The Prince and Princess of Wales Were Late to the Coronation, and Their Kids Were to Blame, Omid Scobie Reports
“The room for error was nil.”
We are very used to hearing Omid Scobie report on—and even write books about—Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. But, per The Daily Mail, Scobie is reporting on a glitch at the Coronation that viewers might have noticed—the King and Queen waiting for what seemed like a long time in the Diamond Jubilee State Coach upon their arrival at Westminster Abbey. That was because the Wales family were late, and the King and Queen, as the last to enter the Abbey, had to wait for their arrival.
Per The Daily Mail, Scobie says that the kids “were to blame” for the family’s tardiness, and that the family had joined the official procession “late”—which is why they were behind the King and Queen. “The room for error was nil,” Scobie writes. “And thankfully, due to the weeks of rehearsals that the royals took part in ahead of the Coronation, the day went ahead smoothly.”
Both the Prince of Wales and Prince George had roles in the ceremony; the Princess of Wales, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis sat on the front row for the event. In a detailed Order of Service released by Buckingham Palace ahead of the Coronation, the Wales family was supposed to arrive before the King and Queen, arriving at the Great West Door and then proceeding to their seats in the Lantern. Afterwards, the King and Queen were due to arrive at the West Gate—but, a royal source tells Scobie, the children held up the proceedings. (No exact reason was specified.)
While still waiting on the Wales family to arrive, a lip reader caught the King complaining “We can never be on time. Yes, I’m…this is a negative. There’s always something” as he and the Queen remained parked in the Diamond Jubilee State Coach. Another lip reader, Jacqui Press, told The Daily Mail that the King said, as he waited, “I’m worried about time. I mean, it’s been longer this time and, well, erm, I mean look! I know.”
After the Coronation, a member of the clergy admitted there were a couple of hiccups on the day: “There were one or two things that didn’t go strictly to plan,” said the Bishop of Chelmsford, Dr. Guli Francis-Dehqani, speaking outside St. Margaret’s Church next to the Abbey. Pushed for details, the bishop demurred, saying “I’m not going to embarrass anyone in particular.”
Stay In The Know
Get exclusive access to fashion and beauty trends, hot-off-the-press celebrity news, and more.
Rachel Burchfield is a writer, editor, and podcaster whose primary interests are fashion and beauty, society and culture, and, most especially, the British Royal Family and other royal families around the world. She serves as Marie Claire’s Senior Celebrity and Royals Editor and has also contributed to publications like Allure, Cosmopolitan, Elle, Glamour, Harper’s Bazaar, InStyle, People, Vanity Fair, Vogue, and W, among others. Before taking on her current role with Marie Claire, Rachel served as its Weekend Editor and later Royals Editor. She is the cohost of Podcast Royal, a show that was named a top five royal podcast by The New York Times. A voracious reader and lover of books, Rachel also hosts I’d Rather Be Reading, which spotlights the best current nonfiction books hitting the market and interviews the authors of them. Rachel frequently appears as a media commentator, and she or her work has appeared on outlets like NBC’s Today Show, ABC’s Good Morning America, CNN, and more.
-
King Charles Heckled by Anti-Monarchist in Parliament During Royal Tour of Australia
"Give us our land back. Give us what you stole from us."
By Amy Mackelden Published
-
Watch Jasmine Tookes, Josephine Skriver, and Ashley Graham Belt Out a Karaoke Favorite Together
Nothing gets you ready for the spotlight like Shania Twain.
By Quinci LeGardye Published
-
Queen Elizabeth Had Only One Sure-Fire Way to Get Her Corgis to "Shut Up"
It was totally on-brand.
By Kristin Contino Published
-
Queen Camilla Reportedly Broke Royal Protocol With a Fan During Tour of Australia
The moment occurred when King Charles' wife greeted fans outside a church.
By Amy Mackelden Published
-
The Australian Public Is Going Wild for King Charles and Queen Camilla Despite Government Snubs
Droves of Australians have waited for hours to get a glimpse of the King and Queen.
By Kristin Contino Published
-
Princess Eugenie Is Reportedly in a "Precarious Position" Between Prince Harry and King Charles
"Eugenie is in a difficult spot."
By Amy Mackelden Published
-
Princess Kate Is Preparing for a Halloween Break With Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis
The Princess of Wales is spending some quality time with her kids this spooky season.
By Amy Mackelden Published
-
Prince William and Princess Kate Originally Bonded Over Their "Naughty" Sense of Humor
"They've certainly cleaned up their act for the children's sake, but they can still make each other double over laughing."
By Kristin Contino Published
-
Prince William Reveals Kate Middleton's Surprising Favorite Dessert
Count us in!
By Kristin Contino Published
-
Prince William Tells a Fan That He and Princess Kate Don't Sleep Alone
So cuddly.
By Kristin Contino Published
-
Prince William Gives Us a Hint on What His Focus Will Be As King
The Prince of Wales shared some thoughts on his role in a new clip from his upcoming ITV documentary.
By Kristin Contino Published