We have a feeling we know what King Charles’ coronation scent will be - and it could be the same as Queen Elizabeth’s
King Charles' coronation scent could be the same as the late Queen Elizabeth's thanks to a tradition spanning many decades...
King Charles' coronation scent could recreate that of Queen Elizabeth if a traditional part of the ceremony remains in place.
- The late Queen Elizabeth’s Anointing Oil for her coronation had to be made from scratch as the previous batch had been destroyed by a bomb in 1941.
- The Anointing Oil features oils from oranges, roses and cinnamon and King Charles could smell of all these luxurious fragrance oils on his coronation day.
- This royal news comes as Princess Anne proved bold wedding outfits should be showcased all year round.
As King Charles’ coronation day draws closer more details have been announced when it comes to the schedule for the coronation weekend and historical aspects that will be incorporated. Buckingham Palace has now confirmed Queen Camilla’s coronation crown and a coronation concert at Windsor Castle. His Majesty is also expected to be anointed with consecrated oil on May 6 at Westminster Abbey, just as Queen Elizabeth and previous monarchs were. The number of richly-scented components suggests this could be what King Charles might smell of for at least part of the day - and perhaps the Queen did too.
As revealed by the Royal Family website, the Anointing Oil for coronations contains oils from oranges, roses, cinnamon, musk and ambergris. This luxurious concoction isn't a one-off from monarch to monarch, as it states that “usually a batch is made” to last “a few” coronations.
The last coronation before Her Majesty’s was her father King George VI’s ceremony in 1937, but in May 1941 a bomb hit the Deanery. This destroyed the phial and so a new batch had to be made for use at Queen Elizabeth’s big day. Of course, the Anointing Oil’s creators might have ensured that the new batch was sufficient for King Charles’ future coronation too.
However, even if they did, the Queen’s coronation was seven decades ago as she was Britain’s longest-reigning monarch in history. This is a far longer gap between coronations than we've seen in many decades.
According to Healthline.com, essential oils do change over time and although shelf-life can vary, the average shelf-life of many different types reportedly ranges from 1-2 years at minimum to around 6-8 years at maximum, with citrus oils having one of the shortest shelf-lives.
Meanwhile, for those wondering - do perfumes expire? - they also have a limited shelf-life. Fragrance expert at The Perfume Shop, Rebecca Wilkin, previously told Woman&Home that, “Fragrances don’t have a best before date and could last anything between a year and 10 years, but factors such as the quality of ingredients and how you store it will contribute to how long it lasts.”
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So however the Anointing Oil is made and stored it seems likely that King Charles might have to have an entirely new batch made and consecrated for his ceremony. Either way, it seems likely that the same mixture of oils will feature and if the Anointing Oil is made fresh it could be especially strongly scented when His Majesty is anointed with it.
The Queen Consort will also be crowned and anointed on this day and though King Charles might emulate his mother by having a new batch of oil, there are several ways in which His Majesty’s coronation is set to be different from hers. His ceremony is reportedly set to be more scaled-back compared to the Queen’s and King Charles won’t sit on the Queen’s throne either. Though she will be honored in the choice of diamonds being added into Queen Camilla’s crown which were once worn by her as brooches.
Emma is a Royal Editor with eight years experience working in publishing. Her specialist areas include the British Royal Family, ranging from protocol to outfits. Alongside putting her royal knowledge to good use, Emma knows all there is to know about the latest TV shows on the BBC, ITV and more. When she’s not writing about the next unmissable show to add to your to-watch list or delving into royal protocol, Emma enjoys cooking, long walks and watching yet more crime dramas!
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