Meet All Of King Charles' Pages Of Honor
If all eyes weren't already on the royal family, they are now. The coronation of King Charles III and Camilla, Queen Consort, is around the corner, and everyone is seeking answers to the biggest questions. How much is the coronation going to cost? Who is going to pay for it? Will Prince Harry and Meghan Markle be there? What role, if any, will Prince Andrew play on the day? To say that the coronation will be a spectacle is definitely an understatement. Not only will it embrace all the traditions of the official crowning, but it will also offer insight into the ever-evolving drama and tension between members of the royal family.
Of course, the coronation will embrace all the pomp and circumstance expected of an event with so much formality, and one of the most coveted roles on the day is that of the page. Typically fulfilled by young teenagers connected to the royal family, the pages serve an important purpose relating to the king and queen's garments (and that's a whole other article we could get into about the ceremonial robes, the headdresses, and all the historically rich tradition that goes into what the king will wear on the day).
There are typically eight pages — four serving the king, four serving the queen consort — and they are some of the more visible participants throughout the day's proceedings. These are the boys that will fulfill the duty, and everything you need to know about them.
What exactly do the pages do during the coronation?
Before we get to who exactly is serving as a page during King Charles III's coronation, we should first break down exactly what the role is. A page (specifically known as a page of honor for this particular event) is a symbolic role that is fulfilled during coronations, the state opening of Great Britain's Parliament, and other similar formal events. As the position applies to the coronation, the group of pages will follow the king as he walks up the aisle of Westminster Abbey, holding his ceremonial robes as he does so. It is a highly visible position and, given the approximation to the king, a very honorable role.
A distinction should be made between a page of honor and a page that serves in a royal household, which is a position held by a high ranking staff member. The pages who will be following Charles on his big day are not only different in terms of their duties, but also their age. The coronation pages are typically younger boys within the royal family — or connected to British aristocracy in some capacity — that are in their early teenage years. Charles will have four pages during his coronation, as opposed to his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, who had four maids of honor during her coronation all the way back in 1953. Carrying the robes is, when all said and done, a big deal.
Prince George is one of the pages
Starting the list of coronation pages off strong is Prince George. Once the adorable little boy who stole hearts as he posed for the camera, Prince William and Princess Catherine's first-born child and eldest son is fulfilling a very prominent position come coronation day. George is 9 years old as of publication, and as such will be the youngest page out of the four boys chosen for the honor. Not only is he King Charles III's grandson and as such is embracing the duties of a page in that regard, but George is also second in line to the British throne. His father, William, is the Prince of Wales and the direct heir, making young George the apparent following. Though he is still in grade school, George already has a heightened level of importance amid the royal family.
George will be joined by three other boys on coronation day. They are Nicholas Barclay and Lord Oliver Cholmondeley, who are both 13 years old, and Ralph Tollemache, who is 12 (via Daily Mail). Naturally, George's young age by comparison certainly hasn't gone unnoticed. After it was announced that George would be fulfilling such an important role during his grandfather's coronation, a spokesperson for Kensington Palace said, "We're all very excited about Prince George's role in the Coronation, it will be an incredibly special moment."
George's role in the coronation came as a surprise
Though Prince George is second in line to the British throne, his parents, Prince William and Princess Catherine, have intentionally kept him and his two siblings largely out of the spotlight. Cropping up every once in a while, George and his younger sister and brother go about their daily lives in the same way that many other young kids do: They go to school, enjoy time outside, and spend the evenings with their parents. It's certainly a testament to William and Catherine's desire to give their children as normal of an upbringing as possible despite their royal status.
With that said, it did come as a surprise that George was named a page for King Charles III's coronation, given both his young age by comparison and his parents' wishes to keep him out of the public eye. Commenting on the matter, royal expert Ingrid Seward told the Mirror that George being named a page certainly came out of left field.
"Like his father at the same age, Prince George is shy in public. You can see from the way he holds his head and obviously doesn't enjoy the attention that his young royal role brings to him," Seward said. "I was surprised ... It is not a difficult task, but it means George will be center stage with the eyes of the world on him for the length of the procession along the nave of the abbey."
George's parents reportedly argued about his role as a page
Given that Prince George is still just a little guy (and clearly doesn't love being the center of attention), it's not entirely surprising that his parents had differing opinions when it came to his role as a page during King Charles III's coronation. No matter what you think of the royal family, witnessing a coronation of a king is a big deal (and an event that we haven't seen in decades), so naturally, a ton of craning eyes will be glued to the unfolding of the day.
With that in mind, Prince William and Princess Catherine had to decide if they wanted to subject their young son to so many witnesses amid a historic event. After all, what 9-year-old would be comfortable with so much pressure and responsibility in front of millions of witnesses?
Commenting on the matter, royal author Tom Quinn said that the parents were at odds with one another, hearing from insiders about what was going on behind closed doors. "I've heard from my contacts that there is a bit of an argument going on about whether George should play a more formal role," the author of "Gilded Youth" told Express. I've heard that Kate and William are worried that it will be too much for him." Still, it looks like they came to some common ground, as George is set to serve as a page on the big day in question.
The young prince's coronation robes will be a focal point of the day
In a shock to no one, Prince George and the three pages joining him on King Charles III's coronation day will have a very specific outfit to wear. While they are carrying the king's ceremonial robes, George and his fellow pages will don a deep red coat that is about knee length, adorned with gold trim. This will be worn over a white waistcoat and jabot made of lace — basically a large ruffle going down the chest — in addition to white pants, white long socks, and black shoes adorned with buckles. If the pomp and circumstance in outfit form weren't enough, the pages will each carry a ceremonial sword. This would be a lot for any grown adult to wear, let alone a 9-year-old, and quite a bit of attention has already been paid to how George will cope with the attention and the opulent dress.
"He will also be dressed in a flamboyant outfit that is probably itchy, tight and uncomfortable and might feel just a bit self-conscious in the frills and flounces of the pages' uniform. His friends will probably tease him about it too," royal expert Ingrid Seward told the Mirror about George's outfit for the day, before adding that despite all the considerations, it is George's future that he must embrace eventually. "It is his destiny after all to be part of many royal occasions in the future."
Who is page Nicholas Barclay?
So we've covered Prince George quite a bit, as he is by far the most well-known young royal to fulfill the duties of a page during King Charles III's coronation. But who are the other pages? One of them is Nicholas Barclay who, at 13 years old, is four years older than George. Nicholas might not be a prince like George, but his family is incredibly well connected to the royals and has been for many years. Though his name isn't particularly known, it makes perfect sense that he was chosen for such a role.
As it turns out, Nicholas' grandmother Sarah Troughton is the Lord-Lieutenant of Wiltshire (via Tatler). She also served as a lady-in-waiting for the Duchess of Kent from 1990 until 2000. Charles, meanwhile, is Sarah's cousin due to her maternal grandfather, who was the late Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother's brother. After Queen Elizabeth II made Sarah a Commander of the Order of St. John in 2013, she was later made a dame of the same order come 2021. The following year, she was asked to serve as a lady-in-waiting — now called the queen's companions — for Camilla, Queen Consort. Sarah and Camilla are said to share a close friendship.
Nicholas is the only son of Sarah's daughter Rose Barclay, and is perfectly positioned to take on the role of a page.
Who is page Oliver Cholmondeley?
Nicholas Barclay certainly seems to fit the bill, so who else will be joining him and Prince George as a page during King Charles III's coronation? Fulfilling another spot is Lord Oliver Cholmondeley who, like Nicholas, is also 13 years old (via Yahoo!). He is the son of Rose Hanbury and David Rocksavage, the Marquess of Cholmondeley, and is the perfect age for the part.
David has recently been named Charles' lord-in-waiting, which is a huge honor (per Tatler). It isn't just a highly sought after position; as a permanent fixture on the royal scene, David will essentially be Charles' right-hand man. He will accompany the king during royal events and state functions, represent the monarchy at official appearances, and will be called on to fill in for the king when needed. For example, a lord-in-waiting once greeted foreign dignitaries when visiting Great Britain, standing in for the monarchy and representing the crown's interests. David's non-political appointment has made him a fixture within the royal family, and as such, his importance cannot be overstated.
Naturally, David's connection to the royals and to the new king specifically certainly helped pave the way for his son, Oliver, to become a page during the coronation. It also appears that Charles ignored a spot of royal drama — it certainly hasn't gone unnoticed.
What exactly happened between Prince William and Oliver's mom?
So why should we be paying a more attention to Lord Oliver Cholmondeley and his appointment as a page during King Charles III's coronation? As it so happens, his mom, Rose Hanbury, is that Rose Hanbury, i.e. the woman who has been at the center of Prince William's cheating rumors. Back when Princess Catherine was pregnant with Prince Louis in 2018, whispers about William's alleged infidelity began to circulate around the British press. Given that Rose and her husband David Rocksavage were next-door neighbors to the Waleses and ran in very similar social circles, fuel was certainly added to the fire.
In response to the reports about his supposed infidelity, William released a rather uncharacteristic statement, denouncing the rumors and threatening the press with potential litigation. That certainly hasn't stopped the whispers from spreading, though, and Prince Harry even spoke about the palace's attempts to cover up his brother's reported indiscretions. "They were happy to lie to protect my brother. They were never willing to tell the truth to protect us," Harry said during his and Meghan Markle's Netflix docuseries, hinting at stories that were swept under the rug. Of course, Charles has appeared to shrug off any negative optics associated with Rose or her son Oliver, and he is expected to be front and center with the rest of the pages come coronation day.
Who is page Ralph Tollemache?
The last, but certainly not the least, page that will be joining Prince George, Nicholas Barclay, and Oliver Cholmondeley is 12-year-old Ralph Tollemache. Like Nicholas and Oliver, Ralph's family has a long-standing connection to British aristocracy, certainly paving the way for him to be featured during King Charles III's coronation. Ralph is the young son of Edward and Sophie Tollemache, who run in the high society social circles in England. Edward is a prominent banker and the heir to the baron title associated with his family, which currently belongs to his father, Timothy Tollemache, 5th Baron Tollemache. In addition to rubbing shoulders with the royals, Edward can proudly list Charles as one of his godparents — talk about well-connected.
As for Ralph, he can certainly look to his father for tips when it comes to the big day. As it happens, Edward also served as a page of honor, aiding Queen Elizabeth II for two years back in the 1980s. Once the banker grew up and was ready to tie the knot himself, the now-king was among those witnessing the 2007 wedding between Edward and Sophie. Though young Ralph doesn't come with the press attention that, say, George or even Oliver does thanks to their royally connected parents, the 12-year-old page is certainly in a good position to be seen as a royal insider come coronation day.
Queen Camilla will have her own pages during the coronation
In addition to the four pages that will serve King Charles III on coronation day, Camilla, Queen Consort, will also have four pages (via Mirror). These designated individuals will fulfill a similar purpose to that of Charles' pages, but unlike her husband, Camilla has decided to choose members of her family.
Starting with two of her grandchildren, twin grandsons Louis and Gus will serve as pages for their grandmother. The 13-year-old boys were born to Camilla's daughter Laura and her husband Harry Lopes, and will be front and center on the day in question. Their older sister, Eliza, is also said to have a role during the coronation. Camilla's third grandson, 13-year-old Freddy, will also be fulfilling the role of a page. He was born shortly after Louis and Gus were, making the three boys all very close in age (and rambunctious young teen energy, no doubt). Freddy is the son of Tom Parker Bowles (Camilla's son) and his ex-wife Sara.
Rounding out the pack is Camilla's great-nephew, Arthur Elliot. Arthur is the 10-year-old son of Camilla's sister Annabel and her husband Ben Elliot, who is a prominent politician in Great Britain. Though all of Charles' pages for his coronation day are close to him and his family in some capacity, Camilla definitely stands out given that she chose direct members of the Parker Bowles/Shand clan for the big day.
Why aren't Prince Louis and Prince Archie pages?
Given that Camilla, Queen Consort, chose members of her family to fulfill the duties of her four pages, it makes sense to ask why Prince Archie and Prince Louis aren't doing the same for King Charles III. The two boys are members of his family, so why weren't they given the part?
Well for starters, age is a factor. Prince George is the youngest of all the pages at 9 years old, while Prince Louis is still 4 years old as of publication. Not only is he still incredibly young, but Louis has also been known for stealing the show thanks to his rambunctious personality and funny faces. He might not be able to handle the pressures of such a big day. Meanwhile, Archie will turn 4 years old on the very same day as the coronation, making the age component apply to him, too. In fact, when Queen Elizabeth II was crowned back in 1953, Charles was just 4 years old at the time, and was only present for a portion of the ceremony (per The Times).
Of course, there is another reason why Archie wasn't chosen to be a page at his grandfather's coronation. As it happens, the young prince and his sister, Princess Lilibet, have not received invitations to the coronation at all as of publication. His parents, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, have been invited to the event, but the status of their RSVP is currently unknown.
What will Princess Charlotte's role be on coronation day?
Much attention has fallen on Prince George amid the ongoing coronation plans, and that spotlight doesn't look like it'll dim any time soon. But what about his sibling, Princess Charlotte, and her role on the big day? As it happens, Charlotte will also be front and center amid King Charles III's coronation. The young princess is only 7 as of publication and will have just turned 8 years old when the big day approaches, but don't expect her to sit on the sidelines.
Documents obtained by The Times ahead of the coronation detail that Charlotte, along with little Prince Louis, will walk with parents Prince William and Princess Catherine out of Westminster Abbey and follow the newly crowned king and queen consort in their very own carriage. Meanwhile, Charles and Camilla, Queen Consort, will be transported to Buckingham Palace in the Gold State Coach (which is just as opulent as it sounds).
Given that the gathered crowds outside of the palace gates will likely see Charlotte alongside her family members as they wave from the Buckingham Palace balcony, the young princess will definitely have her moment to shine.