King Charles III’s coronation dress code is on the casual side. However, that doesn’t mean guests won’t “go all out” at Westminster Abbey. A commentator says some may flout the “simple” dress code despite the king’s desire for his coronation not to look “ostentatious.”
Despite being a historic event, the coronation isn’t expected to see guests decked out in ball gowns and tuxedos. Although no official guidelines on attire have been announced, “day dress” is understood to be the dress code. I
“The dress code at this coronation will be decidedly more casual than the royal fashion shows of the past,” Christopher Andersen, a royal author, told Marie Claire. “Gone are the coronets, glittering tiaras, and ermine-trimmed velvet coronation robes members of the House of Lords and other aristocrats would normally wear to such formal occasions.”
“In his ongoing efforts to streamline and modernize the monarchy, Charles has asked guests to wear either simple, unadorned parliamentary robes or simply business attire,” the author of The King: The Life of Charles III said.
King Charles’ coronation vision includes not wanting it to “look like an elitist, ostentatious affair,” royal expert Victoria Arbiter said.
“He wants to appeal to modern, everyday Britain in a modern, multicultural, multifaith society,” Arbiter explained. “Some traditionalists want the whole kit and caboodle, but we are going to get a coronation fitting to today’s society.”
Guests are expected to ‘go all out’ with their coronation outfits but not outshine the king
There’s a fine line the 2,000-person congregation will have to navigate when dressing for the coronation. Guests “don’t want to take away from the sovereign,” Kinsey Schofield, host of the To Do For Daily podcast, said.
Women might wear a “classy fascinator and a dress of a bold color but not a bold pattern,” not unlike past royal weddings.
The sartorial objective, she explained, is simple: “They’ll just want to look respectful. This is a solemn occasion, a state occasion. You’d want to look beautiful, respectful, and appropriate. I don’t think you’ll see a lot of people trying to stand out at a Christian ceremony.”
The coronation’s “more casual instead of traditional” description is, admittedly, “a little disappointing to hear as a viewer,” the podcast host continued. “But I also think, because the guest list was cut by 6,000, if you have received an invitation, I expect people to go all out.”
“Business attire seems a little basic,” she added. “I honestly don’t know if everyone will follow it. I’m expecting a modern, elegantly simple fashion show.”
King Charles’ coronation will still have ‘glitz’ despite the more casual dress code
An absence of formal attire doesn’t automatically mean the coronation will be any less grand. “There will still be a heart-stopping display of pomp, ceremony, and glitz inside Westminster Abbey,” Andersen said.
“The king and queen arrive and depart in gold horse-drawn coaches, after all. And half the Crown Jewels will be carted out for the ceremony itself.”
Tiaras could be another source of sparkle. That’s if, amid much speculation, Kate Middleton’s coronation outfit includes a bejeweled headpiece in addition to the “hint of blue” she’ll be sporting.
See all the outfits and the jewels when the coronation ceremony begins at 11 a.m. in London, England, or 6 a.m. EST, on May 6.
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