Prince William & Kate blamed the children for the family’s lateness to the coronation
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Omid Scobie wrote a “reporter’s notebook” piece about the coronation for Harper’s Bazaar this week. I would imagine that he’s still hard at work on his latest book, Endgame, about the declining power and declining popularity of the British monarchy. I mention that because that’s the vibe of his Bazaar piece – praise for the Windsors for pulling off a coronation without any catastrophes, but also acknowledging that this might be the last Chubbly, or perhaps the penultimate Chubbly. Still, Scobie’s piece was full of some interesting details and shady asides. Some highlights:
Why the Waleses were late to the coronation: In fact, apart from Prince William and Princess Kate joining the procession late (children were to blame, a source tells me), and Camilla’s ladies in attendance—sister Annabel Elliot, and queen’s companion the Marchioness of Lansdowne—accidentally creating an unfortunate wedgie moment out of her silk Bruce Oldfield dress on the way into the Abbey, very few hitches took place.
The flashcards: Every precaution had been taken to avoid mistakes. From the mountain of flash cards held up throughout the ceremony to ensure that no word was misspoken or missed, to the discreet marks placed on the floor of the abbey so key members of the congregation knew where to stand.
Prince Louis toughed it out: Even Prince Louis, whose playful antics at Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee concert last year stole the show, was (mostly) on his best behaviour. Aides had warned us beforehand that the five-year-old may “retire” during the two-hour service due to his age, but apart from a short 20-minute break, he stuck the entire thing out.
Charles looked sad: Still, despite so much being planned and practiced in advance, nothing could hide the nerves that were evident on King Charles’s face as he entered the abbey. Though this was a moment he had been waiting for his entire adult life, the king looked deep in thought and even confused at times.
Harry’s presence: Prince Harry, who had flown in the day before the proceedings, seemed laid-back and comfortable sitting in the third row of family members next to Princess Beatrice and Edward Mapelli Mozzi, and Princess Eugenie and Jack Brooksbank. Sources said he was keen to support his father on the most important day of his life, but he was equally eager to get back home in time to see his son, Prince Archie, on his fourth birthday.
The coronation didn’t feel celebratory: But, whether it was collective nerves or the pouring rain outside, a sense of joy was tough to sense inside the abbey. Even amongst the family members, few smiles were shared (at one point Princess Anne’s daughter, Zara Tindall, looked like she was falling asleep).
Queen Side Chick: For Queen Camilla it seemed at times she was unsure of what emotions to express. No doubt aware of the mixed emotions members of the public had about her crowning, she may have thought showing too big a smile would send the wrong message. But any nerves that were visible on her face at the start of the service soon dissipated for Camilla after smiles from the grandsons and great-nephew she selected as her pages of honour. Teenagers Louis and Gus (the latter who was nursing a broken arm following a bike accident) grinned at their grandmother several times during the ceremony, clearly putting her at ease. By the time she was anointed and crowned, and her decades-long transformation from the heir apparent’s mistress to queen was complete, the weight on her shoulders seemed to have melted away.
Andrew didn’t get permission to wear his Garter robes? Of course, the day didn’t come without some controversy—Prince Andrew showed up in his royal garter robes after being asked not to attract attention, and dozens of Republic activists were arrested near the procession despite having the legal right to peacefully protest.
The terribly white balcony: While Charles clearly has an interest in enhancing diversity, it was impossible to ignore the fact that the royal family’s only family member of color (and mother of the House of Windsor’s only mixed-race children), Duchess Meghan, didn’t feel comfortable or welcome enough to attend.
Yeah… it looks like Prince William and Kate’s people are putting it out there that the kids are “to blame” for the family’s lateness. It could be, but Kate and William definitely looked like they were the ones fighting. I also think they were late because they were filming a fruity behind-the-scenes fan-cam for social media. As for Louis… he did behave well for his age, which is why it bothers me so much that his parents are constantly putting him in a position to “act right” for hours at a time in front of the world’s media. Will and Kate seem like they’re actively cultivating the narrative that Louis is the “wild one,” the “clown.” The scapegoat, perchance. Also: I found the flashcards bizarre, especially for William, the only one who had a speaking role outside of Charles and Camilla. William had two lines to memorize and he couldn’t do it. He had to read them off of a flashcard, barely making eye contact with his father. A mess.
Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Cover Images.
