Why Prince George will require help for his major role at King Charles’ coronation

Prince George will require help for his major role at King Charles’ coronation for a very simple reason. 

• The Prince and Princess of Wales’ eldest son is the only one of their children to be given an official role at the coronation in May.
• Prince George will require help to complete his primary responsibility as a Page of Honor which is carrying the train of the monarch’s robes.
• This royal news comes as it was revealed the Royal Family has 'no interest' in talking to Prince Harry at the Coronation - but two members will be the exception. 

As fans continue to speculate over who is invited to King Charles’ coronation and who might attend this momentous occasion, it’s no surprise that working members of the immediate and extended Royal Family are expected to play a big part. As the son of working royals and given he’s second in the royal line of succession, Prince George’s coronation role has been confirmed. 

Prince George’s latest role is to be one of His Majesty’s Pages of Honor and all eyes will be on the 9-year-old royal on coronation day. It also means that Prince George will need help on May 6 if he’s to complete one major responsibility. 

As revealed by a Royal Collection Trust document outlining Ceremonial Bodies and their uniforms, Pages of Honor are there primarily to carry the monarch’s train at ceremonial occasions. This includes coronations and the State Opening of Parliament and “four pairs of hands are needed” to “carry the long, heavy train” of the monarch’s Robes of State.

There are four Pages at one time so Prince George thankfully won’t be alone in bearing this heavy train and it’s completely understandable Prince George will need help given the weight of these ceremonial robes. It’s understood that each monarch has their own Robes of State and they are worn both to enter the Abbey on coronation day and for State Openings of Parliament.

When the monarch leaves the Abbey after the coronation, they wear a Robe of Estate, sometimes called an Imperial Robe, which is different but equally beautiful.

According to Tatler, the late Queen Elizabeth’s Imperial Robe weighed 15 lbs, stretched a staggering 6 ½ meters and was made of purple silk velvet. The Queen’s Robe of State for entering the Abbey on coronation day was similarly ornate and was also velvet and trimmed with lace.

The Robe reportedly stretched to around 4 meters long, suggesting that it was also very heavy. Given both robes are traditionally worn for a coronation it’s likely that King Charles will follow this pattern, whether he has his own made or chooses to adapt a family member’s coronation robes like King George VI's. 

Either way, Prince George will be helped by his three fellow Pages to carry King Charles’ hugely heavy train during the ceremony to allow him to move effortlessly. Queen Camilla, who is now known simply as Queen and not Queen Consort, also has Pages of Honor to assist her, including three of Queen Camilla’s grandchildren. 

Prior to the news of Prince George’s official role being announced, reports had claimed that Kate Middleton and Prince William were “worried” about him potentially having a prominent position on the day and the pressure that could put on him. However, his role as a Page is a prestigious one and as a future King himself it perhaps makes sense that King Charles might want to honor his grandson in this way on such an important day.