The BBC have shared a new clip from their upcoming documentary, Charles III: The Coronation Year, and it features a previously unseen moment where Princess Kate kisses and curtsies for King Charles following his coronation.
The clip, which can be viewed below was taken as the monarch and Queen Camilla returned to Buckingham Palace, where they were greeted by members of the Royal Household and Royal Family. Ahead of the King’s arrival, staff were standing on the stairs and instructed to give three cheers ‘for the royal couple when they returned to the Palace.
As the King entered, Prince George could be seen carrying out his duties as Page of Honour, carrying his grandfather’s robes. Explaining how Charles felt in the moment, Princess Anne explained: “Ask any actor who comes off stage having done a performance that they really put a lot into, it’s that kind of relief.”
As Prince William and Kate entered, the King was then seen being congratulated by other royals, including his younger brother Prince Edward who kissed the monarch on the cheek, and Kate who did the same before curtseying to His Majesty.
The clip comes shortly after the BBC released a separate video, featuring Prince George getting ready for his big role in the ceremony. The young royal was dressed in his red uniform and fiddled with his white gloves as he prepared to hold Charles’s robes as they prepared to leave from Buckingham Palace to travel to Westminster Abbey in the Diamond Jubilee State Coach.
Annabel Elliot, the Queen’s younger sister, appears in the documentary and describes how it was “surreal” watching Camilla and the King travelling in the Gold State Coach after their crowning.
© GettyAppearing emotional, she says: “There was just a really exciting moment of just getting them into that carriage the first time, and we knew we were off. We were ready, we were ready and we were ready to go out and face literally the world.”
Other scenes released from the 90-minute documentary also show Charles laughing when the Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby forgets the words to part of the liturgy – the prayers and actions of the coronation service – in a second rehearsal clip filmed at Westminster Abbey.
© GettyArchbishop Welby, who led the ceremony, confesses to the camera in an interview: “I have a memory that is probably about as good as our spaniel’s – in other words, zero.”
The one-off 90-minute documentary, titled Charles III: The Coronation Year will air as part of the BBC’s festive schedule next month and camera crews were given exclusive access to the King and Queen.
© GettyThe special will chart the “landmark moments” in Charles’s first year as monarch including the run-up to his coronation, the ceremony itself and events that took place in the months after. Members of the Royal Household and the royal family have contributed to the special.
Some of the moments include the state visit from South Africa’s president, Cyril Ramaphosa, the King leading the nation in mourning for his late mother, the Queen, and at Remembrance Sunday services, Trooping the Colour and his first state visit as monarch to Germany.
© GettyIn a statement, the BBC said that the documentary will feature “moments of great poignancy and humour” and will offer a “unique perspective on the inner workings behind a defining moment which marks a new era in the history of the monarchy”.
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