Coronation by Roy Strong (Hardback)

£25.00
Available
Product Ref. (e.g. ISBN, SKU)
9780008550066
Published:
10 Nov 2022
Format:
Hardback
Number of pages:
448 pages
Dimensions:
240x159x39mm
Weight:
0.760kgs
Author:
The definitive history of coronations and the Royal Family, from acclaimed writer Roy Strong.

The definitive history of coronations and the Royal Family, from acclaimed writer Roy Strong.

'What is the finest sight in the world? A Coronation.
What do people talk most about? A Coronation.
What is delightful to have passed? A Coronation.'
Horace Walpole, 1761

As a boy of sixteen, Roy Strong watched the grand procession carrying Queen Elizabeth II to her coronation. The spectacle was considered the greatest public event of the century. But now, so many years later, many people have little notion of what a coronation is and are unaware of the rich resonances of the ritual, or its deep significance in terms of the committal of monarch to people.

This book is the first of its kind - a comprehensive history that sets each coronation into its political, social, religious and cultural context. The story is one of constant re-invention as the service has had to respond to all the changes in fortune of the monarchy or the country: everything from legitimising usurpers to reconciling a Catholic rite to the tenets of Protestantism. It even had to be recreated from scratch after the Restoration of Charles II in 1660. In this way, Strong tells the story of the British monarchy since the tenth century, and looks forward to the coronation of King Charles III. The musical history alone is one of extraordinary richness - involving Henry Purcell, Handel, Edward Elgar, William Walton - plus the celebratory poetry, the art and the spectacular engravings published at coronations are all explored, as is the more recent role of photographers. The book particularly concentrates on post-1603 developments, including the incredible story of the Stuarts, when the crown jewels used for hundreds of years at coronations were melted down as symbols of the hated Divine Right of Kings.

As Charles III succeeds to the throne and preparations are made for his coronation, Strong speculates as to the revisions now called for to its ritual and pageantry to meet the changes in the role of the monarchy in the twenty-first century.

About the Author: Sir Roy Strong is the author of many books, on subjects as diverse as history, art and gardening. Born in London in 1935, he was educated at Queen Mary College, University of London and the Warburg Institute. He has been director of the National Portrait Gallery and the V&A Museum, and is now a full-time writer, broadcaster and consultant. His many books include 'The Story of Britain', 'Gloriana', 'Feast' and 'The Laskett'.

More Information
Number of pages 448

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