The most sacred part of His Majesty’s coronation—the anointing of King Charles, which will occur before the investiture and crowning of His Majesty—will take place in private behind a new embroidered screen recently unveiled by Buckingham Palace. The anointing screen is a gift for the occasion from the City of London Corporation and participating Livery Companies, the city’s ancient and modern trade guilds.
The design of the screen, which was chosen by King Charles, was inspired by the stained-glass sanctuary window in the Chapel Royal at St. James’s Palace, given by the Livery Companies to mark the Golden Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II in 2002. As with other aspects of planning for this historic event—from the coronation invitations to the thrones that will be used during the ceremony—the anointing screen is rife with historic symbolism and references to monarchs past.
Designed by iconographer Aidan Hart, the three-sided screen’s central panel features a tree with 56 embroidered leaves, each representing one of 56 member countries in the Commonwealth. The King’s cypher appears at the base of the tree trunk, “representing the Sovereign as servant of their people,” according to Buckingham Palace.
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The wooden framework for the screen features oak poles made from a windblown tree originally planted at Windsor Estate by The Duke of Northumberland in 1765. A pair of bronze-cast and gilded eagles, a motif that has appeared in previous coronation canopies including the one used by Queen Elizabeth II in 1953, sit atop the support poles.
Fabrication of the anointing screen, which was overseen by the Royal School of Needlework, reflects Their Majesties’ commitment to craftsmanship and sustainability. The individual leaves were embroidered by staff and students from the Royal School of Needlework, as well as members of the Worshipful Company of Broderers, Drapers and Weavers. The outline of the tree was created using digital machine embroidery by Digitek Embroidery and with sustainable thread, Madeira Sensa, made from 100% lyocell fibers.
Earlier this spring, King Charles and Queen Consort Camilla visited to the Royal School of Needlework to observe progress and meet the crafts people and embroiderers who made the screen. As Duchess of Cornwall, the Queen Consort became the patron of the Royal School of Needlework in 2017.
Buckingham Palace has provided some details on what will take place behind the exquisite, three-sided screen: The Dean of Westminster will pour consecrated oil made from olives harvested from Jerusalem’s Mount of Olives from the ampulla into the coronation spoon. Then, the Archbishop of Canterbury will anoint King Charles on the hands, chest, and head. “It has historically been regarded as a moment between the Sovereign and God, with a screen or canopy in place given the sanctity of the anointing,” the palace said.
During the service, the anointing screen will be held by service personnel from Regiments of the Household Division holding the Freedom of the City of London, including a trooper and guardsman from each of The Life Guards, Grenadier Guards, Coldstream Guards, Scots Guards, Irish Guards, and Welsh Guards.
