Just days before the coronation of King Charles III and Queen Consort Camilla takes place on May 6 at Westminster AbbeySt. James Anglican Church in Stratford is highlighting a historical connection to the last royal coronation of Queen Elizabeth II.
On full display in the church sanctuary – at the very back of the church behind where the sermons are delivered – is a section of blue carpet. As the story goes, that piece of carpet is a section of the very same carpet installed at Westminster Abbey in London for Queen Elizabeth II’s coronation on June 2, 1953.
“After the coronation happened, there was a bunch of stuff they had brought in to Westminster Abbey to add to the environment and the atmosphere and all the rest,” St. James Rev. Rob Lemon said. “It was not stuff that the abbey was going to need down the road, so what they did was they offered it out to churches and organizations throughout the Commonwealth, and you could apply to receive this stuff.
“So Archdeacon Lightburn, who was the priest here at the time, took a shot at it.”
While the initial response from across the pond made it seem like the Stratford church would not get a piece of royal memorabilia, St. James received another message two days later saying another church in the Commonwealth was no longer able to take a particular piece of carpet – roughly 1.4 meters larger than what the Stratford archdeacon had originally requested – that could now be sent to St. James if the church still wanted it.
“So they went for it and they had some funds for permanent additions to the church. They paid for it and, in 1954, it arrived, it was installed and they dedicated it a year to the day after the coronation,” Lemon said.
In celebration of the upcoming coronation, St. James will be screening the event live beginning at 6 am local time (11 am in London, England) on May 6 on the church’s big screen televisions. Lemon is inviting anyone from Stratford and the surrounding area who would like to dress their royal best and join their fellow monarchy enthusiasts to watch the proceedings unfold.
“Folks can sit in the pews and watch as a community instead of sitting at home and watching by themselves. … We’re going to have a service after it’s done to mark the occasion, and of course there will be tea and scones,” Lemon said.