Photo: Truffle Tablescapes
Core of the month: Royalcore
The coronation of King Charles III, taking place on 6 May 2023, is the first to be held in the UK since Queen Elizabeth II’s in 1953. It will be held in Westminster Abbey, the setting for coronations for the past 900 years. Needless to say, royal content is racking up the hits on TikTok, not least Royalcore.
What is Royalcore?
Lavish and opulent, Royalcore is all about adding a touch of gilded glamour and luxury to your home. Think lashings of gold, from gilt touches and gold leaf to crowns and the royal insignia. Forget minimalism, Royalcore is maximalist to the hilt. There’s cornice ceilings, baroque art and, given the King’s penchant for the Scottish Highlands, more than a touch of tartan.
Garden parties galore
Let’s start with the obvious, come Saturday 6 May 2023, the day of King Charles III’s coronation, there are going to be garden parties galore. There’ll be union jacks, trifles, jellies and plenty of bunting and festoon lighting.
Photo: Lights4fun
Right Royal bunting
Forget plastic union jacks and take your bunting up a level with hand embroidered pennant flags like these from Jan Constantine (from £35 per pennant). Taught by previous generations, the artisans, handcraft each pennant (a flag with a tapered or forked tail), and they come in red, cream, navy or duck egg blue. Appliquéd with King’s insignia and the royal crown, each one is stitched with antique gold thread.
Photo: Jan Constantine
Royalcore bedroom
A bedroom fit for a king is a must and these curved Rookery Hall headboards from the chic Anboise (prices from £750) up the luxury factor. The hand-blocked linens are created by first carving the blocks, mixing the dyes, and then the repeat-printing the pattern – all by hand. For a single block colour, you can choose a Belgian linen in Sea Folly or Auburn or an Italian velvet in Baltic, Verdure or Moss.
Photo: Anboise
Gilt detailing
Regency style has had a mass resurgence, thanks to the likes of Bridgerton, and this Palais Royal Ivory and Gold French chest of drawers from French Bedroom (prices from £1,145) will add a touch of class to any room. Handmade and hand carved, the drawers have a crackle-patina ivory finish with bas relief detailing in gold leaf. Very Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette.
Photo: French Bedroom
Statement chandeliers
Named Princess Kate, this statement chandelier is reminiscent of an upturned crown. Part modern, part adorned with intricate crystals, the bronze chandelier from lighting stalwarts Nyra London (prices from £987), will create a warm golden glow with its many bulbs.
Photo: Nyra London
Royalcore memorabilia
Queen Elizabeth II, who died in September 2022, was our longest reigning monarch, having been on the throne for just shy of 70 years. When her son King Charles III takes his coronation in May 2023, it will be the first Westminster Abbey has seen since 1952. Royalcore memorabilia will be rife, so make it chic and remember this historic time in British history with a commemorative Sophie Allport teatowel (prices from £11).
Photo: Sophie Allport
A royal riff
If full-throttle Royalcore isn’t really your thing, these cute illustrations printed onto the original pages of antique British dictionaries and journals from the 1800s are a subtle nod to the monarchy. Pick one of the quirky characters, in a giclee print or a wrapped canvas (FabFunky, prices from £36).
Photo: FabFunky
Shop the Royalcore look
- King’s Coronation plate, £18 from Portmerion
- Coronation orb decoration, £12.95 from Westminster Abbey Shop
- Coronation God Save the King Cushion, £125 from Jan Constantine
- Pink glitter crown, £9.99 from A is for Alice
- Pure new wool Classic Windsor picnic blanket, £155 from Heating & Plumbing London
- Highgrove Coronation scarf, £95 from Rory Hutton Ltd
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