Did you know that Princess Anne served as a bodyguard for King Charles III during the coronation procession?
Princess Anne played a very special role at the coronation of her brother, King Charles III, which took place on Saturday at London’s Westminster Abbey. This coronation ceremony formalized King Charles’ role as King of the United Kingdom. The Princess Royal attended this historic ceremony in her formal coronation gown and played an important role in protecting her brother on the day of coronation. Keep reading to know more about the same.
Princess Anne at the coronation of King Charles III
Princess Anne played no part in the coronation ceremony itself. But then, she supported her brother, King Charles III by being “a golden stick in waiting.”
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According to People, the ‘Gold-Stick-In-Waiting’ dates back to the Tudor period and served as the King’s personal protective officers. Today, this title is largely ceremonial and is held by the Colonels of the Life Guards, Blues, and Royals. The Princess Royal has been a Colonel in the Life Guards and The Blues and Royals since 1998.
After the coronation ceremony, Princess Anne escorted King Charles and Camilla’s carriage back to Buckingham Palace, where she led the six thousand military personnel in the procession. The Princess Royal was the only member of the royal family to ride after the coronation ceremony. King Charles III himself asked his sister to be a golden wand for his coronation, according to the Mirror.
Before the coronation ceremony, Princess Anne spoke about her role on CBC News. During the conversation, she said, “I have a role as Colonel of the Blues and Queen of the Household Cavalry Regiment as the Golden Rod.” Anne added, “And Gold-Stick was the original close protection officer. So this is the role I was asked if I wanted to do this coronation, so I said yes.” The Princess Royal also joked that this role solved her dress problem.
Also read: King Charles III: 10 facts you should know about the royal coronation ceremony