Investiture of Alexandra: Difference between revisions
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==Event== | ==Event== | ||
===Procession to Parliament Complex=== | ===Procession to Parliament Complex=== | ||
Beginning at 10:00 am, the ceremony kicked off with a large procession carrying [[Alexandra, Queen of the British|Queen Alexandra]] from her royal residence of {{wp|Buckingham Palace}} to the {{wp|Queen Elizabeth II Centre|Parliament Complex}}, the legislative seat of the {{wp|United Kingdom}}. Made up entirely of members of the {{wp|British Armed Forces}}, in a break from tradition, the [[Alexandra, Queen of the British|Queen]] was driven in a white {{wp|Rolls-Royce Ghost}} rather than in the usual {{wp|Gold State Coach}} which was previously used by {{wp|British}} monarchs since {{wp|William IV| | Beginning at 10:00 am, the ceremony kicked off with a large procession carrying [[Alexandra, Queen of the British|Queen Alexandra]] from her royal residence of {{wp|Buckingham Palace}} to the {{wp|Queen Elizabeth II Centre|Parliament Complex}}, the legislative seat of the {{wp|United Kingdom}}. Made up entirely of members of the {{wp|British Armed Forces}}, in a break from tradition, the [[Alexandra, Queen of the British|Queen]] was driven in a white {{wp|Rolls-Royce Ghost}} rather than in the usual {{wp|Gold State Coach}} which was previously used by {{wp|British}} monarchs since {{wp|William IV|King William IV}}. The official route saw the procession begin by going along {{wp|The Mall, London|The Mall}} from {{wp|Buckingham Palace}} before turning right onto {{wp|Whitehall}} and then rightwards around {{wp|Parliament Square}}, passing significant buildings such as {{wp|Westminster Abbey}} and the {{wp|Supreme Court of the United Kingdom}} as they did, while a final rightward turn around {{wp|Broad Sanctuary Green}} eventually sees the procession arrive at their intended destination of the {{wp|Queen Elizabeth II Centre|Parliament Complex}}. | ||
===Inauguration=== | ===Inauguration=== | ||
Upon arriving at the {{wp|Queen Elizabeth II Centre|Parliament Complex}}, [[Alexandra, Queen of the British|Queen Alexandra]] was led into the {{wp|Queen Elizabeth II Centre|building}} by a smaller procession made up of leaders of the religious faiths of {{wp|Christianity}}, {{wp|Islam}}, {{wp|Judaism}}, {{wp|Buddhism}}, {{wp|Hinduism}}, and {{wp|Sikhism}}, each of whom carried their respective religious texts in hand. Behind them, a separate procession duly followed and was | Upon arriving at the {{wp|Queen Elizabeth II Centre|Parliament Complex}}, [[Alexandra, Queen of the British|Queen Alexandra]] was led into the {{wp|Queen Elizabeth II Centre|building}} by a smaller procession made up of leaders of the religious faiths of {{wp|Christianity}}, {{wp|Islam}}, {{wp|Judaism}}, {{wp|Buddhism}}, {{wp|Hinduism}}, and {{wp|Sikhism}}, each of whom carried their respective religious texts in hand. Behind them, a separate procession duly followed and was consisted of the governor generals of the eight {{wp|Commonwealth realms}}, namely {{wp|Canada}}, {{wp|Australia}}, {{wp|New Zealand}}, {{wp|Solomon Islands}}, {{wp|Tuvalu}}, {{wp|Papua New Guinea}}, the [[Philippines]], and the [[West Indies]] whom each carried the flags of their respective countries. At 10:20 am, [[Alexandra, Queen of the British|Alexandra]] officially arrived at the doorsteps of the {{wp|Investiture Hall}} where, as a sign of their arrival, the doors were knocked on twice. Shortly afterward, the guests in the hall promptly stood up as the [[Alexandra, Queen of the British|Queen]] and her entourage entered the room. | ||
As the religious leaders promptly took their seats, [[Alexandra, Queen of the British|Alexandra]], donning a white evening gown underneath the {{wp|Imperial Mantle}}, walked down the aisle until she was then received by the {{wp|President of the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom}} {{wp|Brenda Hale, Baroness Hale of Richmond|The Baroness Hale of Richmond}}. After a brief formal exchange of pleasantries, [[Alexandra, Queen of the British|Alexandra]] proceeded to take a few steps back before coming to rest on a chair where she was delivered by hand a well-preserved copy of the {{wp|Magna Carta}} by the {{wp|Deputy President of the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom}} {{wp|Robert Reed, Baron Reed of Allermuir|The Lord Reed of Allermuir}}, a gesture intended to emphasise the {{wp|United Kingdom}}'s long constitutional history that began with the signing of the {{wp|Magna Carta}} in 1215 by {{wp|John, King of England|King John}} of the {{wp|House of Plantagenet}}. Following this, {{wp|Brenda Hale, Baroness Hale of Richmond|The Baroness Hale of Richmond}} subsequently delivered a speech on the evolution of the monarchy from an absolute role to a ceremonial one and the corresponding development of representative democracy in the nation which lasted for roughly fifteen minutes long. | As the religious leaders promptly took their seats, [[Alexandra, Queen of the British|Alexandra]], donning a white evening gown underneath the {{wp|Imperial Mantle}}, walked down the aisle until she was then received by the {{wp|President of the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom}} {{wp|Brenda Hale, Baroness Hale of Richmond|The Baroness Hale of Richmond}}. After a brief formal exchange of pleasantries, [[Alexandra, Queen of the British|Alexandra]] proceeded to take a few steps back before coming to rest on a chair where she was delivered by hand a well-preserved copy of the {{wp|Magna Carta}} by the {{wp|Deputy President of the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom}} {{wp|Robert Reed, Baron Reed of Allermuir|The Lord Reed of Allermuir}}, a gesture intended to emphasise the {{wp|United Kingdom}}'s long constitutional history that began with the signing of the {{wp|Magna Carta}} in 1215 by {{wp|John, King of England|King John}} of the {{wp|House of Plantagenet}}. Following this, {{wp|Brenda Hale, Baroness Hale of Richmond|The Baroness Hale of Richmond}} subsequently delivered a speech on the evolution of the monarchy from an absolute role to a ceremonial one and the corresponding development of representative democracy in the nation which lasted for roughly fifteen minutes long. | ||
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** {{wp|Elizabeth Cavill}} ''the Queen's niece'' | ** {{wp|Elizabeth Cavill}} ''the Queen's niece'' | ||
* {{wp|Princess Katarina of Yugoslavia}} and {{wp|Sir}} {{wp|Desmond de Silva (barrister)|Desmond de Silva}} ''the Queen's first cousin once removed and her husband'' | * {{wp|Princess Katarina of Yugoslavia}} and {{wp|Sir}} {{wp|Desmond de Silva (barrister)|Desmond de Silva}} ''the Queen's first cousin once removed and her husband'' | ||
** {{wp|Victoria | ** {{wp|Victoria de Silva}} ''the Queen's second cousin'' | ||
* {{wp|Bernhard, Margrave of Baden}} and {{wp|Bernhard, Margrave of Baden|Stephanie Kaul}} ''the Queen's first cousin once removed and his wife'' | * {{wp|Bernhard, Margrave of Baden}} and {{wp|Bernhard, Margrave of Baden|Stephanie Kaul}} ''the Queen's first cousin once removed and his wife'' | ||
** {{wp|Leopold Bernhard|Prince Leopold of Baden}} ''the Queen's second cousin'' | ** {{wp|Leopold Bernhard|Prince Leopold of Baden}} ''the Queen's second cousin'' | ||
| Line 205: | Line 205: | ||
* {{wp|Poppy Delevingne}} and {{wp|James Cook}} | * {{wp|Poppy Delevingne}} and {{wp|James Cook}} | ||
* {{wp|Naomi Campbell}} and {{wp|Flavio Briatore}} | * {{wp|Naomi Campbell}} and {{wp|Flavio Briatore}} | ||
* {{wp|Ellie Goulding}} and {{wp|Caspar Jopling}} | * {{wp|Ellie Goulding}} and {{wp|Caspar Jopling}} | ||
* {{wp|Mel B|Melanie Brown}} and {{wp|Mel B|Rory McPhee}} | * {{wp|Mel B|Melanie Brown}} and {{wp|Mel B|Rory McPhee}} | ||
| Line 233: | Line 232: | ||
*{{flagicon|Canada}} {{wp|Prime Minister of Canada|Prime Minister}} {{wp|Justin Trudeau}} and {{wp|Sophie Grégoire Trudeau|Sophie Trudeau}} | *{{flagicon|Canada}} {{wp|Prime Minister of Canada|Prime Minister}} {{wp|Justin Trudeau}} and {{wp|Sophie Grégoire Trudeau|Sophie Trudeau}} | ||
*{{flagicon|British West Indies}} {{wp|Prime Minister of the West Indies Federation|Prime Minister}} {{wp|Jenniffer González}} and {{wp|José Vargas}} | *{{flagicon|British West Indies}} {{wp|Prime Minister of the West Indies Federation|Prime Minister}} {{wp|Jenniffer González}} and {{wp|José Vargas}} | ||
*{{flagicon|Philippines}} {{wp|Prime Minister of the Philippines|Prime Minister}} {{wp| | *{{flagicon|Philippines}} {{wp|Prime Minister of the Philippines|Prime Minister}} {{wp|Pantaleon Alvarez}} and {{wp|Pantaleon Alvarez|Emelita Apostol}} | ||
*{{flagicon|South Africa}} {{wp|President of South Africa|President}} {{wp|Cyril Ramaphosa}} and {{wp|Tshepo Motsepe}} | *{{flagicon|South Africa}} {{wp|President of South Africa|President}} {{wp|Cyril Ramaphosa}} and {{wp|Tshepo Motsepe}} | ||
*{{flagicon|Botswana}} {{wp|President of Botswana|President}} {{wp|Mokgweetsi Masisi}} and {{wp|Neo Masisi}} | *{{flagicon|Botswana}} {{wp|President of Botswana|President}} {{wp|Mokgweetsi Masisi}} and {{wp|Neo Masisi}} | ||
| Line 246: | Line 245: | ||
*{{flagicon|East Timor}} {{wp|President of East Timor|President}} {{wp|Francisco Guterres}} and {{wp|Cidália Lopes Nobre Mouzinho Guterres}} | *{{flagicon|East Timor}} {{wp|President of East Timor|President}} {{wp|Francisco Guterres}} and {{wp|Cidália Lopes Nobre Mouzinho Guterres}} | ||
*{{flagicon|Turkey}} {{wp|President of Turkey|President}} {{wp|Recep Tayyip Erdoğan}} and {{wp|Emine Erdoğan}} | *{{flagicon|Turkey}} {{wp|President of Turkey|President}} {{wp|Recep Tayyip Erdoğan}} and {{wp|Emine Erdoğan}} | ||
*{{flagicon|Bahrain}} [[President of Bahrain|President]] {{wp|Matar Matar}} and {{wp|Matar Matar|Amal Habib}} | *{{flagicon|Bahrain|republic}} [[President of Bahrain|President]] {{wp|Matar Matar}} and {{wp|Matar Matar|Amal Habib}} | ||
*{{flagicon|Indonesia}} {{wp|President of Indonesia|President}} {{wp|Joko Widodo}} and {{wp|Iriana}} | *{{flagicon|Indonesia}} {{wp|President of Indonesia|President}} {{wp|Joko Widodo}} and {{wp|Iriana}} | ||
*{{flagicon|South Korea}} {{wp|President of South Korea|President}} {{wp|Moon Jae-in}} and {{wp|Kim Jung-sook}} | *{{flagicon|South Korea}} {{wp|President of South Korea|President}} {{wp|Moon Jae-in}} and {{wp|Kim Jung-sook}} | ||
| Line 252: | Line 251: | ||
*{{flagicon|New Zealand}} {{wp|Prime Minister of New Zealand|Prime Minister}} {{wp|Jacinda Ardern}} and {{wp|Clarke Gayford}} | *{{flagicon|New Zealand}} {{wp|Prime Minister of New Zealand|Prime Minister}} {{wp|Jacinda Ardern}} and {{wp|Clarke Gayford}} | ||
*{{flagicon|Solomon Islands}} {{wp|Prime Minister of Solomon Islands|Prime Minister}} {{wp|Manasseh Sogavare}} and {{wp|Manasseh Sogavare|Emmy Sogavare}} | *{{flagicon|Solomon Islands}} {{wp|Prime Minister of Solomon Islands|Prime Minister}} {{wp|Manasseh Sogavare}} and {{wp|Manasseh Sogavare|Emmy Sogavare}} | ||
*{{flagicon|Tuvalu}} {{wp|Prime Minister of Tuvalu|Prime Minister}} {{wp|Enele Sopoaga}} and {{wp|Enele Sopoaga|Salilo Enele}} | *{{flagicon|Tuvalu}} {{wp|Prime Minister of Tuvalu|Prime Minister}} {{wp|Enele Sopoaga}} and {{wp|Enele Sopoaga|Salilo Enele}} | ||
*{{flagicon|Papua New Guinea}} {{wp|Prime Minister of Papua New Guinea|Prime Minister}} {{wp|James Marape}} and {{wp|James Marape|Rachael Marape}} | *{{flagicon|Papua New Guinea}} {{wp|Prime Minister of Papua New Guinea|Prime Minister}} {{wp|James Marape}} and {{wp|James Marape|Rachael Marape}} | ||
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*{{flagicon|Germany}} [[Georg Friedrich|The King]] and {{wp|Sophie, Princess of Prussia|Queen of Germany}} | *{{flagicon|Germany}} [[Georg Friedrich|The King]] and {{wp|Sophie, Princess of Prussia|Queen of Germany}} | ||
*{{flagicon|Spain}} {{wp|Felipe VI|The King}} and {{wp|Queen Letizia of Spain|Queen of Spain}} | *{{flagicon|Spain}} {{wp|Felipe VI|The King}} and {{wp|Queen Letizia of Spain|Queen of Spain}} | ||
*{{flagicon|Portugal|1830}} [ | *{{flagicon|Portugal|1830}} [[Peter VI of Portugal|The King]] and [https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q5354440 Queen of Portugal] | ||
*{{flagicon|Netherlands}} {{wp|Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands|The King}} and {{wp|Queen Máxima of the Netherlands|Queen of the Netherlands}} | *{{flagicon|Netherlands}} {{wp|Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands|The King}} and {{wp|Queen Máxima of the Netherlands|Queen of the Netherlands}} | ||
*{{flagicon|Belgium}} {{wp|Philippe of Belgium|The King}} and {{wp|Queen Mathilde of Belgium|Queen of Belgium}} | *{{flagicon|Belgium}} {{wp|Philippe of Belgium|The King}} and {{wp|Queen Mathilde of Belgium|Queen of Belgium}} | ||
| Line 275: | Line 273: | ||
*{{flagicon|Romania}} {{wp|Margareta of Romania|The Queen}} and {{wp|Prince Radu of Romania|Prince Consort of Romania}} | *{{flagicon|Romania}} {{wp|Margareta of Romania|The Queen}} and {{wp|Prince Radu of Romania|Prince Consort of Romania}} | ||
*{{flagicon|Hungary|1918}} {{wp|Karl von Habsburg|The King}} and {{wp|Francesca Thyssen-Bornemisza|Queen of Hungary}} | *{{flagicon|Hungary|1918}} {{wp|Karl von Habsburg|The King}} and {{wp|Francesca Thyssen-Bornemisza|Queen of Hungary}} | ||
*{{flagicon|Bulgaria}} {{wp| | *{{flagicon|Bulgaria}} {{wp|Kardam, Prince of Tarnovo|The Prince}} and {{wp|Princess Miriam Ghazi|Princess of Tarnovo}} | ||
*{{flagicon|Libya}} {{wp|Mohammed El Senussi|The King}} and {{wp|Princess Haya bint Hussein|Queen of Libya}} | *{{flagicon|Libya}} {{wp|Mohammed El Senussi|The King}} and {{wp|Princess Haya bint Hussein|Queen of Libya}} | ||
*{{flagicon|Morocco}} {{wp|Mohammed VI of Morocco|The King of Morocco}} | *{{flagicon|Morocco}} {{wp|Mohammed VI of Morocco|The King of Morocco}} | ||
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*{{flagicon|Bhutan}} {{wp|Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck|The King}} and {{wp|Jetsun Pema|Queen of Bhutan}} | *{{flagicon|Bhutan}} {{wp|Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck|The King}} and {{wp|Jetsun Pema|Queen of Bhutan}} | ||
*{{flagicon|Cambodia}} {{wp|Norodom Sihamoni|The King of Cambodia}} | *{{flagicon|Cambodia}} {{wp|Norodom Sihamoni|The King of Cambodia}} | ||
*{{flagicon|Hawaii}} {{wp|Quentin Kawānanakoa|The King}} and {{wp|Quentin Kawānanakoa|Queen of Hawaiʻi}} | |||
*{{flagicon|Tonga}} {{wp|Tupou VI|The King}} and {{wp|Nanasipauʻu Tukuʻaho|Queen of Tonga}} | *{{flagicon|Tonga}} {{wp|Tupou VI|The King}} and {{wp|Nanasipauʻu Tukuʻaho|Queen of Tonga}} | ||
====Celebrities==== | ====Celebrities==== | ||
* {{wp|Rachel McAdams}} and {{wp|Ryan Gosling}} | |||
* {{wp|Linda Evangelista}} and {{wp|Kyle MacLachlan}} | * {{wp|Linda Evangelista}} and {{wp|Kyle MacLachlan}} | ||
* {{wp|Shania Twain}} and {{wp|Shania Twain|Frédéric Thiébaud}} | * {{wp|Shania Twain}} and {{wp|Shania Twain|Frédéric Thiébaud}} | ||
| Line 308: | Line 308: | ||
* {{wp|Miranda Kerr}} and {{wp|Stella Maxwell}} | * {{wp|Miranda Kerr}} and {{wp|Stella Maxwell}} | ||
* {{wp|Meg Ryan}} and {{wp|John Mellencamp}} | * {{wp|Meg Ryan}} and {{wp|John Mellencamp}} | ||
* [[Isabella DiMaggio]] and {{wp| | * [[Isabella DiMaggio]] and {{wp|D. B. Sweeney}} | ||
* {{wp|John Legend}} and {{wp|Chrissy Teigen}} | * {{wp|John Legend}} and {{wp|Chrissy Teigen}} | ||
* {{wp|Tom Hanks}} and {{wp|Rita Wilson}} | * {{wp|Tom Hanks}} and {{wp|Rita Wilson}} | ||
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Owing to years of advanced planning beforehand, the event's execution was consequently met with much praise for its precision and smoothness, with little to no fault in the process. Meanwhile, its mix of elements of a traditional coronation and those of a more modern ceremony was also widely received with the {{wp|BBC}} particularly noting the "seamless blend of the past and the present that resulted in a unique occasion of its own and heavily distinguished from the rest". | Owing to years of advanced planning beforehand, the event's execution was consequently met with much praise for its precision and smoothness, with little to no fault in the process. Meanwhile, its mix of elements of a traditional coronation and those of a more modern ceremony was also widely received with the {{wp|BBC}} particularly noting the "seamless blend of the past and the present that resulted in a unique occasion of its own and heavily distinguished from the rest". | ||
Despite featuring a wide array of guests ranging from kings and queens to presidents and prime ministers, in addition to both local and foreign celebrities, the event's choice of guests was not without controversy. In this, the president {{wp|Vladimir Putin|Russia}} was notably excluded from the event amidst popular public discontent and was, in turn, represented by his deputy {{wp|Dmitry Medvedev}}. Likewise, {{wp|Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia}} {{wp|Mohammed bin Salman}}, despite effectively representing his {{wp|Salman of Saudi Arabia|elderly father}} abroad, was also not invited to the event amidst fears of protests over the latter's role in the assassination of {{wp|Saudi}} dissident and journalist {{wp|Jamal Khashoggi}} around a year prior in October 2018. Instead, {{wp|Khalid bin Bandar Al Saud (born 1977)|Prince Khalid bin Bandar Al Saud}}, the {{wp|Saudi}} ambassador to the {{wp|United Kingdom}}, was chosen to represent his country at the event owing to him being less well-known to the public, thereby minimising the risk of any significant controversy. Meanwhile, a minor controversy arose when it was announced that both {{wp|China}}'s {{wp|Premier of the People's Republic of China|Premier}} {{wp|Li Keqiang}} and {{wp|Taiwan}}'s {{wp|President of the Republic of China|President}} {{wp|Tsai Ing-wen}} were invited to the event despite longstanding geopolitical tensions between the two nations. To that end, {{wp|Foreign Secretary}} {{wp|Philip Hammond}} later revealed that the {{wp|Chinese}} government once attempted to pressure the organising committee into barring the {{wp|Taiwanese}} leadership from the event under the threat of withdrawing their participation although such a threat never ultimately materialised | Despite featuring a wide array of guests ranging from kings and queens to presidents and prime ministers, in addition to both local and foreign celebrities, the event's choice of guests was not without controversy. In this, the president of {{wp|Vladimir Putin|Russia}} was notably excluded from the event amidst popular public discontent and was, in turn, represented by his deputy {{wp|Dmitry Medvedev}}. Likewise, {{wp|Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia}} {{wp|Mohammed bin Salman}}, despite effectively representing his {{wp|Salman of Saudi Arabia|elderly father}} abroad, was also not invited to the event amidst fears of protests over the latter's role in the assassination of {{wp|Saudi}} dissident and journalist {{wp|Jamal Khashoggi}} around a year prior in October 2018. Instead, {{wp|Khalid bin Bandar Al Saud (born 1977)|Prince Khalid bin Bandar Al Saud}}, the {{wp|Saudi}} ambassador to the {{wp|United Kingdom}}, was chosen to represent his country at the event owing to him being less well-known to the public, thereby minimising the risk of any significant controversy. Meanwhile, a minor controversy arose when it was announced that both {{wp|China}}'s {{wp|Premier of the People's Republic of China|Premier}} {{wp|Li Keqiang}} and {{wp|Taiwan}}'s {{wp|President of the Republic of China|President}} {{wp|Tsai Ing-wen}} were invited to the event despite longstanding geopolitical tensions between the two nations. To that end, {{wp|Foreign Secretary}} {{wp|Philip Hammond}} later revealed that the {{wp|Chinese}} government once attempted to pressure the organising committee into barring the {{wp|Taiwanese}} leadership from the event under the threat of withdrawing their participation although such a threat never ultimately materialised as the committee itself persisted in including the {{wp|Taiwanese}} leadership despite the constant {{wp|Chinese}} pressure. Likewise, despite similar geopolitical tensions, the presidents of both {{wp|Israel}} and {{wp|Palestine}} were also invited, and so are the presidents of {{wp|India}} and {{wp|Pakistan}}, two countries that have previously gone to war against each other on several occasions. Otherwise, personal controversies also saw {{wp|Thailand}}'s {{wp|Monarchy of Thailand|King}} {{wp|Vajiralongkorn}} and {{wp|Brunei}}'s {{wp|List of sultans of Brunei|Sultan}} {{wp|Hassanal Bolkiah}}, the latter having sparked international outcry in April that year for his proposed anti-{{wp|LGBT}} stoning laws, barred from the ceremony and instead represented by their chosen deputies, namely the {{wp|Sirindhorn|Princess Royal of Thailand}} and the {{wp|Al-Muhtadee Billah|Crown Prince of Brunei}}. Later on, the onset of the [[2022 Thai Revolution]] in February 2022 marked the end of the {{wp|Thai}} monarchy as it was subsequently replaced with a presidential system during which {{wp|Vajiralongkorn}} was sentenced to incarceration in a {{wp|German}} maximum security prison for various "crimes against humanity". | ||
Given its distinctively secular nature, unlike past {{wp|British}} coronations, which are otherwise strictly {{wp|Anglican}} ceremonies, in a historical moment, an invitation was extended to the leadership of the {{wp|Vatican City}}, namely the current {{wp|Pope Francis}}. In this, despite later expressing the {{wp|Vatican City}}'s "gracious acceptance" of the invitation, owing to his advanced age, the {{wp|Pope Francis|Pope}} revealed that he would not be attending the event directly and instead sent the {{wp|Cardinal Secretary of State}} {{wp|Pietro Parolin}} to represent the {{wp|Vatican City}} at the event. However, {{wp|Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople|Bartholomew}}, the {{wp|Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople}} and leader of the {{wp|Eastern Orthodox Church}}, otherwise attended the event in person. | Given its distinctively secular nature, unlike past {{wp|British}} coronations, which are otherwise strictly {{wp|Anglican}} ceremonies, in a historical moment, an invitation was extended to the leadership of the {{wp|Vatican City}}, namely the current {{wp|Pope Francis}}. In this, despite later expressing the {{wp|Vatican City}}'s "gracious acceptance" of the invitation, owing to his advanced age, the {{wp|Pope Francis|Pope}} revealed that he would not be attending the event directly and instead sent the {{wp|Cardinal Secretary of State}} {{wp|Pietro Parolin}} to represent the {{wp|Vatican City}} at the event. However, {{wp|Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople|Bartholomew}}, the {{wp|Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople}} and leader of the {{wp|Eastern Orthodox Church}}, otherwise attended the event in person. | ||
Latest revision as of 07:49, 21 October 2024
 The Parliament Complex, where the investiture ceremony was held | |
| Date | 1 August 2019 |
|---|---|
| Location | London, United Kingdom |
| Participants | Queen Alexandra Great Officers of State British Armed Forces Parliament of the United Kingdom |
The investiture of Alexandra as Queen of the British took place on 1 August 2019 at the Parliament Complex in London, United Kingdom. The first of its kind in British history, it is the first civil ceremony to involve a British monarch following the disestablishment of the Church of England via the passing of the Church of England Act 1998. The ceremony took place roughly at the same time of Queen Alexandra's accession in light of the abdication of her father King Thomas.
Background
Prior to the ceremony, the last coronation for a British monarch to have taken place was in March 1997 for King Thomas which, like its predecessors, was inherently religious and Anglican in nature. However, the passing of the Church of England Act 1998, which formally disestablished the Church of England as a state church, meant that religious coronations are no longer considered feasible or appropriate in the near future.
Beginning in 1999, under the code-name "Operation Evolution", various individuals including government ministers, constitutional lawyers, religious leaders, and representatives of civil service met thrice a year to continuously discuss plans for a civil investiture concerning the next British monarch. Eventually, the planned announcement of the abdication of King Thomas in October 2017 made plans for a civil investiture ever more likely as discussions continued until the final date of 1 August 2019 when the ceremony was scheduled to take place.
Event
Procession to Parliament Complex
Beginning at 10:00 am, the ceremony kicked off with a large procession carrying Queen Alexandra from her royal residence of Buckingham Palace to the Parliament Complex, the legislative seat of the United Kingdom. Made up entirely of members of the British Armed Forces, in a break from tradition, the Queen was driven in a white Rolls-Royce Ghost rather than in the usual Gold State Coach which was previously used by British monarchs since King William IV. The official route saw the procession begin by going along The Mall from Buckingham Palace before turning right onto Whitehall and then rightwards around Parliament Square, passing significant buildings such as Westminster Abbey and the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom as they did, while a final rightward turn around Broad Sanctuary Green eventually sees the procession arrive at their intended destination of the Parliament Complex.
Inauguration
Upon arriving at the Parliament Complex, Queen Alexandra was led into the building by a smaller procession made up of leaders of the religious faiths of Christianity, Islam, Judaism, Buddhism, Hinduism, and Sikhism, each of whom carried their respective religious texts in hand. Behind them, a separate procession duly followed and was consisted of the governor generals of the eight Commonwealth realms, namely Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, and the West Indies whom each carried the flags of their respective countries. At 10:20 am, Alexandra officially arrived at the doorsteps of the Investiture Hall where, as a sign of their arrival, the doors were knocked on twice. Shortly afterward, the guests in the hall promptly stood up as the Queen and her entourage entered the room.
As the religious leaders promptly took their seats, Alexandra, donning a white evening gown underneath the Imperial Mantle, walked down the aisle until she was then received by the President of the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom The Baroness Hale of Richmond. After a brief formal exchange of pleasantries, Alexandra proceeded to take a few steps back before coming to rest on a chair where she was delivered by hand a well-preserved copy of the Magna Carta by the Deputy President of the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom The Lord Reed of Allermuir, a gesture intended to emphasise the United Kingdom's long constitutional history that began with the signing of the Magna Carta in 1215 by King John of the House of Plantagenet. Following this, The Baroness Hale of Richmond subsequently delivered a speech on the evolution of the monarchy from an absolute role to a ceremonial one and the corresponding development of representative democracy in the nation which lasted for roughly fifteen minutes long.
Following the end of the speech, Alexandra swiftly handed the Magna Carta copy back before once again coming face-to-face with The Baroness Hale of Richmond who then swiftly placed the installation oath on a golden podium. With one hand raised, Alexandra proceeded to read the installation oath which went as follows:
On this fateful day and in front of the many esteemed guests present, I, Alexandra Katharine Charles Nicole Lauren Elizabeth Thomas, by the grace of God and the will of the people, duly accept my role as Queen of the British and of the People of other Commonwealth realms in which, from the beginning until the end of my service as the ceremonial head of the nation, I hereby swear to faithfully uphold the principles of the rule of law, representative democracy, the separation of powers, as well as ethnic, linguistic, racial, and religious inclusiveness of the United Kingdom of Great Britain, Hanover, and Ireland. In addition, I also duly acknowledge the continued existence of my role as Queen as based upon the support of the government and the people, from whom I humbly ask for their unwavering loyalty and support in exchange for my faithful devotion to my role as the head of state of the United Kingdom of Great Britain, Hanover, and Ireland. Ultimately, a monarch reigns but does not rule, a task otherwise exercised by the prime minister who I shall appoint according to the voice and will of the people.
Upon the conclusion of the installation oath, the royal regalia was swiftly delivered into the Investiture Hall and presented in front of the Queen who proceeded to gently place St Edward's Crown onto her own head and, in turn, officially signed the installation oath where her signature was followed by those of the President of the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom, the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, and the Lord Chancellor. Following this, while holding the sword of state in one hand and a sceptre in the other, Alexandra turned to face the crowd behind her and subsequently stood still for a few minutes long as the United Kingdom's national anthem "Onwards, Britannia!" was played after which she placed both the sword and the sceptre back while otherwise retaining St Edward's Crown on her head as she slowly exited the Investiture Hall afterward, followed by the previous procession that had led her inside.
Procession to Buckingham Palace
Upon the ceremony's conclusion, Queen Alexandra was driven once again in the white Rolls-Royce Ghost surrounded by a large procession that followed a similar route as the first but in reverse, passing by the nearby One Great George Street building and going around St James's Park before arriving back at Buckingham Palace via The Mall at approximately 11:05 am.
At 11:20 am, Alexandra subsequently stood on the rear balcony of Buckingham Palace where she received a royal salute and three cheers from members of the British Armed Forces gathered in Buckingham Palace Garden. Following this, in the presence of her family members, Alexandra then stood on the front balcony to review a royal flypast by the Royal Air Force whose Red Arrows aerobatic team notably took part in the occasion.
The following day, on 2 August 2019, as part of the 2019 Coronation Honours, Alexandra knighted a number of Britain's well-known retired footballers still currently alive including Alan Shearer, Teddy Sheringham, Ian Wright, Gary Lineker, Kenny Dalglish, Darren Fletcher, Liam Brady, Roy Keane, Robbie Keane, and Ryan Giggs, as well as her former England Women teammates Alex Scott, Kelly Smith, and Karen Carney.
Guests
Much like previous coronations, the event similarly saw the attendance of various guests from both inside the United Kingdom and abroad. Among the guests included:
Domestic Guests
British royal family
- King Emeritus Thomas and Queen Emeritus Christy the Queen's father and mother
- Prince Richard the Queen's brother
- Princess Nicole the Queen's sister
- Princess Elle the Queen's sister
- Princess Vivian the Queen's sister
- Maria Elizabeth Turlington the Queen's maternal grandmother
- Kelly Turlington and Edward Burns the Queen's maternal aunt and uncle-in-law
- Erin Turlington and J.J. Abrams the Queen's maternal aunt and uncle-in-law
- Prince Nelson and Steffi Graf the Queen's paternal uncle and his wife
- Elisabeth Graf the Queen's first cousin
- Charles Graf the Queen's first cousin
- Heidi Graf the Queen's first cousin
- Frederick Graf the Queen's first cousin
- Catherine, Princess Royal and Jodie Foster the Queen's paternal aunt and her wife
- Georgia May Jagger the Queen's first cousin
- Corey Rodman the Queen's first cousin
- Charles Foster the Queen's step-cousin
- Kit Foster the Queen's step-cousin
- Sir William Carter and Anne Hathaway, Lady Carter the Queen's half-brother and his wife
- William Carter-Hathaway the Queen's nephew
- Anne Carter-Hathaway the Queen's niece
- Andy Carter-Hathaway the Queen's niece
- John Carter-Hathaway the Queen's nephew
- Dame Jacqueline Carter and Henry Cavill the Queen's half-sister and her husband
- Thomas Cavill the Queen's nephew
- Elizabeth Cavill the Queen's niece
- Princess Katarina of Yugoslavia and Sir Desmond de Silva the Queen's first cousin once removed and her husband
- Victoria de Silva the Queen's second cousin
- Bernhard, Margrave of Baden and Stephanie Kaul the Queen's first cousin once removed and his wife
- Prince Leopold of Baden the Queen's second cousin
- Prince Friedrich of Baden the Queen's second cousin
- Prince Karl-Wilhelm of Baden the Queen's second cousin
Non-royals
- Prime Minister of the United Kingdom Theresa May and Sir Philip May
- Home Secretary Amber Rudd
- Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond and Susan Williams-Walker
- Secretary of State for Justice and Lord Chancellor Dominic Grieve and Caroline Hutton
- Speaker of the House of Commons John Bercow and Sally Bercow
- Lord Speaker of the House of Lords The Lord Fowler and Fiona Poole
- Taoiseach of Ireland Leo Varadkar and Matthew Barrett
- First Minister of Scotland Nicola Sturgeon and Peter Murrell
- First Minister of Wales Mark Drakeford and Clare Buckle
- Minister-President of Hanover Mark Heffelfinger and Sara Heffelfinger
- Former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom David Cameron and Samantha Cameron
- Former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom Gordon Brown and Sarah Jane Brown
- Former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom Tony Blair and Cherie Blair
- Former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom John Major and Norma Major
Celebrities
- Christian Bale and Sibi Blazic
- Daniel Craig and Rachel Weisz
- Sir Pierce Brosnan and Keely Smith, Lady Brosnan
- Ronan Keating and Storm Keating
- Hugh Grant and Anna Eberstein
- Idris Elba and Sabrina Dhowre
- Sacha Baron Cohen and Isla Fisher
- Gary Oldman and Isabella Rossellini
- Cillian Murphy and Yvonne McGuinness
- Ian Wright and Nancy Hallam
- Gordon Ramsay and Tana Ramsay
- Sir Kenneth Branagh and Lindsay Brunnock, Lady Branagh
- Sir Anthony Hopkins and Stella Arroyave, Lady Hopkins
- Sir Christopher Nolan and Dame Emma Thomas
- Sir Elton John and David Furnish
- Sir Wayne Rooney and Coleen McLoughlin, Lady Rooney
- Sir Frank Lampard and Christine Bleakley, Lady Lampard
- Sir Steven Gerrard and Alex Curran, Lady Gerrard
- Sir David Beckham and Victoria Adams, Lady Beckham
- Sir Rio Ferdinand and Emma Bunton, Lady Ferdinand
- Sir Michael Jagger and Melanie Hamrick
- Sir Bobby Charlton and Norma Ball, Lady Charlton
- Sir Paul McCartney and Nancy Shevell, Lady McCartney
- Sir Alex Ferguson and Cathy Harding, Lady Ferguson
- Sir Sean Connery and Micheline Roquebrune, Lady Connery
- Sir Mo Farah and Tania Nell, Lady Farah
- Sir Andy Murray and Kim Sears, Lady Murray
- Sir Geoff Hurst and Judith Harries, Lady Hurst
- Sir Michael Gambon and Anne Miller, Lady Gambon
- Sir Brian May and Anita Dobson, Lady May
- Sir Rod Stewart and Penny Lancaster, Lady Stewart
- Sir David Attenborough
- Sir Ian McKellen
- Peter Crouch and Abbey Clancy
- Rowan Atkinson and Louise Ford
- Tom Hardy and Charlotte Riley
- Ed Sheeran and Cherry Seaborn
- Benedict Cumberbatch and Sophie Hunter
- Richard Curtis and Emma Freud
- John Oliver and Kate Norley
- Eric Clapton and Melia McEnery
- James Corden and Julia Carey
- Gordon Sumner and Trudie Styler
- Liam Neeson
- Seal Samuel
- Dame Emma Thompson and Greg Wise
- Dame Judi Dench and David Mills
- Dame Helen Mirren and Taylor Hackford
- Keira Knightley and James Righton
- Thandiwe Newton and Ol Parker
- Kate Beckinsale and Len Wiseman
- Kate Winslet and Stephen Tredre
- Emily Blunt and John Krasinski
- Felicity Blunt and Stanley Tucci
- Helena Bonham Carter and Rye Holmboe
- Caitríona Balfe and Anthony McGill
- Saoirse Ronan and Jack Lowden
- Rosamund Pike and Robie Uniacke
- Catherine Zeta-Jones and Michael Douglas
- Tilda Swinton and Sandro Kopp
- Jamie Lee Curtis and The Lord Haden-Guest
- Cara Delevingne and Ashley Benson
- Poppy Delevingne and James Cook
- Naomi Campbell and Flavio Briatore
- Ellie Goulding and Caspar Jopling
- Melanie Brown and Rory McPhee
- Melanie Chisholm and Joe Marshall
- Geri Halliwell and Christian Horner
- Kelly Smith and Alex Scott
- Adele and Simon Konecki
- Sophie Turner and Joe Jonas
- Naomi Watts and Billy Crudup
- Emma Watson
- Dua Lipa
- Jamelia Davis
- Cheryl Tweedy
- Dame Maggie Smith
Foreign Guests
Non-royalty
President Ted Cruz and Heidi Cruz
President Emmanuel Macron and Brigitte Macron
President Guðni Th. Jóhannesson and Eliza Reid
President Sauli Niinistö and Jenni Haukio
President Alexander Van der Bellen and Doris Schmidauer
President Ueli Maurer and Anne-Claude Peter
President Andrzej Duda and Agata Kornhauser-Duda
Cardinal Pietro Parolin and Camerlengo Kevin Farrell
Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev and Svetlana Medvedeva
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Sophie Trudeau
Prime Minister Jenniffer González and José Vargas
Prime Minister Pantaleon Alvarez and Emelita Apostol
President Cyril Ramaphosa and Tshepo Motsepe
President Mokgweetsi Masisi and Neo Masisi
President Danny Faure and Shermin Rudie Faure
President Reuven Rivlin and Speaker of the Knesset Yuli Edelstein
President Mahmoud Abbas and Amina Abbas
President Ram Nath Kovind and Savita Kovind
President Arif Alvi and Samina Alvi
Premier Li Keqiang and Cheng Hong
President Tsai Ing-wen and Vice President Chen Chien-jen
President Halimah Yacob and Mohammed Abdullah Alhabshee
President Francisco Guterres and Cidália Lopes Nobre Mouzinho Guterres
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Emine Erdoğan
President Matar Matar and Amal Habib
President Joko Widodo and Iriana
President Moon Jae-in and Kim Jung-sook
Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Jenny Morrison
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Clarke Gayford
Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare and Emmy Sogavare
Prime Minister Enele Sopoaga and Salilo Enele
Prime Minister James Marape and Rachael Marape
Royalty
The Prince Imperial and Princess Imperial of Brazil
The Emperor and Empress of Mexico
The Crown Prince and Crown Princess of Denmark
The Crown Prince and Crown Princess of Norway
The Crown Princess of Sweden and The Duke of Västergötland
The King and Queen of Germany
The King and Queen of Spain
The King and Queen of Portugal
The King and Queen of the Netherlands
The King and Queen of Belgium
The Grand Duke and Grand Duchess of Luxembourg
The Prince and Princess of Monaco
The Hereditary Prince and Hereditary Princess of Liechtenstein
The King and Queen of Italy
The Crown Prince and Crown Princess of Greece
The King and Queen of Albania
The Queen and Prince Consort of Romania
The King and Queen of Hungary
The Prince and Princess of Tarnovo
The King and Queen of Libya
The King of Morocco
The King and Queen of Jordan
The Crown Prince and Crown Princess of Kuwait
The Emir and Consort of Qatar
The Emir and Consort of Dubai
The King and Queen of Malaysia
The Crown Prince and Crown Princess of Brunei
The Princess Royal of Thailand
The Emperor and Empress of Iran
The King and Queen of Afghanistan
The Empress and Prince Consort of Japan
The King and Queen of Bhutan
The King of Cambodia
The King and Queen of Hawaiʻi
The King and Queen of Tonga
Celebrities
- Rachel McAdams and Ryan Gosling
- Linda Evangelista and Kyle MacLachlan
- Shania Twain and Frédéric Thiébaud
- Cindy Crawford and Rande Gerber
- Caroline Kennedy and Josephine Kennedy
- John F. Kennedy Jr. and Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy
- Arnold Schwarzenegger and Maria Shriver
- Bobby Shriver and Princess Caroline of Monaco
- Katherine Schwarzenegger and Chris Pratt
- Serena Williams and Venus Williams
- Tiger Woods and Erica Herman
- Michael Phelps and Nicole Johnson
- Amber Valletta and Shalom Harlow
- Angelina Jolie and Jenny Shimizu
- Miranda Kerr and Stella Maxwell
- Meg Ryan and John Mellencamp
- Isabella DiMaggio and D. B. Sweeney
- John Legend and Chrissy Teigen
- Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson
- Reese Witherspoon and Jake Gyllenhaal
- Maggie Gyllenhaal and Peter Sarsgaard
- Alexis Bledel and Vincent Kartheiser
- Alec Baldwin and Hilaria Baldwin
- Hailey Baldwin and Justin Bieber
- Ireland Baldwin and Madonna
- Mia Hamm and Nomar Garciaparra
- Alex Morgan and Servando Carrasco
- Megan Rapinoe and Sue Bird
- Sarah Paulson and Holland Taylor
- Keanu Reeves and Winona Ryder
- Carrie-Anne Moss and Steven Roy
- Denzel Washington and Pauletta Pearson
- Eddie Murphy and Tracy Edmonds
- Wesley Snipes and Nakyung Park
- Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith
- Lynda Carter and Robert A. Altman
- Jack Black and Tanya Haden
- Julia Roberts and Daniel Moder
- Emma Roberts and Garrett Hedlund
- Cameron Diaz and Benji Madden
- George Clooney and Amal Clooney
- Justin Timberlake and Jessica Biel
- Billy Joel and Alexis Roderick
- Natalie Portman and Benjamin Millepied
- Nicole Scherzinger and Thom Evans
- Sandra Bullock and Bryan Randall
- Gillian Anderson and Peter Morgan
- Adriana Lima and Lenny Kravitz
- Alessandra Ambrosio and Jamie Mazur
- Shakira and Gerard Piqué
- Gisele Bündchen and Tom Brady
- Benicio del Toro and Kimberly Stewart
- Antonio Banderas and Nicole Kimpel
- Rafael Nadal and Maria Pascual
- Léa Seydoux and André Meyer
- Mélanie Laurent
- Marion Cotillard and Guillaume Canet
- Laetitia Casta and Stefano Accorsi
- Zinedine Zidane and Véronique Fernandez
- Thierry Henry and Andrea Rajačić
- Michael Fassbender and Alicia Vikander
- Christoph Waltz and Judith Holste
- Heidi Klum and Tom Kaulitz
- Claudia Schiffer and Matthew Vaughn
- Rebecca Ferguson and Rory St. Clair Gainer
- Monica Bellucci and Tim Burton
- Maria Sharapova and Alexander Gilkes
- Olga Kurylenko
- Eva Herzigová and Gregorio Marsiaj
- Malala Yousafzai
- Bar Refaeli and Bernie Ecclestone
- Gal Gadot and Jaron Varsano
- Shah Rukh Khan and Gauri Khan
- Kareena Kapoor Khan and Saif Ali Khan
- Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and Abhishek Bachchan
- Deepika Padukone and Ranveer Singh
- Priyanka Chopra and Nick Jonas
- A. R. Rahman and Saira Banu
- Ken Watanabe
- Masashi Kishimoto
- Jackie Chan and Joan Lin
- Ming Xi and Mario Ho
- Dato' Sri Hajah Siti Nurhaliza and Dato' Sri Haji Khalid Mohamad Jiwa
- Dato' Sri Michelle Yeoh and Jean Todt
- Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban
- Margot Robbie and Tom Ackerley
- Elle Macpherson and Donald Soffer
Reception
Owing to years of advanced planning beforehand, the event's execution was consequently met with much praise for its precision and smoothness, with little to no fault in the process. Meanwhile, its mix of elements of a traditional coronation and those of a more modern ceremony was also widely received with the BBC particularly noting the "seamless blend of the past and the present that resulted in a unique occasion of its own and heavily distinguished from the rest".
Despite featuring a wide array of guests ranging from kings and queens to presidents and prime ministers, in addition to both local and foreign celebrities, the event's choice of guests was not without controversy. In this, the president of Russia was notably excluded from the event amidst popular public discontent and was, in turn, represented by his deputy Dmitry Medvedev. Likewise, Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia Mohammed bin Salman, despite effectively representing his elderly father abroad, was also not invited to the event amidst fears of protests over the latter's role in the assassination of Saudi dissident and journalist Jamal Khashoggi around a year prior in October 2018. Instead, Prince Khalid bin Bandar Al Saud, the Saudi ambassador to the United Kingdom, was chosen to represent his country at the event owing to him being less well-known to the public, thereby minimising the risk of any significant controversy. Meanwhile, a minor controversy arose when it was announced that both China's Premier Li Keqiang and Taiwan's President Tsai Ing-wen were invited to the event despite longstanding geopolitical tensions between the two nations. To that end, Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond later revealed that the Chinese government once attempted to pressure the organising committee into barring the Taiwanese leadership from the event under the threat of withdrawing their participation although such a threat never ultimately materialised as the committee itself persisted in including the Taiwanese leadership despite the constant Chinese pressure. Likewise, despite similar geopolitical tensions, the presidents of both Israel and Palestine were also invited, and so are the presidents of India and Pakistan, two countries that have previously gone to war against each other on several occasions. Otherwise, personal controversies also saw Thailand's King Vajiralongkorn and Brunei's Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah, the latter having sparked international outcry in April that year for his proposed anti-LGBT stoning laws, barred from the ceremony and instead represented by their chosen deputies, namely the Princess Royal of Thailand and the Crown Prince of Brunei. Later on, the onset of the 2022 Thai Revolution in February 2022 marked the end of the Thai monarchy as it was subsequently replaced with a presidential system during which Vajiralongkorn was sentenced to incarceration in a German maximum security prison for various "crimes against humanity".
Given its distinctively secular nature, unlike past British coronations, which are otherwise strictly Anglican ceremonies, in a historical moment, an invitation was extended to the leadership of the Vatican City, namely the current Pope Francis. In this, despite later expressing the Vatican City's "gracious acceptance" of the invitation, owing to his advanced age, the Pope revealed that he would not be attending the event directly and instead sent the Cardinal Secretary of State Pietro Parolin to represent the Vatican City at the event. However, Bartholomew, the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople and leader of the Eastern Orthodox Church, otherwise attended the event in person.