22nd July 1761

Tuesday the King and Queen was Crowned at Westminster Abbey. I mobbd it and got near the Abby door and see all the procession The King Had a Canopy of Gold Tishew yellow Ground supported over his Head by Six Gentlemen they Call Barrons of the Sink Ports with Silver Staves & the Queens was the same the Ladys was Drest on there heds with Dimonds & Looked very Grand
The Lords & Ladys Carried there Coronetts in there hands when they went & had them on when came Back Knights of the Bath had Crimson Robes wth white Hatts and very Larg white orstridge feathers in there the King and Queen went the last and came back again the Last it was 10 minutes 6 OClock when they came back and they all got into the abbey half an Hour past one oClock it was Quiet when they got to Westminster Hall so that many thousands that Had taken plases in pallis yard Could not see them wn Returnd a Genlm Threw the meddell amongst the Gentm & Ladys that Satt in the Booths & Balconeys as they went a Long quite from the Abbey Door to Westminster Hall & I see the Conduit run with wine.
I spent in Eating & drinking Day 2/6


George III in Coronation Robes painted by Allan Ramsay




Queen Charlotte in her Coronation robes, also by Allan Ramsay.



The Barons of the Cinque Ports were not Peers of the Realm but a special group of Freemen of those ports who had the right to carry the King's canopy at his coronation.



The Order of the Bath had been founded in 1725 by George I. Here you will find more about them and a picture of Prince Albert wearing the robe and carrying the hat. It hasn't changed much and is still worn by modern knights of the Bath.

The "Meddells" were silver versions of this, thrown by the Treasurer of the Royal Household among the Peers & Peeresses.

I have found another eye-witness account of this coronation on-line, here.

8th September 1761

Tuesday the Queen arrived at St. James abt. 20 minutes past 3Oclock in the afternoon see her get out of the Coach & see the King hand her into the Drawing Room the Park was croed with people they was marri'd the same night at St. James in the Chappell the Town was iluminated particular the Earl of Northumberlands House & Chareing cross Spent 18


Here is a real gem. Joshua Reynolds did the 18th century equivalent of a Wedding photo for us. Now we can see the tapestry Thomas mentioned yesterday. Sadly there is no sign of the chairs or the looking glasses.



The new Queen, previously Duchess Sophia Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, had only arrived in England on the Sunday, met the King and his family on Monday and then the wedding was the next day! It took place at 8 p.m.

I suppose it is obvious that Thomas gets the day of the week right, but now and then I feel the need to check his information. Yes, 8th September 1761 was, indeed, a Tuesday.


Northumberland House, home of the Earl of Northumberland (later created Duke), was demolished in the late 19th century but this is the house Thomas saw. The painting, by Canaletto, was done in 1752. Northumberland House stood near enough where the building of the same name stands today, overlooking what is now Trafalgar Square.

There was no Cross (or railway station!) at Charing Cross, the Eleanor Cross having been demolished in 1647.

6th September 1761

Went to see the Kings Chappell now fitted up for the marriage of the queen it was hung with Tapestry & Eight Looking Glass & 2 Large armed Chares covered with Crimson Velvet gave the men 6d

George III's wedding took place in the Chapel Royal, St James's Palace. The Chapel Royal is a department of the Royal Household. Wikipedia explains it here. A distinctive feature of Chapels Royal is that the choir wear red. Strictly speaking, no other Anglican Choir may do this, however, it tends to be honoured in the breach!


I'm guessing that the chairs probably looked much like this (which was from the Chapel of the now vanished Chandos mansion.

There are not many pictures of the inside (or the outside) of the chapel and, to confuse things, there were two Chapels Royal in St James's Palace at the time. Now one of them is the Queen's Chapel and is outside the modern boundaries of this palace.

This must be a later picture and the chapel was redecorated in 1836. Many Royal Weddings have taken place there including that of Queen Victoria in 1840.

Here is a modern photograph of the chapel

1st June 1761 went to to Drury Lane to See King Lear.. Lear Garick Cordelia Mrs Sibber The King, Princess of Wales and the Rest of the Royal Family 2/3


Thomas has seen Garrick's Lear before and Mrs Cibber in another production but this must have been a very special event.

The King was the new George III. He was not yet married and his mother, Princess Augusta, the widow of his father, Frederick Prince of Wales, is the Princess of Wales mentioned.


The earliest portrait I can find of George III is by the Scottish artist, Allan Ramsay.


Here is his mother

Several other Princes and Princesses might be included in "the Rest of the Royal Family" but, of course, I don't know who was there.

2nd Sept 1761 Bout a pint Rum 15d 6th Bout a Spieing Glass 5/- 1 Vol Tattlersle a song book 3d

Here is a telescope of about the right date. I can't make any sense of the book he bought. Can you?


Went to Covent Garden Play House to See an oratorio of Samson Organ Mr Hanley Violin Signor Giardini the King & all the Royal Family was their 5/-

Giardini, pictured below, was an Italian violinist and composer who settled in England.


The King was the soon to be crowned George III


He was not married so there was no Queen (yet) but perhaps his mother, Augusta, Princess of Wales, accompanied him?


He also had brothers & sisters. He would, of course have had the usual quota of hangers on and flunkies!