William and Kate's coronation blunder led to last-minute change to entrance

17 January 2024 , 10:02

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William and Kate's coronation blunder led to last-minute change to entrance

King Charles's coronation on May 6 was nothing short of spectacular. An impressive showcase of historic pomp and pageantry, the grand ceremony was watched by hundreds of millions of people around the world.

But what viewers - and indeed the guests inside Westminster Abbey - didn't realise was there was a hiccup on the day that led to a major change to proceedings. Timings were a key part of the day to ensure everything ran smoothly. But it seems Prince William and Princess Kate were a little late leaving for the service, and it had repercussions that affected the King and Queen.

According to Robert Hardman, author of Charles III: New King, New Court. The Inside Story, the Prince and Princess and their two younger children, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis, were a minute and a half behind schedule. They had been due to arrive eight minutes before Charles and Camilla, but were now going to arrive after them.

William and Kate leave Westminster Abbey with their two youngest children after the coronation (James Veysey/REX/Shutterstock)

It meant that the senior royals had to wait outside in their carriage - an "added layer of stress the couple really do not want or need on a day like this". The King's frustration was seemingly caught on camera by a Sky News team, with his words translated by a lip reader - "We can never be on time… There's always something… This is boring."

According to Hardman, after the event, there were conflicting stories as to what had happened. Some stated that William and Kate's decision to make a coronation day video added precious minutes to the schedule and made them late.

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Others said that because the King was early, the car carrying the Waleses was caught up behind his procession when it should have been ahead.

"The Prince of Wales's equerry, Commander Rob Dixon, will take a fair amount of flak, nonetheless," Hardman writes. "It is unusual for the two most important arrivals at such a significant event, and over such a well-trodden route, to be so unpunctual.

"The result is some frantic rewriting of the running order. There isn't time for the Waleses and their two younger children to enter ahead of the King and Queen. They must now follow behind and bring up the rear."

Elsewhere in his book, the author claims there was one thing that Prince William was totally insistent on when it came to the coronation - and it was to do with the Middleton family.

There was a "direct request" from the royal himself that his wife's parents and siblings were in attendance and seated in a pretty high-profile position. "Having all of them there was very important to him... he was absolutely insistent that his wife's family be properly included."

Robert Hardman's book, King Charles III: The Inside Story, is available to buy here.

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