Here’s why Penny Mordaunt was carrying a sword at King Charles’ coronation
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There were many familiar faces who played a part in King Charles III’s Coronation ceremony, including Tory MP Penny Mordaunt.
The Leader of the House of Commons carried a sword at the historic event as Lord President of the Privy Council, a role she has undertaken since September last year.
Dressed in a teal blue dress with gold detail and a matching cape, Ms Mordaunt carried the 17th-century Sword of State into the Abbey before presenting it to the King in his throne.
It was the first time in history that the Jewelled Sword of Offering has been carried and presented to the monarch by a woman.
The intricately detailed sword was made for George IV’s coronation in 1821, It is encrusted with diamonds, rubies and emeralds and is decorated with jewelled roses, thistles and shamrocks.
Tory MP Penny Mordaunt carried a sword at the historic event as Lord President of the Privy Council
Ms Mordaunt carried the 17th-century Sword of State into the Abbey before presenting it to the King in his throne
Dressed in a teal blue dress with gold detail and a matching cape, she carried the sword ahead of the King in Westminster Abbey
The sword was blessed by the Archbishop of Canterbury and then presented to the King by Ms Mordaunt, who wore a £2,000 Roni dress by atelier Safiyaa.
It had been carried into the Westminster Abbey by Petty Officer Amy Taylor, who became the first woman to undertake the duty of carrying the sword into the Abbey after being selected to represent service men and women as a tribute to the King’s military career.
The sword, which symbolises royal power, was placed in the King’s right hand, then clipped onto his girdle and eventually unclipped.
The King then stepped forward and offered the sword to the Dean, who placed it on the altar.
The sword was then ‘redeemed’ by Ms Mordaunt, who placed the redemption money on an alms dish, held by the Dean, before drawing the sword and carrying it in its naked form, without its scabbard.
Back in September, she officially announced the Queen’s death and proclaimed Charles as Britain’s new King in front of the Accession Council.
She was applauded online for doing an ‘outstanding job’ during Saturday morning’s ‘moving and sombre’ ceremony.
Twitter users pointed out that Ms Mordaunt, who was appointed to her new role by Prime Minister Liz Truss, had little time to prepare for the Accession Proclamation but still managed to be ‘very polished’ and spoke with ‘authority’, according to spectators.
Penny Mordaunt is pictured arriving at the abbey before the ceremony commenced
The conservative MP, was the first woman to proclaim a new monarch in September last year
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