The King wore several historic garments throughout his coronation service yesterday. While some of these garments had been used by his mother, grandfather, and great-grandfather at their coronations, some were created new for King Charles’s Coronation. One of the newly created garments was the Stole Royal. 

A stole is a traditional ecclesiastical garment; it is a long piece of fabric draped over the shoulders and typically falls below the wearer’s knees. The Stole Royal is an elaborate stole that British monarchs only use during their coronation. 

King Charles wore the Stole Royal while being crowned, along with the Supertunica and the Imperial Mantle. 

The College of Arms created a new design for The King, drawing on his mother’s 1953 Stole Royal design, and the Royal School of Needlework produced the item. The design has several specific elements. 

There are several roundels (circles used in heraldry) set within a gold chain, each with different designs created by the RSN using the silk shading technique that produces realistic images made of thread. The roundels feature a Tudor Crown to represent the King’s cypher, the Rose to represent England, the Thistle to represent Scotland, the Leek to represent Wales, the Shamrock to represent Northern Ireland, a Dove to represent the Holy Spirit, the four Apostles, and the Crossed Keys of St. Peter, among other images.

The nape of the neck of the Stole Royal also features the icon of St. Lawrence. This is particularly fitting as the Girdlers’ Livery Company has gifted this Stole to The King for his coronation as they have for the last four coronations, and St. Lawrence is their patron saint. 

The Royal School of Needlework also produced the screens that shielded The King from view during his anointing, as well as The King and Queen’s Robes of Estate.