Scots turn to Olympian Dame Katherine Grainger to carry King Charles’ new sword
Olympian lady Katherine Grainger deftly carried King Charles’ specially made sword at a ceremony in Scotland today to mark his coronation.
The ceremonial coat of arms is part of the Honors of Scotland, presented to the King this afternoon at the historic National Service of Dedication and Thanksgiving at St Giles’ Cathedral in Edinburgh.
It is more than twice as heavy as England’s Sword of State, which Penny Mordaunt, Leader of the House of Commons, was praised for being carried flawlessly at the King’s coronation in Westminster Abbey in May.
Named after the late Queen Elizabeth, the new sword was made especially for the ceremony to replace the original 16th-century Scottish Sword of State, which was deemed too fragile to use.
It was presented to the king by Dame Katherine, 47, who won a gold medal in rowing at the 2012 London Olympics.
Olympian lady Katherine Grainger deftly carried King Charles’ custom-made sword today at a ceremony in Scotland to mark his coronation
Penny Mordaunt congratulated Dame Katherine on Twitter last night. She said, “Best wishes to Olympian lady Katherine Grainger… who tomorrow will wear the magnificent new Elizabeth sword at @StGilesHighKirk.
“The first person to have the honor of this role. Now she really has arms of steel!’
The Elizabeth Sword weighs 7.5 kg and is also ten centimeters longer than the English Sword of State.
It cost £22,000 to make and was designed by former Ormond Pursuivant of Arms Mark Dennis, 73, of St Andrews.
It was presented to the King along with the Crown of Scotland and the Sceptre, both of which predate the English Crown Jewels.
The royal motto is engraved on one side of the blade: ‘In my defenses God defend me’; on the other hand the motto of the Order of the Thistle ‘Nemo me impune lacessit’, which means no one harasses me with impunity.’
At today’s ceremony, the King and Queen heard a strong environmental message for the planet to be protected for future generations and not “baked to the bone.”
Right-wing Reverend Sally Foster-Fulton, Moderator of the Church of Scotland’s General Assembly, delivered the sermon, which chose the environment as one of its themes.
The ceremonial coat of arms is part of the Honors of Scotland, presented to the King this afternoon at the historic National Service of Dedication and Thanksgiving at St Giles’ Cathedral in Edinburgh.
It is more than twice as heavy as England’s Sword of State, which Commons Leader Penny Mordaunt (above) was praised for being carried flawlessly at the King’s coronation at Westminster Abbey in May
She told the congregation that society will be on the “right track” if we understand that “heaven and earth” are not “human goods or possessions.”
“Blessed are we, we are on the right track when we understand that our children do not inherit this earth from us – we borrowed it from them,” she said.
“And it’s our duty to return it still singing and heaving and bathing, not baking crisp.”
Before he became king, Charles spoke at length about the importance of the environment, tackling climate change and protecting wildlife. He runs his Aston Martin sports car on renewable fuel and even recycles his bath water at Clarence House.
On Wednesday, spectators watched a popular procession make its way from Edinburgh Castle to the cathedral – a group of around 100 strong, representing all aspects of Scottish society from the arts and politics to education, civil society and business, including charities that the king supports as a patron.
At the head was Shetland pony Corporal Cruachan IV, regimental mascot of the Royal Regiment of Scotland.
Protesters and royal fans lined the streets, with republican groups chanting ‘Not my King’ while others chanted ‘God save the King’.
Paul Macdonald, bespoke sword and knife maker, holding the Elizabeth sword now part of the Honors of Scotland
It cost £22,000 to make and was designed by former Ormond Pursuivant of Arms Mark Dennis (above), 73, of St Andrews
Scottish Government Minister Green MSP Patrick Harvie told an Our Republic rally outside the Scottish Parliament that the service was a “Game Of Thrones-esque cosplay exercise” that is “fundamentally at odds with the sort of modern and democratic society that we are trying to achieve’. build here’.
Participants of the popular procession sat in the cathedral pews as the moderator said that ideals like “mercy and peace” should not be “domesticated or degraded,” but should be the “substance of our being.”
She also said society is “on the right track” if people are “brave enough” to “choose cooperation and trust over the terrifying circling of our wagons.”
King Charles receives the Crown of Scotland during his Scottish coronation at St Giles’ Cathedral in Edinburgh, watched by his wife, Queen Camilla, and the Prince and Princess of Wales
Charles received the symbols of his authority in Scotland – the Crown, Scepter and Sword of State – known as the Honors of Scotland during a day of pomp and prayer in Edinburgh
William and Catherine shared a joke as the service began at St Giles’ Cathedral in Edinburgh
“Sisters and brothers, look around you. We are one global neighborhood – closely linked and completely co-dependent, intertwined, like a tartan,” she said.
The First Minister of Scotland, Humza Yousaf, gave a Bible reading from the Old Testament during the service and Olympic rower Dame Katherine Grainger carried the Sword of State.
The Rt Rev Foster-Fulton concluded by saying to the King and Queen, ‘Your Majesties, you have made it part of your mission to speak and advocate alongside creation. As we present to you the Honors of Scotland, we commit to walking that journey with you.
“We are all a small part of something so much bigger – this beautiful, sacred creation and everything and everyone in it. Thank God.’
As the royal party left the cathedral to return to the Palace of Holyroodhouse, a 21-gun salute was fired from the ramparts of Edinburgh Castle.