In a sea of royals and celebrities, an unlikely star emerged at King Charles III’s coronation on Saturday.
British Conservative politician and Chief of the Home of Commons, Penny Mordaunt, dazzled viewers as she carried out her ceremonial function. As a part of her extra place as lord president of the privy council, a staff of advisors to the monarch, Mordaunt was required to hold an 8 lbs. Seventeenth-Century Sword of State into Westminster Abbey throughout the King’s Procession.
Now, the 49-year-old politician is being lauded for her trendy look and for swish conduct whereas holding the 4 ft. sword all through the ceremony. Mordaunt wore a modern teal midi costume that she commissioned for the event, in addition to an identical cape and Jane Taylor hat with gold fern embroidery. The fern design was a nod to the Privy Council uniform motif.
Camilla, Queen Consort appears to be like on as Penny Mordaunt leads King Charles III carrying the St Edward’s Crown throughout his coronation ceremony in Westminster Abbey on Might 6, 2023.
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Lord President of the Council, Penny Mordaunt, presents the Sword of State to King Charles III throughout his coronation ceremony.
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“[I] will probably be carrying the Sword of State, which is the heaviest sword, so I’ve been doing a little press-ups to coach for that,” she informed The Occasions Purple Field podcast of her function earlier than the historic day. Mordaunt was required to maintain the sword—which represents the king’s authority—at a proper angle to her physique. “We practiced with some replicas that had been weighted, and it’s an enormous honor to do it,” she added, noting that her navy background got here in useful when getting ready.
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The quirky custom noticed 100 newly-minted 50 pence cash bearing the King’s picture, exchanged for the sword. Ms. Mordaunt redeemed the sword for the bag of cash on the Abbey’s altar.
She additionally made historical past as the primary girl to carry out this royal obligation. As such, Mordaunt informed Politico that she “felt it wasn’t proper” to put on the standard black-and-gold courtroom costume of the privy council, because the Marquess of Salisbury throughout Queen Elizabeth’s coronation in 1953.
Penny Mordaunt holds the Swords of State on the coronation ceremony of King Charles III and Queen Camilla.
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Mordaunt first took on royal tasks simply 4 days after she was appointed as chief of the Home of Commons on Sept. 6, by former Prime Minister Liz Truss. She presided over the accession council after the Queen died in September and Charles ascended the throne.
The Member of Parliament for Portsmouth North can also be identified for her unsuccessful bid to turn out to be chief of the Conservative social gathering. She ran in opposition to present Prime Minister Rishi Sunak in 2022, and completed in third place earlier than backing Truss and incomes a spot in her short-lived authorities.
Beforehand, Mordaunt has served as Minister of State on the Division for Worldwide Commerce from from 2021 to 2022. She racked up a earlier first when she grew to become the primary girl to function Secretary of State for Defence in 2019. She can also be a former Governor on the World Financial institution.
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