May 6th 2023

Catherine Nixey
Britain correspondent

Today, in London, a man is being given a hat. The coronation of Charles III is both barely a story—and curiously fascinating. Any ceremony that involves people with titles such as “Rouge Dragon Pursuivant” and demands such props as a “Stone of Destiny” is likely to pique the interest of all but the most earnest republicans. 

The coronation also offers another royal tradition: the chance to speculate on a rancorous quarrel between two princes—a quarrel that was recently and luridly recounted in Prince Harry’s book, “Spare”. While playing spot-the-difference between Charles’s coronation and his mother’s, 70-odd years ago, provides everyone with a chance to speculate on how he might do things differently as king.

However the chief pleasure of any coronation is themed food. At Elizabeth II’s coronation people dined on an imperially flavoured slop of chicken, curry powder and mayonnaise; Charles III’s dish is a “penitential bean-and-spinach quiche”. If you find that hard to swallow, there is always that other Carolean favourite: gin and tonic. Cheers.

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