London Daily

Focus on the big picture.

Coronation: I took painkillers before carrying sword, says Penny Mordaunt

Coronation: I took painkillers before carrying sword, says Penny Mordaunt

Penny Mordaunt has said she took a couple of painkillers to help her get through her role of carrying ceremonial swords during the King's Coronation.
The Tory minister won praise for her stamina, carrying the 17th Century Sword of State and Jewelled Sword of Offering for more than an hour.

Working on the coronation has been a "huge privilege", Ms Mordaunt said.

She told Nick Robinson's Political Thinking podcast she enjoyed becoming a hit on social media after the ceremony.

"I was reunited with my phone and found I had become a meme," she said.

She said she saw photoshopped images on social media of the sword replaced by a kebab, and the laurel motif on her dress likened to Poundland's corporate branding.

"I say well done to the Great British public."

Asked if she had been in training, she said: "I was not in the gym for six months prior to this," but added: "You want to make sure you are in good nick.

"I did take a couple of painkillers before just to make sure I was going to be all right."

Ms Mordaunt said her navy training in Portsmouth also helped her know how to keep her circulation going by "wriggling your toes".

Anyone hoping to emulate her feat should "practise", "have a good breakfast", and "wear comfortable shoes", she added.

She carried the 17th Century Sword of State made for Charles II into Westminster Abbey, and exchanged it for the Jewelled Sword of Offering, which symbolises royal power and the monarch accepting his duty and knightly virtues.

She carried the Jewelled Sword of Offering, with hilt encrusted with diamonds, rubies and emeralds, for the rest of the service and walked with it in front of the King as he left the abbey.

They were two of four swords used in the ceremony, a practice which dates back to the coronation of Richard the Lionheart in 1189.

Notably, Ms Mordaunt became the first woman to carry and present the sword.

Odds on Ms Mordaunt becoming the next leader of her party were slashed by betting companies at the weekend after her performance at the Coronation.

As she returned to her day job as leader of the House of Commons, she was praised - and ribbed - by her political opponents, before the usual hostilities resumed.

Labour's shadow leader of the house, Thangam Debbonaire said Ms Mordaunt was a "symbol of solemnity" and a "credit to this House as our representative".

Her SNP counterpart Deidre Brock said she showed "commendable upper body strength".

"It appears carrying a lethal weapon and wearing an imperial style outfit now makes her favourite to be the next Tory leader," Ms Brock added.

The run up to the coronation was a "highly emotional time", she said.

"It is nice to be recognised and I think I was a bit of a metaphor for everyone on the day - everyone did their bit, everyone did it really well."

Ms Mordaunt's dress also sparked numerous comments, with people on social media comparing her to Princess Leia from Star Wars.

"That's not the look I was going for," she said.

While her predecessors would have worn "formal dress, which is black", Ms Mordaunt said she wanted to reflect the modern tone of the coronation "with historical references".

"I thought I'm going to buy a modern dress," she said, explaining that she decided to embroider it with the fern motif of the Privy Council "as a nod to the past".

Alongside her role as Leader of the House, Ms Mordaunt is also Lord President of the Privy Council, both positions given to her by then-Prime Minister Liz Truss in September.

The Privy Council role normally requires chairing meetings of the group of the UK's most senior politicians, who are charged with presenting business to the King.

As president of the council, Ms Mordaunt was also responsible for announcing the death of Queen Elizabeth II at the Accession Council last autumn.

Asked about suggestions she was deliberately given the normally low-profile role to keep her out of the spotlight, Ms Mordaunt said: "I can't speculate as to why people have done something.

"But if that was the plan it has not worked out well."
Newsletter

Related Articles

London Daily
0:00
0:00
Close
US Man Charged with Murder of Co-Worker over Breaks
Carbon Monoxide Incident Claims Lives at UK Care Home
Birmingham Airport Evacuated Due to Suspicious Vehicle
Former US President Barack Obama raps the lyrics to Eminem's ‘Lose Yourself’ after the rapper introduces him at a Kamala Harris rally in Detroit
KYIV URGES NORTH KOREAN TROOPS IN UKRAINE TO SURRENDER
Ofcom Identifies Link Between Social Media Posts and UK Unrest
Russian Boxer Receives Lifetime Ban for Illegal Move in Boxing Debut
Biden Labels Trump a Threat to Democracy
McDonald's Linked to E. coli Outbreak Leading to One Death
Teacher Enoch Burke arrested at Wilson’s Hospital School in Ireland after refusing to endorse and affirm transgender ideology.
FBI Investigates Leak of US Intelligence on Israeli Strike Plans
Israeli Airstrike Targets Hezbollah's Financial Resources
China’s Baidu is revolutionizing transportation with its robotaxi service
Angela Rayner Secures Permanent Seat on UK National Security Council
Russian Ambassador Claims UK's Proxy War in Ukraine
Doctor Advocates for Assisted Dying Law Reform
Ruth Davis Appointed as UK’s First Nature Envoy
Pressure Mounts on Starmer to Discuss Reparations at Commonwealth Summit
James Cleverly’s Costly In-Flight Catering for Government Trips
AI Regulation Takes Center Stage in 2024 US Presidential Campaign
NASA Study Explores Potential Microbial Life Beneath Mars' Ice
Cats: The Liquid-Like Pets
Netanyahu Condemns Alleged Hezbollah Assassination Attempt
Liam Payne's Tragic Death: Tributes Pour In
Cuba's Power Struggles: Nationwide Blackout Strikes Again
Xi Jinping Urges Troops to Prepare for Conflict Amid Taiwan Drills
Farage Supported by US PR Team Linked to Steve Bannon
Controversy Over MP's Comments on Female Candidate's Family Responsibilities
Highlights from the Conservative Leadership Contest TV Debate
Childminder Jailed for Inciting Racial Hatred After Southport Attack
NHS England's Repair Bill Soars to Almost £14 Billion
Russia Accused of Using Incendiary Devices to Disrupt Western Confidence
Culture Wars: 'A Dog Whistle to Attack the Right', Says Badenoch
Virtual Reality and Advanced Technologies in Combating Cocaine Addiction
Chancellor Rachel Reeves Assembles Taskforce to Safeguard Financial Stability Amid Increased Borrowing Plans
RAF Typhoon Intercepts Air India Flight After Bomb Threat
Hamas Chief Yahya Sinwar Killed in Israeli Operation
Fruit Fly Gut Hormone Study Sheds Light on Human Longevity
Tragic Loss: Liam Payne's Passing in Buenos Aires
Liam Payne's Tragic Death in Buenos Aires
Trump Criticizes Zelensky for Role in Ukraine-Russia War
Yahya Sinwar’s Death Marks Pivotal Moment in Gaza War
Tragic End for Liam Payne: Fall from Buenos Aires Hotel
US Warns Israel of Potential Aid Cuts Over Gaza Assistance Delays
Meta Faces Legal Battle Over Teen Social Media Addiction
UK Government Proposes Weight-Loss Injections to Combat Obesity and Boost Employment
UK Gambling Firms Face Market Turmoil Amid Possible Tax Hike
Labour MP Criticizes UK's Dependence on Elon Musk's X
Tracey Emin Questions the Longevity of Male Artists' Creativity
Pay Growth Decline in Great Britain May Lead to Interest Rate Cuts
×