2000 invitations printed on a recycled paper card with golden details have been sent by Buckingham Palace in the last few days. The coronation of King Charles III in London's Westminster Abbey on May 6 is a grand event that demands attention at all times. And the magnificent and rich illustrations of the invitation card are no exception. Let's decipher these sumptuous details...
The illustrations were drawn by English artist Andrew Jamieson, the British royal family says on its website. Andrew Jamieson is an illustrator and manuscript illuminator whose work is inspired by the chivalric themes of Arthurian legend. He has worked for many years for Her Majesty's Crown Office, creating royal letters patent and state documents.
The artist created the original illustration of the invitation in watercolor and gouache.
In the center of the design, at the top of the card, is an illuminated C, initial of Charles, but also of Camilla his wife.
This capital letter is surrounded by the King's coat of arms and the coat of arms of his wife, who has been bearing the motto of the Garter ("Honi soit qui mal y pense") since her appointment as Royal Lady of the Order of the Garter last summer.
In the center, at the foot of the invitation card, is represented the Green Man, an ancient figure of British folklore, symbol of spring and rebirth, which here celebrates the new reign of the king, details the royal family. Crowned with foliage, his face is made up of oak, ivy and hawthorn leaves, and the UK's signature flowers.
The meadow surrounding the text certainly symbolizes Charles' dedication to the environment. It includes wildlife, including a bee, a butterfly, a ladybug, and two birds, a kinglet and a robin.
They are surrounded by lilies of the valley, Queen Elizabeth's favorite flower, according to the British press; blueberries, which symbolize hope and devotion; hedge roses, which represent pleasure; wild pansies, which represent compassion and freedom of spirit, according to the independent website Royalcentral; wild strawberries, which are part of a royal dessert; and rosemary, which symbolizes remembrance, explains the official statement.
And of course we can see the four flowers representing the nations of the United Kingdom: the shamrock which expresses Northern Ireland, the thistle which represents Scotland, the rose for England and the daffodil, the third symbol of Wales which would have been preferred to the little leek "sexy" notes Stéphane Berne in Paris Match .
Three other animals are also present among the flowers: a lion, a unicorn and a boar (it is in the left corner). They are taken from the coat of arms of the monarch and Her Majesty's father, Major Bruce Shand.
"To have been invited to play a small part in such a historic event in our nation's history was an incredible honor and the opportunity of a lifetime, the pinnacle of my career. I hope that those who see the invitation will receive as much joy as I had in creating it," says illustrator Andrew Jamieson.
