King Charles III may have been waiting to be crowned monarch his entire life, but there were some unexpected stars at the coronation who stole the limelight.
The coronation of King Charles and Queen Camilla took place at Westminster Abbey on Saturday, in front of 2,000 guests comprised of members of the royal family, foreign royals and dignitaries, celebrities, community heroes and volunteers.
But the guests who caught royal fans’ attention during the coronation service today ranged from the “Grim Reaper” to Princess Charlotte.
Others included Prince Louis, whose incredible facial expressions once again stole the scene, and Leader of the House of Commons Penny Mordaunt’s stunning outfit and starring role in the coronation service.
Here are the surprise stars of the coronation:
Penny Mordaunt
The Conservative MP for Portsmouth North presented the regalia to the King during the investiture and crowning ceremony, and then led him holding the sword through the Abbey.
While she had a special role in the service, it was Mordaunt’s sartorial choices that first caught the attention of fans. She wore a leaf-embroidered deep teal dress and cape.
Social media users commented on how Mordaunt stole the show. One person wrote on Twitter: “This might all be a bit much but Penny Mordaunt is absolutely serving it as sword bearer”.
Others remarked on the sheer length of time that Mordaunt held the sword for.
“Spare a thought for Penny Mordaunt’s triceps after nearly two hours,” wrote one person, as another quipped: “What a shift from Penny Mordaunt. Finally she gets to put the sword down. Get her in the Olympics.”
Prince Louis
The young prince, who recently turned five, stole hearts by waving to royal fans as he travelled to Westminster Abbey in a carriage with the Prince and Princess of Wales and his two siblings. He was seen yawning and fidgeting throughout the ceremony.
In another sweet moment, Louis held hands with his older sister, Princess Charlotte, as they waited inside the Abbey. The siblings were later seen having a chat as they sat side-by-side.
Louis is known for getting the spotlight; at the late Queen’s platinum jubilee last year, he was seen clamping his hands over his ears and shouting at the flypast, and sitting on King Charles’s lap during the concert.
Princess Charlotte
Prince William and Kate Middleton’s only daughter, Charlotte, looked adorable in an ivory Alexander McQueen dress and matching leaf headpiece to her mother. Her outfit, which looked almost futuristic, was compared to the costumes worn by actors in Star Wars, with one royal fan making a film poster using pictures of Louis and Charlotte.
The Grim Reaper
Twitter users spotted a moment when a figure wearing a long black cloak appeared to scuttle underneath an archway in the Abbey as the congregation made its exit.
Social media users joked that the Grim Reaper was lurking in the Abbey during the service.
“Anyone else just notice the Grim Reaper at Westminster Abbey?” wrote one person on Twitter, while another added: “Who invited the Grim Reaper?”
In mythologies, a character known as the Grim Reaper causes a victim’s death by coming to collect their soul.
Katy Perry
Many royals fans were shocked to see the “Roar” singer appear on our screens, unaware that the American popstar will be performing at the coronation concert this evening.
Perry also had a viral moment after a video circulated of her looking extremely lost as she attempted to locate her seat in Westminster Abbey.
In a video, the musician is seen wandering between the seat aisles searching for her seat number.
“Me but in the supermarket after they changed the placement of sweets alley,” wrote one Twitter user. Another added: “She’s searching for her THRONE!”.
The singer has since responded to the viral video, writing on Twitter: “Don’t worry guys I found my seat.”
The “California Gurls” received praise for her outfit: a lilac tailored dress by Vivienne Westwood, complete with a corset-style waistcoat. She also wore a large matching fascinator and a pearl Westwood choker with a signature golden orb, paying tribute to the late designer who died last year.
