King Charles III’s coronation day. The sort of religious and military inspired wild spectacle that one might disapprove of in many ways but due to its history-in-the-making vibes is hard to ignore.

Everything appeared to go very smoothly, although to what extent this was as a result of some rather disturbing sounding anti-protest policing with the code name ‘Operation Golden Orb’ I don’t know.

Scotland Yard has been accused of an “incredibly alarming” attack on the right to protest after police used new powers to arrest the head of the leading republican movement and other organisers of an approved demonstration just hours before King Charles III’s coronation

Some of the less aminate stars of the show were the various regalia of the monarchy. Part of the ceremony involves our new king touching various items that seem very similar in name to those I encountered whilst playing The Legend of Zelda a while back.

The i website kindly lists some of the gold-and-jewel encrusted items involved. The include the:

  • Long Sceptre, remade in 1661 for the previous King Charles.
  • Sword of Temporal Justice: signifying his command of the armed force.
  • Sword of Spiritual Justice: our monarch remains the ‘defender of the faith’
  • Sword of Mercy: nothing says mercy like a sword with a broken-off tip.
  • Sword of State: decorated with lions and unicorns.
  • Jewelled Sword of Offering: symbolising duty, knightly virtues and power. Also subject to a slightly odd ceremony whereby ex-Conservative leadership candidate Penny Mordaunt trades a bag containing £50 worth of brand new 50p coins for it.
  • Coronation Spoon: used to convey magic oil onto the monarch.
  • Golden Spurs: symbolising knighthood and chivalry
  • Bracelet of Sincerity
  • Bracelet of Wisdom
  • Sovereign’s Orb: a jewel encrusted sphere with a cross, symbolising that the king’s power comes from God.
  • Sovereign’s Ring: symbolising dignity.
  • Sovereign’s Sceptre with the Cross: a shoutout to earthly power.
  • Sovereign’s Sceptre with Dove: another symbol of justice and mercy.
  • finally, of course the 5lb St. Edwards Crown, resized to fit his head.