Object of the Day: A Souvenir of the Unexpected Coronation of King George VI, 1937

Born in 1895—the son of the future King George V and Mary of Teck—he was welcomed into the world on the anniversary of the death of his Great Grandfather, Prince Albert. His parents were nervous to tell Queen Victoria of the child’s birth given the fact that she was distraught by the anniversary of her beloved husband’s passing. And, so, to mollify his grandmother, George V called his son, “Albert.” The name was said to have pleased the Queen who wrote, “I am all impatience to see the new one, born on such a sad day but rather more dear to me, especially as he will be called by that dear name which is a byword for all that is great and good.”


Known affectionately as “Bertie” throughout his life, the young prince never imagined that he would be king. At the time of his birth, he was fourth in line for the throne after his grandfather (Edward VII), his father (George V) and his eldest brother (Edward VIII). Nervous, plagued by ill-health and a horrible stutter, “Bertie” preferred a quiet life, marrying Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon in 1923.

Bertie’s mother, Mary of Teck, and father both had issues with their party-boy eldest son. His parents hoped that, somehow, Bertie would one day ascend to the throne. George V was known to have said, "I pray to God my eldest son will never marry and have children, and that nothing will come between Bertie and Lilibet [Bertie and Elizabeth’s eldest daughter, now Queen Elizabeth II] and the throne."

It seemed that George V’s wish would come to pass—despite reluctance from his youngest son. Upon the death of George V, Edward ascended to the throne as Edward VIII. However, Edward was not to last a year and walked away from the role of sovereign before his coronation, preferring to marry his questionable lady-friend instead of ruling the empire.

The date of the coronation remained the same, only the king was different. May 19, 1937 saw the coronation of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth (later known as The Queen Mother). Aside from his personal issues, King George VI has much to deal with during his reign—the splintering of the empire as well as the Second World War.

Souvenirs from the 1937 coronation are quite interesting to me. In my collection of Royal memorabilia, I have several items with the same coronation date—some for Edward VIII, some for George VI. The souvenirs made for Edward VIII were quickly pulled from the shelves and largely destroyed, replaced with quickly-assembled pieces bearing the countenances of George VI and Elizabeth.

I especially like this mug. The images of the King and Queen are classic late-1930’s artwork. The stylized profiles set against the primarily-colored crest look almost ethereal and are the perfect symbol of the reluctant king and his supportive bride.

Object of the Day: A Souvenir of the Coronation of King George V and Queen Mary, 1911

Things have gotten quite muggy here at Bertie’s house. No, not just because of the humid weather, but because of the introduction of nearly a dozen new pieces of Royal Memorabilia to my increasingly large collection of such items. Thanks to my parents, my study is now filled with even more little Royal visages—particularly of George V and my personal favorite, Queen Mary.


I’ve written at length about my fondness for Queen Mary—the seemingly steely one-time Queen Mother and fierce collector of important antiquities. George V was equally fierce in a different way. He inherited the throne at a time of political and social turmoil and led his nation through the chaos of the First World War. Known to the current Queen as “Grandfather England,” George V guided both Britain and his family through a very difficult period and is responsible, in many ways, for the current face of the Royal Family and the Empire.

I do so enjoy having these Royal souvenirs around me and can’t help but smile when I look at them. They connect me to a history which means so much to me. While Britain is not my country of origin, I feel a strong kinship with its history and the way in which the story of the Empire fits into the great puzzle of world culture.

This mug is particularly special to me. At one point I had my hands on it and when we were checking out, it was accidentally separated from our purchases. So, I’m especially glad to have it. While it does not have a maker’s mark, it is dated, 1911, and it’s an unusual example of a Coronation mug of the period. It is not only brightly-colored, but decorated with English roses. With its fine images and unusual color scheme, it has a visual strength which nicely represents the power of a very important reign.

Object of the Day: A Cup and Saucer from the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II

When we think of Queen Elizabeth II, we tend to think of her as the perfectly-coiffed sovereign with her rigid, white hair and ubiquitous blue handbag. However, sixty years ago, she was a fresh-faced, sporty princess who was known for her beauty and girlish charm.


This commemorative cup and saucer by Royal Art Pottery in Longton, England was produced for the 1953 Coronation of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. It’s quite a lovely little set of a delicate bone color with scalloped edges. What’s unusual about this set is the image of Elizabeth II. Instead of the usual formal portrait which is often centered on such items, these bear a less formal likeness of the Queen in an almost candid shot. She looks quite young in her tam o’ shanter and Scottish garb. Images such as this one show Elizabeth as the keen sportswoman that she is and also serve to cast her in her role as Sovereign of Scotland.

I love this cup and saucer because of its contrast with the images of the Queen in her formal court robes. It reminds us that, at heart, she’s a very down-to earth (for a Queen) person.

Object of the Day: A Royal Doulton Commemorative Mug

Royal Doulton has been producing exceptional tableware, china and collectables since 1815. The very name is revered for its quality and it has become associated with fine English style and culture. The artists at Royal Doulton have also been known to participate in the tradition of producing Royal souvenirs such as this gold-rimmed China mug made to commemorate the 1911 coronation of King George V and Queen Mary.


I’ve written at length about my appreciation of Mary of Teck. In fact, as I write this, she’s glowering down at me from a lovely photograph. She’s beautifully represented on this mug as is George V who looks far more handsome than he really was. A notable bit of trivia is that the artist has taken great pains to represent the Royal badges and insignia worn by the King and Queen Consort. For example, the Badge of the Order of Victoria and Albert is clearly identifiable amongst the jewels on Mary’s sash.

Queen Mary's Badge of the Order of Victoria and Albert
The Royal Collection