Universalis

Tuesday 11 June 2013

The Coronation of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II - 10

We now come to the 17th and final section of the service.



XVII. The Recess

In the mean time, the Queen, supported as before, the four swords being carried before her, shall descend from her Throne, crowned and carrying the Sceptre and the Rod in her hands, and shall go into the Area eastward of the Theatre; and, the Archbishop going before her, she shall pass on through the door on the south side of the Altar into Saint Edward's Chapel; and after her shall follow the Groom of the Robes, the Lord Great Chamberlain and the Lords that carried the Regalia in the procession (the Dean of Westminster delivering the Orb, the Spurs and St Edward's Staff to the Bearers of them as they pass the Altar); and lastly shall go in the Dean.

And, the Te Deum ended, the people may be seated until the Queen comes again from the Chapel.

The Queen, being come into the Chapel, shall deliver to the Archbishop, being at the Altar there, the Sceptre and the Rod to be laid upon the Altar: and the Archbishop shall receive the Queen's Crown and lay it upon the Altar also. Then, assisted by the Mistress of the Robes, and attended by the Lord Great Chamberlain and the Groom of the Robes, the Queen shall be disrobed of the Robe Royal and arrayed in her Robe of purple velvet.

Meanwhile the Dean of Westminster shall lay upon the Altar the Orb, the Spurs and St Edward's Staff, having received them from the Bearers of them, who shall then (preceded by the Bearers of the Four Swords) withdraw from the Chapel by the same door on the south side and take the places assigned to them in the procession.

The Queen being ready, and wearing her Imperial Crown, shall receive the Sceptre with the Cross into her right hand and into her left hand the Orb from the Archbishop, who, having delivered them, shall withdraw from the Chapel and take his place in the procession: and the Lord Great Chamberlain shall do likewise.

Then her Majesty, supported and attended as before, shall leave the Chapel by the same door on the south side and shall proceed in state through the choir and the nave to the west door of the Church, wearing her Crown and bearing in her right hand the Sceptre and in her left hand the Orb.

And as the Queen proceeds from the Chapel, there shall be sung by all assembled the National Anthem.



Following the service in Westminster Abbey there was a triumphal procession through the streets of London culminating in an appearance on the balcony of Buckingham Palace.



GOD SAVE THE QUEEN!

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