Upholsterer Beatrice Ekwalla works on restoring a throne chair at the Marlborough House workshops in London, in the lead up to the coronation of Britain's King Charles III on February 17, 2023. (Photo by Victoria Jones / POOL / AFP)
Upholsterer Beatrice Ekwalla works on restoring a throne chair at the Marlborough House workshops in London, in the lead up to the coronation of Britain's King Charles III on February 17, 2023. (Photo by Victoria Jones / POOL / AFP)
Upholsterer Beatrice Ekwalla works on restoring a throne chair at the Marlborough House workshops in London, in the lead up to the coronation of Britain's King Charles III on February 17, 2023. (Photo by Victoria Jones / POOL / AFP)
Upholsterer Beatrice Ekwalla works on restoring a throne chair at the Marlborough House workshops in London, in the lead up to the coronation of Britain's King Charles III on February 17, 2023. (Photo

World

UK

King Charles reuses historic chairs to make coronation more sustainable

Royal family embraces sustainability and promotes conservation

Marwa Hassan
Marwa Hassan

May 01, 2023

  • English
  • Arabic

King Charles III will reuse historic chairs from previous coronations to promote sustainability during his coronation service.

The King will be seated on a throne chair that was used by his grandfather, King George VI, during the 1937 coronation.

The original embroidered coats of arms have been conserved on the reupholstered chair.

Queen Consort Camilla will also use a reupholstered chair, identical with the one used by the late Queen Mother in 1937. It will have the Queen Mother's coats of arms replaced with newly embroidered versions created by the Royal School of Needlework.

Caroline de Guitaut, deputy surveyor of the King's Works of Art at the Royal Collection Trust, said: “[The king] has wanted very much to reuse things where possible and obviously it's an incredibly efficient and sustainable thing to do.”

She said the decision respected the historic nature of the objects while conserving them for future generations.

The coronation service will involve a succession of chairs for the king, who will move from a chair of estate to the ancient coronation chair to be crowned, and finally to the throne chair for the enthronement and homage elements of the service.

The queen consort will also be seated in a chair of estate before moving to a throne chair.

An artisan restores historic throne chairs for the coronation of King Charles III in London on May 6. All photos: AFP
An artisan restores historic throne chairs for the coronation of King Charles III in London on May 6. All photos: AFP
Intricate embroidery on the reupholstered throne chairs
Intricate embroidery on the reupholstered throne chairs
Traditional techniques are employed by a team of experts
Traditional techniques are employed by a team of experts
Craftsmen bring new life to the chairs while preserving their essence
Craftsmen bring new life to the chairs while preserving their essence
The UK's royal coat of arms on a throne chair cover
The UK's royal coat of arms on a throne chair cover
Artisans breathe new life into the historic chairs, blending tradition with sustainability
Artisans breathe new life into the historic chairs, blending tradition with sustainability
The Royal School of Needlework's skilled embroiderers contribute to the sustainable coronation with their detailed work on the chairs
The Royal School of Needlework's skilled embroiderers contribute to the sustainable coronation with their detailed work on the chairs
There is a delicate balance between conservation and rejuvenation
There is a delicate balance between conservation and rejuvenation
The restoration of the chairs combines traditional craftsmanship with modern sustainability goals
The restoration of the chairs combines traditional craftsmanship with modern sustainability goals
The AT Cronin Workshop is tasked with ensuring the chairs are fit for a king
The AT Cronin Workshop is tasked with ensuring the chairs are fit for a king
A detail of the work on the throne that will be used for the coronation
A detail of the work on the throne that will be used for the coronation
The beautifully restored chairs stand as a testament to the dedication and skill of the artisan upholsterers
The beautifully restored chairs stand as a testament to the dedication and skill of the artisan upholsterers
King Charles and Queen Consort Camilla see work in progress during a visit to the Royal College of Needlework at Hampton Court Palace
King Charles and Queen Consort Camilla see work in progress during a visit to the Royal College of Needlework at Hampton Court Palace

The chairs of estate, originally made for Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip for the 1953 coronation, have been refurbished with new upholstery and King Charles and Camilla's ciphers embroidered by the RSN.

The throne chairs were restored by AT Cronin Workshop, a family firm of upholsterers in west London, over a two-month period using traditional materials and methods.

In addition to the repurposed chairs, 100 congregation chairs made from sustainable British oak will be set out in Westminster Abbey, covered in blue velvet with the King and Queen Consort's ciphers.

These chairs will be sold after the coronation and the money raised donated to charity.

This commitment to sustainability extends beyond the furniture used during the event.

Primary school children will be sent wild flower seeds to commemorate the coronation, and new national nature reserves will be formally declared in the summer, including the Lincolnshire Coronation Coast National Nature Reserve.

The biog

Name: Abeer Al Shahi

Emirate: Sharjah – Khor Fakkan

Education: Master’s degree in special education, preparing for a PhD in philosophy.

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THE BIO

Born: Mukalla, Yemen, 1979

Education: UAE University, Al Ain

Family: Married with two daughters: Asayel, 7, and Sara, 6

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