When Charles is King - Part 2

[Curryong]

I believe Charles would not change the location of his coronation. Westminster Abbey has been the location of the sovereigns' coronations for centuries.

I don?t think there is any suggestion that Charles isn?t going to be crowned in Westminster Abbey. I believe it will be the procession to and from the Abbey which will probably change. Carriages were used for family and guests in 1953 and some Empire/Commonwealth troops were present.

The position of Peers (and peeresses) has changed in the House of Lords, so whether all of them will be necessary at WA will be a question. It?s a very different world now to that of 1952. Probably every effort will be made to get the State Coach in A1 condition to transport the monarch, so that could be used rather than a car.

If Camilla is not to be crowned as Queen Consort that part of the ceremony will have to be changed. It will still be a memorable show IMO however.

[Curryong]

There were reports on colonial troops marching in the Coronation procession in 1953. About 500 of them and the Colonial Office arranged for a film to be made of their participation which was shown in the territories involved. That certainly won?t happen next time.

Central Office of Information : London - Colonial Contingents in the Coronation Procession, 1953

Plus, I have read that due to the war depredations carriages were in short supply and some had to be borrowed from filmmakers like Sir Alexander Korda and Sir Herbert Wilcox (who produced the film  ?60 Glorious Years? about Victoria?s reign in 1938.) Even the Army rented cavalry horses from film companies. Not likely to happen now. And the cavalry procession is likely to be limited.

[LouisFerdinand]

Do you think that the Irish State Coach and the Scottish State Coach will be used at the Coronation procession?

[Curryong]

Do you think that the Irish State Coach and the Scottish State Coach will be used at the Coronation procession?

It depends on whether it?s considered necessary to have them, whether Charles wants them in the Coronation  procession and whether they are in top condition to be used. These coaches have to occasionally be thoroughly refurbished which takes a long time and quite a lot of money.

[LouisFerdinand]

It depends on whether it?s considered necessary to have them, whether Charles wants them in the Coronation  procession and whether they are in top condition to be used. These coaches have to occasionally be thoroughly refurbished which takes a long time and quite a lot of money.

Where does the money come from to refurbish the State Coaches?

[Amabel2]

   
Where does the money come from to refurbish the State Coaches?

#
I imagine from the Sovereign Grant.  I think its time to give them up and use cars.  They cost a lot of money to keep in good shape

[PrincessOfPeace]

Relatively speaking, I can't imagine the coaches cost that much money to maintain.

[Curryong]

The Dutch State Coach is used regularly and had to be refurbished in 2016 at a cost of 1.3 million Euros. Work at that time was expected to take until 2123. That comes out of the King?s budget, but most of the cost of repairing and refurbishing British royal Coaches would probably come out of the Sovereign Grant.

None of the coaches in the Mews at BP,  except one made in Australia for Queen Elizabeth?s Golden Jubilee, are exactly modern. The Golden State Coach was constructed in the early 18th century, the Scottish and Irish coaches in the mid 19th century, I think. The interiors of these magnifent vehicles fade and discolour and the upholstery even sometimes splits with the passage of time.

The Golden Coach is especially heavily gilded. That has to be kept up before a ceremonial occasion. It is an extremely heavy coach and the wheels have had to be replaced and the chassis repaired. The interior is painted with allegorical scenes, which art restorers would have to touch up from time to time.  These coaches don?t just sit there in a carriage shed in pristine glory for a couple of hundred years.

[Amabel2]

Relatively speaking, I can't imagine the coaches cost that much money to maintain.

They do cost a lot, time to retire them....

[Princess Cassandra]

#
I imagine from the Sovereign Grant.  I think its time to give them up and use cars.  They cost a lot of money to keep in good shape

Your point about the financial costs is well taken, but they are a big part of the ponp and ceremony that attract tourists and contribute to the economy.  Vendors, shopkeepers, travel vendors, etc all make money when there is a royal occasion.

[TLLK]

We're past 15 pages on this thread, so it's time to open a new one.

New thread When Charles is King - Part 3