Members of the royal family and guests wore a variety of brightly colored outfits during the coronation of Charles III as King of Britain on Saturday. The attire ranged from traditional robes to elegant headpieces, filling Westminster Abbey in London with a mix of colors and designs.
The king arrived at the abbey in a formal velvet outfit worn by his grandfather, King George VI, at his coronation in 1937, consisting of a crimson jacket topped with a cream silk coat and dark blue royal trousers. He later changed into the ceremonial uniform worn by his predecessors at their coronations, which included a long silk robe, a coronation sword belt, and a golden cloak originally made for the coronation of George IV in 1821, making it the oldest garment in the ceremony.
On his right hand, he wore a white leather gauntlet embroidered at the wrist with golden threads. Charles was crowned with the historic St. Edward's Crown, which has been used since the coronation of King Charles II in 1661. Camilla wore the official robe originally made for the late Queen Elizabeth for her coronation in 1953, over an ivory gown embellished with floral embroidery in silver and gold designed by British designer Bruce Oldfield.
Both departed the abbey in formal purple attire. Charles wore the outfit his grandfather George VI had worn, while Camilla's dress, notable for its nature-inspired embroidery, was designed by the Royal School of Needlework.
Prince William and Princess Catherine, the Prince and Princess of Wales, appeared in formal robes over their attire, with the heir to the throne donning the ceremonial uniform of the Welsh Guards; his wife adorned her head with a silver leaf and crystal headpiece. The Princess of Wales and her daughter Charlotte wore ivory silk gowns decorated with motifs of roses, thorns, daffodils, and clover, symbolizing the four nations of the United Kingdom, a design choice reminiscent of Catherine's wedding dress in 2011.
Charles's siblings wore traditional robes, while his nieces, Princesses Beatrice, Eugenie, Zara, and Lady Louise, donned dresses or coats in shades of fuchsia, blue, or floral-embroidered fabrics.
Among the celebrity attendees was actress Emma Thompson, who wore a red coat adorned with flowers, and American singer Katy Perry, who will perform at a concert for the coronation in Windsor tomorrow. She wore a striking short-sleeved purple dress with matching gloves and a wide-brimmed hat.
First Lady Jill Biden and her French counterpart Brigitte Macron opted for outfits in soft blue and pale pink, respectively, while Ukrainian First Lady Olena Zelenska chose a calm, monochromatic dress and coat in a shade of green.
The church was also filled with colorful wide-brimmed hats and headpieces in fuchsia, orange, and red.
