King Edward VII & Queen Alexandra’s 1902 Coronation: Conserving a golden dress and gilded thrones

Step into the splendour of King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra’s 1902 Coronation at Westminster Abbey, which ushered in a golden age of style and glamour for the royal family. The royal couple set new trends that shaped Edwardian fashion and taste. Discover how Edward commissioned two magnificent, gilded throne chairs from the French firm Carlhian and Baumetz. Though laden with carvings of British national symbols, the thrones reflect the King’s fascination with French design — and even include a subtle homage to the chairs of Napoleon Bonaparte, one of his greatest interests. Go behind the scenes with our conservators to learn about the recent conservation of these iconic thrones, which have been on display in the Ballroom at Buckingham Palace since the 1902 coronation. Learn how embroidered areas of loss were carefully consolidated with Japanese tissue paper, and how gilders delicately retouched areas of exposed gesso to preserve their historicity. In another striking departure from British tradition, Queen Alexandra turned heads by commissioning the French couturier Morin Blossier to create her gold silk coronation gown. Covered with a fine net adorned with thousands of tiny gold spangles, the dress dazzled in the blaze of electric light at Westminster Abbey. We explore its unusual form, from the ruff-like collar, perhaps inspired by Tudor costume, to the double ‘winged’ sleeves. Join our textile conservator and learn how she carried out delicate silk-thread repairs to the fragile net overlay.