Prince Ricardo De La Cerda
PUNTERS can get their hands on a new collection of commemorative chinaware to mark the King’s coronation – with a new Royal Coat of Arms.
The crockery – made in Stoke-on-Trent – has been designed in a “masculine” ultramarine colour to reflect the first male monarch in seven decades.
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The Royal Collection Trust (RCT) chinaware features a new specially-commissioned Royal Coat of Arms design set against the backdrop of a “pure” blue colour.
But due to rising inflation leading to the cost-of-living crisis the prices of the collectables have soared compared to Platinum Jubilee less than a year ago.
Ian Grant, head of product development and buying for RCT,said: “At the very start of the process we wanted to develop a range that was reflective of the King.
“A lot of the ranges that we have produced over the last 30 years have very much reflected a female monarch and so we wanted to develop a range that was a bit more masculine.”
The new Royal Coat of Arms design is supported by a garland of laurel leaves which symbolise peace, as well as oak leaves which signify strength and longevity.
The emblems of the four nations of the United Kingdom – thistle, rose, shamrock and daffodil – are also included.
A ribbon that represents King Charles and the Queen Consort “working together in harmony”.
Made in factories in Stoke-on-Trent, known as ‘The Potteries’ for its historical trade, the set includes a coffee mug, a tankard, pillbox, and dessert plate, as well as the most popular teacup and saucer, with many limited editions to follow.
The design also includes a proclamation stating “The Coronation of their Majesties King Charles III and Queen Camilla 6 May 2023”.
It is understood that the RCT’s choice to use Queen Camilla rather than the Queen Consort title is in keeping with Buckingham Palace’s decision to phase out ‘consort’ after the coronation.
But anyone wishing to get their hands on the new Coronation collection will face a significant uptick in pricing, including £10 more than the Platinum Jubilee offerings for a tankard, a side plate and a teacup and saucer.
The whopping price increase was due to the soaring energy and heating costs that the country has faced over the last year, manufacturers claim.
The firing process, which glazes the clay up to a high temperature, lasts for 11 hours and is done overnight.
Mr Grant said that the new collection commemorates a “very important occasion and we wanted to make sure that we celebrated it in the most appropriate way”.
He added: “To try and keep the prices under control we’ve made some changes to the design and the way that we produce things and that’s reflected in the slightly higher price than the Platinum Jubilee collection.
“But had we not made the changes that we made the prices could have potentially been higher than they are.”
The RCT works with 12 factories in the Stoke-on-Trent area to produce their commemorative chinaware, meaning that every single piece will have gone through 50 separate “highly-skilled hands”.
The factories cannot be named under Royal household policy, due to the fact that they don’t want companies to trade off the association.