Honoring his father. Prince William will play a big part in King Charles III’s coronation on Saturday, May 6.
During the ceremony held at Westminster Abbey, the Duke of Cambridge, 40, will present the monarch with the Stole Royal and the Robe Royal, according to the official coronation liturgy itinerary shared on the Church of England’s website. The presentation will follow Charles’ oath and anointing, but before he is given the Sceptre and Rod and is crowned with St. Edward’s Crown.
The church’s website states that the two items represent “what The King, as Sovereign, has been given by God,” as well as notes that a new Stole featuring “Christian Iconography” has been commissioned for the event.
Also known as the Imperial Mantle, the Robe Royal was created for King George IV’s coronation in 1821, according to the Royal Collection Trust’s website. The gold garment features embroidered foliage, crowns, fleur delis, shamrocks, eagles and more. The robe’s last use at a coronation was st that of Charles’ mother, the late Queen Elizabeth II.
Following William’s presentation of the items, Charles will be vested the stole by the Bishop of Durham, after which William, the Baroness Merron and Assisting Bishops will finish clothing the king.
William and his wife, Princess Kate, and their three kids — Prince George, 9, Princess Charlotte, 7, and Prince Louis, 5 —will also participate in the historic day by joining their family members in the coronation procession from Westminster Abbey to Buckingham Palace. Additionally, George will serve as one of the four Pages of Honor.
The Prince and Princess of Wales’ appearance at the event will come just days after celebrating their 12th wedding anniversary on April 29. The couple — who tied the knot in 2011 — celebrated the occasion by sharing a new portrait of themselves via their shared Instagram account, fittingly captioned: “12 years ❤️.”
Two days prior, William responded to a young boy who mistakenly called him “the king” during a visit with Kate, 41, to the Dowlais Rugby Club in Wales. “No, I’m not — not me!” he hilariously responded, before clarifying to the child, “My father is.”
William became first in the line for the throne after his father took on the crown following Queen Elizabeth’s death at the age of 96 in September 2022. His three children sit behind him on the royal line of succession, followed by his brother, Prince Harry.
The coronation comes will take place amid brotherly drama between the two, as tensions have been high following the release of Harry’s bombshell memoir, Spare — in which the Duke of Sussex, 38, made several shocking revelations about William, Charles and the rest of the royal family.
Though royal expert Nick Bullen told Us Weekly on April 20 that there has been “radio silence” between William and Harry leading up to their dad’s big day, another source stated that the two are expected to act as “professionals” at the coronation.
“Obviously, they are brothers first and emotions are always there,” the insider shared last month. “But they know how to act in front of the cameras. They’ve been in front of them their whole life.”
Buckingham Palace confirmed in April that Harry would attend the coronation without his wife, Meghan Markle. The former Suits star will remain in California to celebrate their son Archie’s 4th birthday, which happens to fall on the same date as Charles’ crowning. The two also share their 22-month-old daughter, Lilibet.
Royal expert Bullen previously told Us that Harry will likely “minimize the amount of time that he’s in London,” adding, “He’s already said that he wants to be back for Archie’s birthday that afternoon, that evening.”
