King Charles Was 'Bored' During Coronation Rehearsals Until Prince Louis' Visit, Says Penny Mordaunt

King Charles III found the extensive rehearsals for his Coronation ceremony to be tedious, but his spirits were lifted by a surprise visit from his grandson, Prince Louis, according to Dame Penny Mordaunt.

Mordaunt, who played a key role in the Coronation as the Lord President of the Privy Council and carried the Sword of State, shared the anecdote at the Cheltenham Literature Festival. She described how King Charles, then 77, appeared "bored out of his mind" after two weeks of dress rehearsals for the May 6, 2023 event.

"I was watching him glaze over in the coronation chair," Mordaunt told the audience. "And then he suddenly sprung to life because beside him was Prince Louis, who had come to visit."

At the time, Prince Louis was five years old. The rehearsal was paused so that the King could show his grandson the Crown Jewels. Mordaunt described the moment as a memory she would "treasure."

Mordaunt, a former defence secretary and MP, was the first woman to present the Jewelled Sword of Offering to a monarch. She carried the 17th-century artifact through Westminster Abbey at the beginning of the ceremony. Her composure during the event, while handling the 3.6kg sword, earned praise from politicians.

She also recounted some of the less glamorous aspects of the preparations, including the lengthy waiting periods before the ceremony. Mordaunt opted not to wear her official court outfit and heels until moments before her procession, preferring to wear slippers while waiting in the cloisters of Westminster Abbey.

Dame Penny Mordaunt has held other significant ceremonial roles, including officially announcing the death of Queen Elizabeth II and proclaiming Charles as the new King at the Accession Council in 2022.