The Coronation of Queen Victoria

On 28 June 1838, the coronation of Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom  took place at Westminster Abbey in London.

The planning

Queen Victoria succeeded her uncle King William IV on 20 June 1837. Her first prime minister was Lord Melbourne, with whom she developed a close personal friendship.  Until 1867, the Demise of the Crown automatically triggered the dissolution of parliament: voting in the subsequent general

election took place between 24 July and 18 August. The result was a victory for Melbourne, whose Whig Party government was returned to power for another four years. Their majority over the opposition Conservative (formerly Tory) Party was reduced from 112 seats to 30. Melbourne was the leading player in the planning, preparation and implementation of Victoria's coronation.

The crowd

Prior to 1838, only the peerage had taken part in a coronation. The day's ceremonies would have begun in Westminster Hall, (now attached to the Houses of Parliament), and upon their completion, peers would have walked together across the road to Westminster Abbey, where they witnessed the monarch being crowned.

In accordance with Melbourne's new plan, however, the traditional ceremonies in Westminster Hall and the procession to the Abbey were replaced with two much longer processions through London. 

Victoria travelled inside the Gold State Coach (also known as the  Coronation Coach), made for George III in 1762, as part of a procession which included many other coaches, and a cavalry escort.

The route was designed to allow as many spectators as possible to view the procession. It followed a roughly circular route from the newly completed Buckingham Palace, past Hyde Park Corner and along Piccadilly, St James's Street, Pall Mall, Charing Cross and Whitehall, to Westminster Abbey: the journey took a whole hour. 

The processions to and from Westminster Abbey were watched by unprecedentedly large crowds, many of the people having travelled on the new railways to London from around the country: it was estimated that 400,000 people had arrived in the capital in the days running up to the event.

The coronation ceremony

The whole service lasted five hours, and involved two changes of dress for the Queen. At points in the service when they were not needed to be present at the Coronation Theatre (composed of the pavement fronting the main altar and the crossing), the royal party were able to retreat to "St. Edward's Chapel, as it is called; but which as Ld Melbourne said, was more unlike a Chapel, than anything he had ever seen, for what was called an altar, was covered with plates of sandwiches, bottles of wine, &c".

At the end of the service, the Treasurer of the Household, Lord Surrey, threw silver coronation medals to the crowd, which caused an undignified scramble.

 Royal Guests

* The Duchess of Kent and Strathearn, the Queen's mother

* The Prince of Leiningen, the Queen's half-brother

* The Duke of Sussex, the Queen's paternal uncle

* The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, the Queen's paternal uncle and aunt

* Prince George of Cambridge, the Queen's first cousin

* Princess Augusta of Cambridge, the Queen's first cousin

* The Princess Augusta Sophia, the Queen's paternal aunt

* The Duchess of Gloucester and Edinburgh, the Queen's paternal aunt

* The Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, the Queen's maternal uncle

* The Earl of Munster, the Queen's first cousin

*Prince Christian of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg, the Queen's third cousin (representing the King of Denmark)

* The Duke of Nassau, the Queen's third cousin

* The Duke of Nemours (representing his father, Louis Philippe I King of the French)

* Prince Ernest Frederick of Hesse-Philippsthal-Barchfeld (representing Landgrave of Hesse-Philippsthal-Barchfeld)

* The Prince of Ligne (representing King Leopold I of Belgium) More about the family de Ligne on this link

In her journal

"I was awoke at four o'clock by the guns in the Park, and could not get much sleep afterwards on account of the noise of the people, bands, etc., etc. Got up at seven, feeling strong and well; the
Park presented a curious spectacle, crowds of people up Constitution Hill, soldiers, Bands, etc.

At ten I got into the State Coach with the Duchess of Sutherland and Lord Albemarle and we began our Progress. It was a fine day, and the crowds of people exceeded what I have ever seen; many as there were the day I went to the City, it was nothing, nothing to the multitudes, the millions of my loyal subjects, who were assembled in every spot to witness the Procession. Their good humour and excessive loyalty was beyond everything, and I really cannot say how proud I feel to be the Queen of such a Nation. I was alarmed at times for fear that the people would be crushed and squeezed on account of the tremendous rush and pressure.

I reached the Abbey amid deafening cheers at a little after half-past eleven; I first went into a robing-room quite close to the entrance where I found my eight train-bearers: Lady Caroline Lennox, Lady Adelaide Paget, Lady Mary Talbot, Lady Fanny Cowper, Lady Wilhelmina Stanhope, Lady Anne Fitzwilliam, Lady Mary Grimston and Lady Louisa Jenkinson — all dressed alike and beautifully
in white satin and silver tissue with wreaths of silver corn-ears in front, and a small one of pink roses around the plait behind, and pink roses in the trimmings of the dresses.

Then followed all the various things; and last (of those things) the Crown being placed on my head — which was, I must own, a most beautiful impressive moment; all the Peers and Peeresses put on
their coronets at the same instant. My excellent Lord Melbourne, who stood very close to me throughout the whole ceremony, was completely overcome at this moment, and very much affected; he gave me such a kind, and I may say fatherly look. The shouts, which were very great, the drums, the trumpets, the firing of the guns, all at the same instant, rendered the spectacle most imposing. The Archbishop had (most awkwardly) put the ring on the wrong finger, and the consequence was that I had the greatest difficulty to take it off again, which I at last did with great pain. At about half-past four I re-entered my carriage, the Crown on my head, and the  Sceptre and Orb in my hands, and we proceeded the same way as we came — the crowds if possible having increased. The enthusiasm, affection, and loyalty were really touching, and I shall remember this day as the Proudest of my life! I came home at a little after six, really not feeling tired. At eight we dined."

✍ What would King Charles write in his diary? 👑

👑 Did you noticed that Queen Camilla wore the same necklace as Queen Victoria on her coronation!  Every queen has wore the necklace on their coronation since then! Traditions are beautiful! 👑

Queen Victoria and her family

More about Queen Victoria and her family?

Check these links: 

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