"Subtle tributes" are being made to Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip ahead of King Charles’ Coronation today, a former royal butler has claimed.
Grant Harrold, who worked as Charles’ butler from 2004 to 2011 when the now-King was the Prince of Wales, suggested invitations to the Coronation included a subtle nod to the monarch’s late mother.
The 45-year-old etiquette expert explained: “As far as a tribute goes, there's already subtle things that are being done, the invitations that were sent out, there were some forget-me-not flowers.
“They were something the Queen loved, they were on her coffin at her funeral, and obviously, the detail they put into the invitations reflect that.”
An image of the invitation to King Charles' Coronation
Buckingham Palace
Speaking on the talk show series Red or Black, Harrold added: "I also understand that one or two of the hymns [at the Coronation] have been carefully considered as they're hymns that the late Queen and Prince Philip enjoyed as well.
"They're very subtle, they're putting little parts in, but we're not going to see a minute's silence or anything like that because we've had the service for the Queen, the funeral, this is now the Coronation of the new King and Queen.
"Many people would see the Queen as the Royal Family, she was essentially everything we see as monarchy and I don't think we'll see the like of that again for many, many generations.
“There will be some people that want to see a tiny reflection or remembrance through the service and I think there will be, but it will be very subtle."
King Charles will pay tribute to his paternal roots by having a Greek choir sing Psalm 71
PACharles’ late mother Elizabeth II died in September 2022 at the age of 96 and his father Philip passed away in April 2021 aged 99.
A clearer nod to the Duke of Edinburgh will come during the exchange of swords ceremony when Psalm 71 will be sung by The Greek Choir in an attempt to “reflect His Majesty’s paternal heritage”.
Prince Philip was born in Corfu as the youngest of Prince Andrew of Greece and Denmark’s children with Princess Alice of Battenberg.
Alongside the subtle tributes to the late Queen and Duke of Edinburgh, the Coronation invitation includes colourful images to reflect all four corners of the United Kingdom.
It was designed by heraldic artist and manuscript illuminator Andrew Jamieson.
An English rose, Scottish thistle, Welsh daffodil and Irish shamrock all feature on the invitation.
The coat of arms of the Royal Family and Queen Camilla’s father Major Bruce Shand cover the top two corners to reflect how both the King and his wife will be crowned today.
The couple will head from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Abbey on the 1.3 mile procession route at 10.20am.
Crowds begin to gather along The Mall in London ahead of the coronation ceremony of King Charles III and Queen CamillaPAIt will take Charles and Camilla around 33 minutes to arrive at the Coronation ceremony.
However, the Coronation flypast is at risk of being cancelled as heavy rain looks set to fall on London this afternoon.
The flypast over Buckingham Palace is scheduled to take place at 2.30pm but the Met Office is predicting heavy rain with a 90 per cent chance of precipitation at that time.