King Charles has revealed he felt anxious about his crown potentially wobbling during his historic Coronation ceremony in May 2023.
The monarch, 76, made the candid admission while speaking to a group of Canadian women during their visit to the UK late last year.
The King explained that he had to practice wearing the ceremonial headpiece, following in the footsteps of his late mother Queen Elizabeth, to become accustomed to its weight.
“There’s always that feeling slightly anxious in case it wobbles,” the King told his guests at Buckingham Palace.
King Charles has revealed he felt anxious about his crown potentially wobbling during his historic Coronation ceremony in May 2023
PA
“You have to look really straight ahead,” he added, describing the challenges of wearing the prestigious crown during such a momentous occasion.
During his conversation at the palace, the King detailed the differences between the two crowns used during his Coronation ceremony.
He explained that the St Edward’s Crown, used for the actual crowning moment, is “much heavier and taller” than the Imperial State Crown.
The monarch revealed that preparation was essential to manage the substantial 5lb weight of the St Edward’s Crown.
The monarch revealed that preparation was essential to manage the substantial 5lb weight of the St. Edward’s Crown
Buckingham Palace
“It’s important to wear it for a certain amount of time because you get used to it then,” Charles explained to his guests.
The King’s careful preparation mirrors the approach taken by his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, who would practice wearing the crown during everyday moments.
“My mama used to come up at bath time wearing the crown to practice. Because you have to get used to how heavy it is,” he recalled.
The King’s revelation came during a special meeting with Canadian women who had attended Queen Elizabeth’s Coronation in 1953 as teenagers.
King Charles was crowned in May 6 2023
PA
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The group were among 50 girls, then aged around 17, who had been selected from across Canada to witness the late Queen’s crowning ceremony.
The touching moment was captured for an upcoming documentary called “Coronation Girls,” set to air on PBS in Canada on December 26.
During their visit to Buckingham Palace’s Bow Room, the King surprised the women with his presence.
The monarch shared vivid memories from his childhood, recalling how he and Princess Anne, who was just two at the time, were shown the crown by their mother.
The documentary, filmed before Charles’s cancer diagnosis in February, also features previously unseen archive footage and interviews with the women.