The special coronation honor Queen Camilla will receive that won’t be the same as Queen Elizabeth’s

There's a special honor Queen Camilla will receive at the coronation in May that will differ from the one Queen Elizabeth experienced in 1953

The honor Queen Camilla will receive that won’t be the same as Queen Elizabeth’s. Seen here are Queen Camilla and Queen Elizabeth at separate occasions
(Image credit: Future//Image 1:Photo by Kirsty Wigglesworth-WPA Pool/Getty Images //Image 2: Bettmann via Getty)

There’s a special coronation honor Queen Camilla will receive in May that won’t be the same as Queen Elizabeth’s on her big day. 


With King Charles’ coronation day drawing ever closer the preparations are well underway and several important details have been confirmed, including Queen Camilla’s coronation crown. With Queen Mary’s crown set to have several magnificent diamonds from the late Queen Elizabeth’s collection added, the Queen Consort will be honoring both His Majesty’s late great-grandmother and mother. However, when it comes to Queen Camilla and King Charles’ coronation scent, it seems that there’s one coronation honor Queen Camilla will receive that won’t be quite the same as Queen Elizabeth’s at her own coronation.  

Ahead of the ceremony in May the Anointing Oil for the King and Queen Consort’s coronation has now been made and consecrated in Jerusalem. According to the Royal Family website, this coronation oil was consecrated at The Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem by the Patriarch of Jerusalem, His Beatitude Patriarch Theophilos III and the Anglican Archbishop in Jerusalem, The Most Reverend Hosam Naoum. 

Created using olives harvested from groves on the Mount of Olives, the coronation oil has also been perfumed with essential oils. These luxurious components are oils of sesame, rose, jasmine, cinnamon, neroli, benzoin, amber and orange blossom. 

The site described this as being “based on” the oil used at Queen Elizabeth’s coronation in 1953 which was a formula used for centuries, though there are some key differences.

Queen Elizabeth II after her coronation ceremony in Westminster Abbey

(Image credit: Photo by Hulton Archive/Getty Images)

The oil will be used to anoint both King Charles and Queen Camilla, but although it was “based on” Queen Elizabeth’s oil it seems several new ingredients have been added. As previously revealed by the Royal Family website, Queen Elizabeth’s coronation oil contained the oils of roses and cinnamon, but also oranges (not orange blossom), musk and ambergris. 

It seems that this time around the special coronation honor Queen Camilla will receive when she’s anointed won’t be quite the same as her late mother-in-law’s in terms of ingredients. Nor will it be the same in a literal sense, though in the past many monarchs were apparently anointed with the exact oil as predecessors.

“Usually a batch is made to last a few Coronations,” the Royal Family website shared, before confirming that Queen Elizabeth also had to have a new batch made for her coronation as in May 1941 a bomb hit the Deanery destroying the phial. 

The Queen holding her symbols of office after the crowning ceremony

(Image credit: Photo by Central Press/Getty Images)

Now Queen Camilla’s anointing oil will be a new batch as well as being a modern take on the original recipe. The Archbishop of Canterbury has expressed his delight that a new oil has been made, revealing he’d long desired this. And for the Archbishop the olive oil was perhaps one of the most meaningful components. 

“Since beginning the planning for the Coronation, my desire has been for a new Coronation Oil to be produced using olive oil from the Mount of Olives. This demonstrates the deep historic link between the Coronation, the Bible and the Holy Land,” he declared.

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Emma Shacklock

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!