- King Charles and Camilla, Queen Consort, released their coronation invitation on Tuesday.
- The invitation included nods to the monarch, like trios of flowers to signify he is King Charles III.
On Tuesday, King Charles III and Camilla, Queen Consort, released the invitation for the coronation, and it was full of meaningful nods to the monarch.
The coronation will take place on May 6 at Westminster Abbey. Both Charles and Camilla will be crowned in separate ceremonies.
The king's coronation will be scaled back compared to Queen Elizabeth II's 1953 coronation, the Mail on Sunday reported.
The invitation was designed to honor Charles' new role and British history
According to a press release from Buckingham Palace, artist Andrew Jamieson created the hand-painted illustration made of watercolor and gouache on the invitation, which nods to the king's official coronation emblem.
The invitations will be printed on recycled paper with gold foil, which isn't surprising for the king. King Charles is a longtime champion of environmental issues, publishing a 2022 Newsweek essay about the threat of climate change.
Jamieson is both an illuminator and scribe for the king's Crown Office in London, and he previously made the Royal Letters Patent that marked when Prince William became the Duke of Cambridge after marrying Kate Middleton in 2011.
"To have been invited to play a small part in such a historic event in our nation's history has been an incredible honour and the opportunity of a lifetime, the pinnacle of my career," Jamieson said in a statement provided to Insider. "My hope is that those who see the invitation will get as much joy from it as I did creating it. I wish Their Majesties every good wish for their upcoming coronation celebration as they begin this new journey together."
The invitation also included flowers with symbolic meaning
Jamieson included imagery of the Green Man in the invitation, "an ancient figure from British folklore, symbolic of spring and rebirth, to celebrate the new reign," the press release states.
Foliage made of hawthorn, ivy, and oak creates the shape of the Green Man, as well as the "emblematic flowers" of the United Kingdom, according to Buckingham Palace.
More flowers adorn the outer edge of the invitation to create a British wildflower meadow, and they were all painted in groups of three to signify that the king is the third monarch to bear the name Charles.
The meadow includes "lily of the valley, cornflowers, wild strawberries, dog roses, bluebells, and a sprig of rosemary for remembrance," according to the press release.
In addition to the rosemary for remembrance, the inclusion of the lily of the valley was significant. It was Queen Elizabeth II's favorite flower; Sophie, Countess of Wessex, wore a dress with the flower embroidered into it for the Queen's funeral in September 2022.
Cornflowers, wild strawberries, dog roses, and bluebells, on the other hand, are all associated with love.
The illustration also included drawings of animals that hold significance
The meadow framing the invitation also includes a bee, a butterfly, a ladybird, a wren, and a robin, according to Buckingham Palace.
Bees have long held a special place in the royal family's world. There is a centuries-old tradition where the royal bees are informed when a monarch dies, as royal beekeeper John Chapple, 79, told the MailOnline after Queen Elizabeth's death. Chapple also told the outlet that he told the bees King Charles was their new master at the time.
In addition, butterflies are often associated with new beginnings and ladybugs symbolize good luck, while wrens and robins are associated with rebirth.
Jamieson also included the animals featured on Charles and Camilla's coats of arms in his illustration: a lion, a boar, and a unicorn.
The Garter encloses Camilla's animals in the invitation, nodding to her role as Royal Lady of the Order of the Garter, which she took on in the summer of 2022, according to the Palace.
The group was formed by King Edward III because of his admiration for King Arthur and his knights, and it is now the "oldest and most senior Order of Chivalry in Britain," according to the royal family's website. According to Town & Country, it's rare for someone who marries into the royal family to be made part of the order, making the role even more significant for Camilla.
Buckingham Palace also released a new photo of Charles and Camilla alongside the invitation
The monarch and Queen Consort posed in the drawing room at Buckingham Palace for the photo, which was captured by Hugo Burnand.
The invitation will be sent to over 2,000 people, according to Buckingham Palace.
Alongside the photo and invitation, the royals also announced that both Charles and Camilla will have four pages of honor as part of the coronation service, and they will be included in the procession that walks through Westminster Abbey with the king and Queen Consort during the ceremony.
Camilla's three grandsons and her great-nephew will serve as her pages, while Prince George, 9, will be a page for his grandfather. Prince Louis, 4, who has made waves at previous royal engagements, will not be a page.