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At 11:20 am, [[Alexandra of the United Kingdom and of the Netherlands|Alexandra]] subsequently stood on the rear balcony of {{wp|Buckingham Palace}} where she received a royal salute and three cheers from members of the {{wp|British Armed Forces}} gathered in {{wp|Buckingham Palace Garden}}. Following this, in the presence of her family members, [[Alexandra of the United Kingdom and of the Netherlands|Alexandra]] then stood on the front balcony to review a royal flypast by the {{wp|Royal Air Force}} whose {{wp|Red Arrows}} aerobatic team notably took part in the occasion.
At 11:20 am, [[Alexandra of the United Kingdom and of the Netherlands|Alexandra]] subsequently stood on the rear balcony of {{wp|Buckingham Palace}} where she received a royal salute and three cheers from members of the {{wp|British Armed Forces}} gathered in {{wp|Buckingham Palace Garden}}. Following this, in the presence of her family members, [[Alexandra of the United Kingdom and of the Netherlands|Alexandra]] then stood on the front balcony to review a royal flypast by the {{wp|Royal Air Force}} whose {{wp|Red Arrows}} aerobatic team notably took part in the occasion.
==Guests==
Much like previous coronations, the event similarly saw the attendance of various guests from both inside the {{wp|United Kingdom}} and abroad. Among the guests included:
===Domestic Guests===
* The [[Thomas of the United Kingdom and of the Netherlands|Duke]] and {{wp|Christy Turlington|Duchess of Hanover}} ''the Queen's father and mother''
** [[Prince Richard of Hanover|Prince Richard]] ''the Queen's brother''
** [[Princess Nicole of Hanover|Princess Nicole]] ''the Queen's sister''
** [[Princess Elle of Hanover|Princess Elle]] ''the Queen's sister''
** [[Princess Vivian of Hanover|Princess Vivian]] ''the Queen's sister''
* [[Prince Nelson of the United Kingdom|Prince Nelson]] and {{wp|Claudia Schiffer}} ''the Queen's paternal uncle and his wife''
** {{wp|Lady}} {{wp|Hannah Schiffer}} ''the Queen's first cousin''
** {{wp|Lady}} {{wp|Estelle Schiffer}} ''the Queen's first cousin''
** {{wp|Lady}} {{wp|Katharine Schiffer}} ''the Queen's first cousin''
* [[Catherine, Princess Royal]] and {{wp|Dame}} {{wp|Jodie Foster}} ''the Queen's paternal aunt and her wife''
** The {{wp|Hugh Grosvenor, 7th Duke of Westminster|Duke}} and {{wp|Georgia May Jagger|Duchess of Westminster}} ''the Queen's first cousin and her husband''
** [[Kate Rodman]] ''the Queen's first cousin''
*  {{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 Margarita}} ''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|Leopold Bernhard}} ''the Queen's second cousin''
** {{wp|Friedrich Bernhard}} ''the Queen's second cousin''
** {{wp|Karl-Wilhelm Bernhard}} ''the Queen's second cousin''
===Foreign Guests===
====Non-royalty====
*{{flagicon|Ireland}} {{wp|President of Ireland|President}} {{wp|Michael D. Higgins}} and {{wp|Sabina Higgins}}
*{{flagicon|France}} {{wp|President of France|President}} {{wp|Emmanuel Macron}} and {{wp|Brigitte Macron}}
*{{flagicon|Germany}} {{wp|President of Germany|President}} {{wp|Frank-Walter Steinmeier}} and {{wp|Elke Büdenbender}}
*{{flagicon|Finland}} {{wp|President of Finland|President}} {{wp|Sauli Niinistö}} and {{wp|Jenni Haukio}}
*{{flagicon|Russia}} {{wp|Prime Minister of Russia|Prime Minister}} {{wp|Dmitry Medvedev}} and {{wp|Svetlana Medvedeva}}
*{{flagicon|United States}} {{wp|Vice President of the United States|Vice President}} {{wp|Mike Pence}} and {{wp|Karen Pence}}
*{{flagicon|South Africa}} {{wp|President of South Africa|President}} {{wp|Cyril Ramaphosa}} and {{wp|Tshepo Motsepe}}
*{{flagicon|Israel}} {{wp|President of Israel|President}} {{wp|Reuven Rivlin}}
*{{flagicon|India}} {{wp|President of India|President}} {{wp|Ram Nath Kovind}} and {{wp|Savita Kovind}}
*{{flagicon|China}} {{wp|Premier of the People's Republic of China|Premier}} {{wp|Li Keqiang}} and {{wp|Cheng Hong}}
*{{flagicon|Singapore}} {{wp|President of Singapore|President}} {{wp|Halimah Yacob}} and {{wp|Mohammed Abdullah Alhabshee}}
*{{flagicon|Brazil}} {{wp|Vice President of Brazil|Vice President}} {{wp|Hamilton Mourão}} and {{wp|Paula Mourão}}
*{{flagicon|Turkey}} {{wp|President of Turkey|President}} {{wp|Recep Tayyip Erdoğan}} and {{wp|Emine Erdoğan}}
*{{flagicon|Palestine}} {{wp|President of Palestine|President}} {{wp|Mahmoud Abbas}} and {{wp|Mahmoud Abbas|Amina Abbas}}
*{{flagicon|Iceland}} {{wp|President of Iceland|President}} {{wp|Guðni Th. Jóhannesson}} and {{wp|Eliza Reid}}
*{{flagicon|Bahrain}} [[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|South Korea}} {{wp|President of South Korea|President}} {{wp|Moon Jae-in}} and {{wp|Kim Jung-sook}}
*{{flagicon|Pakistan}} {{wp|President of Pakistan|President}} {{wp|Arif Alvi}} and {{wp|Arif Alvi|Samina Alvi}}
====Royalty====
*{{flagicon|Denmark}} {{wp|Frederik X|The Crown Prince}} and {{wp|Helena Christensen|Crown Princess of Denmark}}
*{{flagicon|Norway}} {{wp|Haakon, Crown Prince of Norway|The Crown Prince}} and {{wp|Mette-Marit, Crown Princess of Norway|Crown Princess of Norway}}
*{{flagicon|Sweden}} {{wp|Victoria, Crown Princess of Sweden|The Crown Princess of Sweden}} and {{wp|Prince Daniel, Duke of Västergötland|The Duke of Västergötland}}
*{{flagicon|Spain}} {{wp|Felipe VI|The King}} and {{wp|Queen Letizia of Spain|Queen of Spain}}
*{{flagicon|Portugal|1830}} {{wp|Duarte Pio, Duke of Braganza|The King}} and {{wp|Infanta Elena, Duchess of Lugo|Queen of Portugal}}
*{{flagicon|Monaco}} {{wp|Albert II, Prince of Monaco|The Prince}} and {{wp|Charlene, Princess of Monaco|Princess of Monaco}}
*{{flagicon|Liechtenstein}} {{wp|Alois, Hereditary Prince of Liechtenstein|The Hereditary Prince}} and {{wp|Sophie, Hereditary Princess of Liechtenstein|Hereditary Princess of Liechtenstein}}
*{{flagicon|Italy|1861}} {{wp|Emanuele Filiberto of Savoy, Prince of Venice|The King}} and {{wp|Clotilde Courau|Queen of Italy}}
*{{flagicon|Greece|royal}} {{wp|Pavlos, Crown Prince of Greece|The Crown Prince}} and {{wp|Marie-Chantal, Crown Princess of Greece|Crown Princess of Greece}}
*{{flagicon|Romania}} {{wp|Princess Elena of Romania|The Crown Princess of Romania}} and {{wp|Alexander, Crown Prince of Yugoslavia|The Crown Prince of Yugoslavia}} (husband)
*{{flagicon|Hungary|1918}} {{wp|Karl von Habsburg|The King}} and {{wp|Barbara Palvin|Queen of Hungary}}
*{{flagicon|Bulgaria}} {{wp|Kyril, Prince of Preslav|The Prince of Preslav}}
*{{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|Jordan}} {{wp|Abdullah II of Jordan|The King}} and {{wp|Queen Rania of Jordan|Queen of Jordan}}
*{{flagicon|Malaysia}} {{wp|Muhammad V of Kelantan|The King}} and {{wp|Oksana Voevodina|Queen of Malaysia}}
*{{flagicon|Thailand}} {{wp|Sirindhorn|The Princess Royal of Thailand}}
*{{flagicon|Brunei}} {{wp|Al-Muhtadee Billah|The Crown Prince}} and {{wp|Sarah, Crown Princess of Brunei|Crown Princess of Brunei}}
*{{flagicon|Japan}} [[Akiko|The Empress]] and [[Akiko|Prince Consort of Japan]]
*{{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}}

Revision as of 12:03, 20 March 2024

Investiture of Queen Alexandra
Date1 August 2019
LocationLondon, United Kingdom
ParticipantsQueen 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 two years following Alexandra's ascension to the throne in October 2017 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 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 seeing 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 made up of the governor generals and prime ministers of the eight Commonwealth realms, namely Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Papua New Guinea, 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 by the Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby and the Chief Rabbi of the United Hebrew Congregations of the Commonwealth Ephraim Mirvis. Then, as the doors were opened, the present guests unanimously proclaimed "The Queen has arrived", once again signaling her arrival.

As the religious leaders promptly took their positions on the side of the aisle, 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.

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, I, Alexandra Katharine Charles Nicole Lauren Elizabeth Thomas, 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 Northern Ireland. It is also on this occasion that I 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 Northern Ireland.

Upon concluding the installation oath, during which she also swore to "uphold the cultural and religious diversity of the United Kingdom of Great Britain, Hanover, and Northern Ireland" in response to a unanimous question from the religious leaders present, the Crown Jewels of the United Kingdom were 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 as she then officially signed the installation oath in which her signature was subsequently 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.

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

Foreign Guests

Non-royalty

Royalty