The King will honour Britain’s relationship with the Commonwealth during the most sacred moment of his Coronation when he is anointed with holy oil behind fabric screens, it can be revealed.
Charles has for months worked on a secret project with skilled embroiderers who have stitched the names of all 56 commonwealth countries into the partitions that will shield him from public view, when he is blessed with holy oil.
Royal sources said the delicate lace embroidery, created by the Royal School of Needlework, are His Majesty’s way of demonstrating his respect and his late mother’s love for the union of nations.
The Mirror last week revealed how the King had decided to continue the ban of cameras filming the moment the sovereign is blessed before being crowned at Westminster Abbey on May 6.
A well placed insider said: “This detail instructed by the King is the perfect demonstration of his awareness not only of his unique position as the new head of the commonwealth, but also his as sovereign of the UK and other realms around the world.
“The recognition of the commonwealth, which for his late mother placed such importance, shows the King as outwardly facing in a world which can so often be very tribal.
“The King certainly sees this as a message of unity for the start of his reign.”
Royal sources say the King is “very aware” of the growing issue of republicanism across the 14 British realms and wished to “extend a hand of friendship” across his reign.
The King in 2019 travelled to Barbados to witness the country become a republic, a move that Jamaica is looking to replicate in the near future.
Suggestions that Charles would abandon the centuries old tradition - and enforced by his mother Queen Elizabeth II in 1953 - and become the first monarch in history to reveal to the world the holy moment were roundly dismissed by those in charge of the coronation planning.
Charles made clear that television cameras would also be banned from filming the sacred ritual after His Majesty decided to shield himself from the public after believing he “must respect his relationship with God”.
The Royal School of Needlework worked alongside British designers Sarah Burton of Alexander McQueen to create the bespoke lace on the Princess of Wales’s wedding dress, veil and shoes in 2011.
The Duchess of Sussex, who is staying in California and will not attend the coronation with her husband Prince Harry, also gave a nod to the commonwealth in her wedding outfit.
Meghan wore a silk cady dress with a cathedral-length, five-metre-long veil trimmed with lace depicting flora from each of the commonwealth countries, numbering 53 at the time excluding the UK.
The moment of anointing with the holy oil, which happens before the investiture and crowning, is at the centre of the most sacred part of the Coronation ceremony.
In previous years, including Queen Elizabeth II’s Coronation in 1953, a canopy of cloth-of-gold was held over the monarch’s head for the anointing to protect their privacy.
The Chrism oil with which The King and The Queen Consort will both be anointed was consecrated in The Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem in March.
For the service it will be contained in the Ampulla, made from gold and cast in the form of an eagle with outspread wings.
The silver-gilt Coronation Spoon is the oldest object in use at Coronations, having been first recorded in 1349 among St Edward’s Regalia in Westminster Abbey, and is the only piece of Royal goldsmiths’ work to survive from the twelfth century.
Meanwhile, calligraphers have been carefully putting the finishing touches to the personalised invitations for the King's coronation.
Images released on the royal family's official social media accounts show the names of recipients being transcribed by hand in ink on the large, intricately-decorated invitations for the May 6 ceremony.
A small team from London Scribes Calligraphers, which has worked for the Royal Household for more than 15 years, is writing the invitations by hand using traditional italic dip pens and bespoke mixed inks.
Calligrapher Jenny Collier from London Scribes said: “(We) are deeply honoured to be trusted with writing the thousands of names of invitees to the Coronation.
“It's the most exciting occasion we've been involved with to date and feels very humbling to have a small hand in the celebration.
“Keeping traditional crafts and skills alive is something the Royal Family are so wonderful at supporting and we’re very happy to continue contributing to that mission.
“The Coronation will be an inclusive community party all across the Commonwealth and beyond, that surely deserves some seriously special invites!”
The 2,000 guests invited to Westminster Abbey will each receive a personalised invitation that has been beautifully hand-finished by the small team of calligraphers.
