This period covers the Stuart, Hanoverian, and early Windsor monarchs, spanning the Union of the Crowns, the English Civil War, the Restoration, the Glorious Revolution, and the rise of the United Kingdom. All coronations (except for Scottish ceremonies during the Interregnum) took place at Westminster Abbey and followed a ritual that evolved but maintained core traditions.
James I (James VI of Scotland)
- Coronation Date: 25 July 1603
- Location: Westminster Abbey
- Presiding Cleric: John Whitgift, Archbishop of Canterbury
- Details: James, already crowned King of Scots (1567), became the first monarch of both England and Scotland after Elizabeth I’s death. The ceremony followed traditional English forms, including recognition, oath, anointing, investiture, crowning, enthronement, and homage.
Charles I
- Coronation Date: 2 February 1626
- Location: Westminster Abbey
- Presiding Cleric: George Abbot, Archbishop of Canterbury (though the service was conducted by Bishop of London, as Abbot was suspended)
- Details: Charles’s coronation was marked by his preference for elaborate ritual. He was later crowned in Scotland at Holyrood Abbey in 1633, where his insistence on Anglican forms caused controversy among Presbyterians.
Charles II
- Coronation Date (Scotland): 1 January 1651, Scone Palace, Perth
- Presiding Cleric: Presbyterian ceremony, led by Archibald Campbell, 1st Marquess of Argyll26.
- Coronation Date (England): 23 April 1661, Westminster Abbey
- Presiding Cleric: William Juxon, Archbishop of Canterbury
- Details: After the Restoration, Charles II’s coronation was a grand return to tradition, with elaborate pageantry and the reassertion of monarchy after the Interregnum.
James II
- Coronation Date: 23 April 1685
- Location: Westminster Abbey
- Presiding Cleric: William Sancroft, Archbishop of Canterbury
- Details: The last Catholic monarch of Britain, James’s coronation followed the Anglican rite, but included some Catholic symbolism. Scottish peers attended, setting a precedent for future British ceremonies.
William III and Mary II (joint sovereigns)
- Coronation Date: 11 April 1689
- Location: Westminster Abbey
- Presiding Cleric: Henry Compton, Bishop of London (as Sancroft refused)
- Details: First joint coronation of sovereigns in Britain. The ceremony emphasized constitutional monarchy after the Glorious Revolution.
Anne
- Coronation Date: 23 April 1702
- Location: Westminster Abbey
- Presiding Cleric: Thomas Tenison, Archbishop of Canterbury
- Details: The last Stuart monarch, Anne’s coronation followed the established Anglican order, with a focus on the union of England and Scotland, which would occur during her reign.
George I (House of Hanover)
- Coronation Date: 20 October 1714
- Location: Westminster Abbey
- Presiding Cleric: Thomas Tenison, Archbishop of Canterbury
- Details: Marked by anti-German sentiment and some public disorder. The traditional champion’s challenge was observed, with the king’s champion riding into Westminster Hall on horseback.
George II
- Coronation Date: 11 October 1727
- Location: Westminster Abbey
- Presiding Cleric: William Wake, Archbishop of Canterbury
- Details: The ceremony followed the established Anglican rite. The coronation was notable for its grandeur and for the involvement of the nobility in hereditary roles.
George III
- Coronation Date: 22 September 1761
- Location: Westminster Abbey
- Presiding Cleric: Thomas Secker, Archbishop of Canterbury
- Consort Crowned: Queen Charlotte
- Details: The day began with the monarch and consort being carried in sedan chairs from St James’s Palace to Westminster Hall, where they were vested in regalia. The procession to the Abbey involved peers carrying traditional symbols (e.g., golden spurs, sword of mercy “Curtana”). The service lasted 12 hours, ending with a banquet at Westminster Hall. The public was later allowed in to scavenge souvenirs.
George IV
- Coronation Date: 19 July 1821
- Location: Westminster Abbey
- Presiding Cleric: Charles Manners-Sutton, Archbishop of Canterbury
- Details: One of the most extravagant coronations in British history, costing over £230,000. George IV’s estranged wife, Caroline of Brunswick, was barred from the Abbey. The event included elaborate processions and pageantry, and was the last to feature a coronation banquet in Westminster Hall.
William IV
- Coronation Date: 8 September 1831
- Location: Westminster Abbey
- Presiding Cleric: William Howley, Archbishop of Canterbury
- Details: Known as the “Half-Crownation” for its relative austerity and cost-cutting, reflecting William IV’s personal dislike of ceremony. The banquet tradition was discontinued after this coronation.
Common Elements of the Coronation Ceremony
- Venue: Westminster Abbey was the site for all English and British coronations, symbolizing continuity and legitimacy.
- Ritual Structure: The service included the recognition, oath, anointing with holy oil, investiture with regalia, crowning, enthronement, and homage by clergy and peers.
- Consorts: When present, consorts were anointed and crowned in a simpler ceremony immediately after the monarch.
- Banquet: Traditionally, a grand banquet at Westminster Hall followed the service, with the king’s champion issuing a challenge. This tradition ended after George IV.
- Religious Context: The service was Anglican after the Reformation, with the Archbishop of Canterbury (or a senior bishop) presiding, except in rare cases of refusal or suspension.
Summary Table
| Monarch | Coronation Date | Location | Presiding Cleric | Notable Features |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| James I | 25 July 1603 | Westminster Abbey | John Whitgift, Abp. Canterbury | First monarch of England & Scotland |
| Charles I | 2 Feb 1626 | Westminster Abbey | Bishop of London (Abbot suspended) | Later crowned in Scotland (1633); elaborate ritual |
| Charles II | 1 Jan 1651 (Sco) | Scone Palace | Marquess of Argyll | Presbyterian rite, last Scottish coronation |
| 23 Apr 1661 | Westminster Abbey | William Juxon, Abp. Canterbury | Restoration, grand return to tradition | |
| James II | 23 Apr 1685 | Westminster Abbey | William Sancroft, Abp. Canterbury | Last Catholic monarch, Anglican rite |
| William III & Mary II | 11 Apr 1689 | Westminster Abbey | Henry Compton, Bp. London | First joint coronation, post-Glorious Revolution |
| Anne | 23 Apr 1702 | Westminster Abbey | Thomas Tenison, Abp. Canterbury | Last Stuart monarch, union focus |
| George I | 20 Oct 1714 | Westminster Abbey | Thomas Tenison, Abp. Canterbury | Hanoverian succession, champion’s challenge |
| George II | 11 Oct 1727 | Westminster Abbey | William Wake, Abp. Canterbury | Grandeur, hereditary roles prominent |
| George III | 22 Sep 1761 | Westminster Abbey | Thomas Secker, Abp. Canterbury | 12-hour ceremony, Queen Charlotte crowned, public banquet |
| George IV | 19 Jul 1821 | Westminster Abbey | Charles Manners-Sutton, Abp. Canterbury | Extravagant, last coronation banquet, Queen Caroline excluded |
| William IV | 8 Sep 1831 | Westminster Abbey | William Howley, Abp. Canterbury | “Half-Crownation,” cost-cutting, no banquet |