Three months ahead of the planned ceremonies in May, the Buckingham Palace has unveiled the official emblem of the coronation for Britain’s King Charles III and the Queen Consort.
As a tribute to Charles’ love “of the natural world,” the emblem showcases the rose of England, the thistle of Scotland, the daffodil of Wales and the shamrock of Northern Ireland — together the flowers form the shape of St. Edward’s Crown, with which Charles will be crowned during the ceremony on May 6.
The emblem also has the colours red, white and blue of the union flag.
Created by Sir Jony Ive, a British designer who was formerly the chief design officer at Apple, and his collective LoveFrom, the emblem “symbolizes and celebrates the historic beginning of the new reign,” a statement released Friday by the Buckingham Palace, said.
“It is such an honour to be able to contribute to this remarkable national occasion, and our team is so very proud of this work. The design was inspired by King Charles’ love of the planet, nature, and his deep concern for the natural world,” Ive said.
“The emblem speaks to the happy optimism of spring and celebrates the beginning of this new Carolean era for the United Kingdom. The gentle modesty of these natural forms combine to define an emblem that acknowledges both the joyful and profound importance of this occasion.”
Charles, 74, automatically became king on the death of his mother Queen Elizabeth II last September.
He is now the oldest person to ever assume the throne.
The formal Coronation ceremony will take place at London’s Westminster Abbey and will follow the traditional pageantry used for anointing monarchs over the last 1,000 years.
The emblem, according to Buckingham Palace, will also be used for all official merchandise commemorating Charles’ coronation across digital and social media.
— with files from Reuters