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George IV saw his coronation as an opportunity for a great theatrical spectacle and spent vast sums of
money on it. He wore an auburn wig with ringlets, with a huge plumed hat on top, and designed his own robes
(falling into a long train, the weight of which proved almost too much for his too stout frame) for the procession
into the Abbey. After the coronation, because Queen Caroline had been forcibly excluded from the ceremony,
the crowds in the streets were extremely hostile to him and he had to return to Carlton House by an alternative
route.
In complete contrast, William IV took a lot of persuading before he would agree to have a coronation at all,
and the least possible amount of money was spent on it – giving it the name the 'penny coronation'. Despite his
dislike of extravagant show and ceremony, he still brought a slightly theatrical touch to the scene by living up
to his nickname of the 'sailor king' and appearing, when disrobed for the Anointing, in the full-dress uniform of
an Admiral of the Fleet.
With Queen Victoria came a return to an appreciation of the true significance of the coronation ceremony.
A serious-minded young woman, with a true feeling for her role as Sovereign, she managed to imbue the pag-
eantry with at least some of its former majesty – despite almost overwhelming difficulties. Little rehearsal had
taken place beforehand and no one seemed to have much idea as to what should be happening at each stage. At
one point, in desperation, the Queen turned to the Sub-Dean of Westminster, Lord John Thynne, and said, 'Pray
tell me what I am to do, for they do not know.' The climax of this thoroughly mismanaged occasion came when
the Bishop of Bath and Wells turned over two pages at once in the Service Book and told the Queen that the
ceremony was complete. It was not until the main participants had retired to St Edward's Chapel that the Queen
was informed a mistake had been made; despite Lord Melbourne's laconic comment 'What does it signify?', she
insisted on returning to her place to finish the service.
Edward VII's coronation was marked by uncertainties. First it had to be postponed because the King fell ill
and had to have an operation. Then, only recently recovered from it, he was thrust into all the strain of the
lengthy ceremonials – which he in fact bore well. He himself was more anxious for the aged Archbishop Fre-
derick Temple, who was nearly blind and had to read the prayers from specially prepared large-print cards; his
shaking hands seemed about to drop the crown before he managed to place it safely on the King's head.
The last three coronations have demonstrated continuing respect for the religious significance of the cere-
mony and recognition of the importance of such a public declaration by the Sovereign of his or her personal
dedication to the service of the people.
At the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II in 1953, for the first time the service was televised and millions of
her subjects could see and hear the ceremony taking place. It is possible that few watching realised just how far
back into history the roots of that historic ceremony stretched, and how little fundamental change had occurred
over the centuries.
PART III
THE TOWER OF LONDON
FORTRESS AND PALACE
Words and Expressions
– a bailey – двор замка
– a ditch – ров
– a bank – вал, насыпь
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