London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Friday, Nov 21, 2025

Coronation: Penny Mordaunt's sword-wielding role - and other top moments

Coronation: Penny Mordaunt's sword-wielding role - and other top moments

Millions of viewers watched King Charles III crowned in a meticulously-planned ancient ceremony but it was the unexpected moments that got many people talking.
1. Penny Mordaunt wields swords

Penny Mordaunt caused a flurry of activity on social media as she played a starring role at the Coronation - holding ceremonial swords for more than an hour.

On Twitter many pointed out the Conservative MP's strength, even winning praise from her party's political foes.

"Don't let anyone ever say I never say anything positive about the Tories... I am in awe of @PennyMordaunt arm and shoulder strength," former Labour spin doctor Alastair Campbell tweeted.

Speaking to Times Radio before the ceremony, she joked she had been preparing by "doing some press-ups".

While Ms Mordaunt's custom-made teal outfit - with a matching cape and headband with feather embroidery - also caught people's attention, with many drawing comparisons with Henry VIII's second wife Anne Boleyn.

One woman tweeted: "Penny Mordaunt has absolutely stolen the show at the Abbey today! She is rocking that Anne Boleyn look!"

The MP and Leader of the House of Commons said she was honoured to beinvolved in the ceremony through her role as Lord President of the Council - an ancient role.

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 she delivered to the archbishop.

She then 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.

Notably, she becomes the first woman to carry and present the sword - which symbolises royal power and the King accepting his duty and knightly virtues.

She tweeted: "I'm very aware that our armed forces, police officers and others have been marching or standing for hours as part of the ceremony or to keep us all safe.

"In comparison, my job was rather easier."

2. Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis

There was a tender moment between the Prince and Princess of Wales's children. Prince Louis, five, when he held the hand of his older sister Princess Charlotte as they walked into Westminster Abbey.

The prince, the youngest of Prince William and Catherine's children, was on his best behaviour, having stolen the show at previous royal events including Queen Elizabeth II's Platinum Jubilee when he appeared to find the flypast a bit noisy while on the Buckingham Palace balcony.

This time, the prince nudged his father to point out something in the distance during the flypast and debuted a new, rather exaggerated, wave.

3. Gospel choir bring a modern twist

A gospel choir added a rather modern twist to the ancient ceremony.

The Ascension choir were handpicked and specially brought together for the occasion. Dressed in all white, the group of singers sang beautifully and swayed as they performed specially composed piece Alleluia.

They proved a hit with Catherine who gave a beaming smile as she listened.

4. When music royalty meets actual royalty

Singer Katy Perry turned heads in a fabulous lilac Vivienne Westwood matching jacket and skirt, and fascinator.

But the Firework singer caught viewers' eyes for another reason as she had a spot of bother finding for her seat.

She was seen walking up and down the Abbey searching for it.

"Katy Perry not finding her seat is so me," tweeted one Perry fan.

The pop star, who happily took selfies with other guests, will be performing at the Coronation Concert in Windsor alongside Lionel Richie on Sunday.

Perry later tweeted: "Don't worry guys I found my seat."

5. Prince William kissed father

The King and the Prince of Wales shared a touching moment when Prince William paid homage to his father.

Prince William got down on one knee to pledge his loyalty to the King, before kissing him on the cheek.

The King was then seen to say a few words to his eldest son.

In a break with tradition, the prince was the only blood prince to pay homage.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
ASU Launches ASU London, Extending Its Innovation Brand to the UK Education Market
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer to Visit China in January as Diplomatic Reset Accelerates
Google Launches Voluntary Buyouts for UK Staff Amid AI-Driven Company Realignment
UK braces for freezing snap as snow and ice warnings escalate
Majority of UK Novelists Fear AI Could Displace Their Work, Cambridge Study Finds
UK's Carrier Strike Group Achieves Full Operational Capability During NATO Drill in Mediterranean
Trump and Mamdani to Meet at the White House: “The Communist Asked”
Nvidia Again Beats Forecasts, Shares Jump in After-Hours Trading
Wintry Conditions Persist Along UK Coasts After Up to Seven Centimetres of Snow
UK Inflation Eases to 3.6 % in October, Opening Door for Rate Cut
UK Accelerates Munitions Factory Build-Out to Reinforce Warfighting Readiness
UK Consumer Optimism Plunges Ahead of November Budget
A Decade of Innovation Stagnation at Apple: The Cook Era Critique
Caribbean Reparations Commission Seeks ‘Mutually Beneficial’ Justice from UK
EU Insists UK Must Contribute Financially for Access to Electricity Market and Broader Ties
UK to Outlaw Live-Event Ticket Resales Above Face Value
President Donald Trump Hosts Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman at White House to Seal Major Defence and Investment Deals
German Entertainment Icons Alice and Ellen Kessler Die Together at Age 89
UK Unveils Sweeping Asylum Reforms with 20-Year Settlement Wait and Conditional Status
UK Orders Twitter Hacker to Repay £4.1 Million Following 2020 High-Profile Breach
Popeyes UK Eyes Century Mark as Fried-Chicken Chain Accelerates Roll-out
Two-thirds of UK nurses report working while unwell amid staffing crisis
Britain to Reform Human-Rights Laws in Sweeping Asylum Policy Overhaul
Nearly Half of Job Losses Under Labour Government Affect UK Youth
UK Chancellor Reeves Eyes High-Value Home Levy in Budget to Raise Tens of Billions
UK Urges Poland to Choose Swedish Submarines in Multi-Billion € Defence Bid
US Border Czar Tom Homan Declares UK No Longer a ‘Friend’ Amid Intelligence Rift
UK Announces Reversal of Income Tax Hike Plans Ahead of Budget
Starmer Faces Mounting Turmoil as Leaked Briefings Ignite Leadership Plot Rumours
UK Commentator Sami Hamdi Returns Home After US Visa Revocation and Detention
UK Eyes Denmark-Style Asylum Rules in Major Migration Shift
UK Signals Intelligence Freeze Amid US Maritime Drug-Strike Campaign
TikTok Awards UK & Ireland 2025 Celebrates Top Creators Including Max Klymenko as Creator of the Year
UK Growth Nearly Stalls at 0.1% in Q3 as Cyberattack Halts Car Production
Apple Denied Permission to Appeal UK App Store Ruling, Faces Over £1bn Liability
UK Chooses Wylfa for First Small Modular Reactors, Drawing Sharp U.S. Objection
Starmer Faces Growing Labour Backlash as Briefing Sparks Authority Crisis
Reform UK Withdraws from BBC Documentary Amid Legal Storm Over Trump Speech Edit
UK Prime Minister Attempts to Reassert Authority Amid Internal Labour Leadership Drama
UK Upholds Firm Rules on Stablecoins to Shield Financial System
Brussels Divided as UK-EU Reset Stalls Over Budget Access
Prince Harry’s Remembrance Day Essay Expresses Strong Regret at Leaving Britain
UK Unemployment Hits 5% as Wage Growth Slows, Paving Way for Bank of England Rate Cut
Starmer Warns of Resurgent Racism in UK Politics as He Vows Child-Poverty Reforms
UK Grocery Inflation Slows to 4.7% as Supermarkets Launch Pre-Christmas Promotions
UK Government Backs the BBC amid Editing Scandal and Trump Threat of Legal Action
UK Assessment Mis-Estimated Fallout From Palestine Action Ban, Records Reveal
UK Halts Intelligence Sharing with US Amid Lethal Boat-Strike Concerns
King Charles III Leads Britain in Remembrance Sunday Tribute to War Dead
UK Retail Sales Growth Slows as Households Hold Back Ahead of Black Friday and Budget
×