Royal Response to Coronation Revealed in Surprising Disclosure
Penny Mordaunt has said she received an unexpected letter from a member of the royal household after the Coronation. She spoke about the message during a session at the Oxford Literary Festival.
Her Royal Response to the Coronation was revealed in a surprising disclosure she made at the festival. She declined to identify the royal who wrote the note.
Unexpected royal letter
The letter reportedly included the line: “how kind of the King and Queen to come to your event.” Mordaunt described the message as an unexpected review of her part in the ceremony.
She told the audience she felt the public attention focused on the whole occasion more than on her. She refused to name the writer of the letter.
Sword of State duties
Mordaunt carried the Sword of State during the Coronation of King Charles III and Queen Camilla. The crowning took place on May 6, 2023, at Westminster Abbey.
The Sword of State weighs around 8lbs. She stood holding it upright for the bulk of the ceremony, with a short break toward the end.
Leading the procession
As the final procession began, Mordaunt led the monarchs down the aisle while the National Anthem played. She resumed her position carrying the sword as the couple left St. Edward’s Chapel.
The role required sustained concentration and physical steadiness for over an hour.
Historic first and wardrobe
She was the first woman to perform that traditional role at a Coronation. Mordaunt said choosing an outfit was difficult because of the historic nature of the task.
She wore a dark teal dress and a matching headband-style hat. Both pieces were embellished with gold leaf motifs.
She suggested she might not have been asked to carry the sword had she been a man. She credited the King’s wish for a representative ceremony with shaping her involvement.
Accession council and early responsibilities
Mordaunt became Lord President of the Privy Council at the start of Liz Truss’s premiership on September 6, 2022. Queen Elizabeth II died two days later.
Less than 48 hours into her new post, Mordaunt was tasked with the Proclamation of the new monarch. She took a leading role at the Accession Council on September 10, 2022.
That Accession Council was the first to be televised. The broadcast added pressure to perform the duties correctly.
Book and public reflections
She discussed these events while promoting her book, Pomp and Circumstance: Why Britain’s Traditions Matter. Mordaunt said the attention she received was part of the wider ceremonial moment.
Her remarks offered a personal angle on public tradition and the Royal Response to modern ceremonial life.
