen Mary II in 1689 who had to use a replica while her husband William III sat on the original.
Read more: here’s how you can volunteer for the King’s coronation.
Plus: here’s where to watch the King’s coronation on a big screen.