Frontline 999 staff and the armed forces will get a Coronation medal to mark King Charles’ accession to the throne, the Government announced today.
Some 400,000 people, including emergency workers, soldiers, sailors and airmen and those involved in tomorrow’s State occasion, will get the gong.
Deputy Prime Minister Oliver Dowden said: "The Coronation would not be possible without the dedication and selfless service shown by our armed forces and other public servants.
“This medal is a fitting recognition of their efforts, and a thank you from the nation. It will be worn with pride for years to come."
The design features a double portrait of the King and Queen Camilla on the front and a version of the monarch’s Royal Cypher, a laurel wreath and tomorrow’s date on the back.
The ribbon features red, blue and white vertical stripes - the colours of the Union Flag - and are made of nickel silver and plated in nickel.
Unveiling the accolade, the Department for Culture, Media and Sport said: “Everyone actively contributing and supporting the Coronation on May 6 - including choristers, police officers, military personnel and St John Ambulance personnel - as well as those directly involved in the delivery of the Coronation are eligible.
“It will also be given to serving frontline members of the police, fire, emergency services, prison services and armed forces that have completed five full calendar years of service.”
Culture Secretary Lucy Frazer said: “The Coronation medal will act as a reminder of the important part each person has played in this moment of history.
“From our armed forces who protect our country to the emergency services who care for us at home, alongside those volunteers who are giving up their time to make this event so special, I am delighted that we can mark their contribution to this special day, and for each and every day that they go above and beyond serving their country.”
The tradition of Coronation medals dates to the reign of King James I when the first medal was awarded in 1603.
