Children from an Isle of Wight primary school acted out the King's Coronation service - two days before the real thing.
The pupils from Bembridge C of E Primary School took part in a special act of worship in their school hall yesterday (May 4), to help them to understand this weekend's ceremony in Westminster Abbey.
Five-year-old Freddie Derbyshire and four-year-old Blossom Packham played the parts of King Charles and Queen Camilla, who were crowned by Mason Goldring, 11, as the Archbishop of Canterbury.
Freddie Derbyshire, aged 5, and Blossom Packham, aged 4, as King Charles III and Queen Camilla.
Other children dressed as heralds blowing trumpets, royal pages and even the horses pulling the golden carriage.
Some pupils were Coronation guides, who narrated the service in rhyming couplets.
Others held the golden orb, the gold sceptre and the oil used for anointing the King. Enthusiastic Year 4 pupils zoomed up and down the aisle dressed as the Red Arrows performing a flypast.
Pupils from Bembridge C of E Primary School act out the Coronation service
The special collective worship was put together after staff discussed the Coronation with the school council.
It was led by Sally Davies, churchwarden from Holy Trinity Church and school governor, and retired priest the Rev Stuart Holt, as part of their weekly visits into school on behalf of Holy Trinity Church.
Eleven-year-old Mason Goldring was very happy to play the part of the Archbishop of Canterbury, asking the new King to swear an oath, anointing him with oil and handing him his orb and sceptre before placing the crown on his head.
Archbishop of Canterbury Mason Goldring, 11, is given some tips by the Rev Stuart Holt ahead of the collective worship
"I liked wearing the outfit and being the Archbishop," he said. "I do acting with a group called Spotlight in Sandown and we perform in Shanklin Theatre, so I like this kind of thing."
Freddie Derbyshire, 5, who played King Charles III, enjoyed the fact that all the pupils and staff bowed to him during their Coronation service.
"The crown makes you feel very important," he said. "And I had to hold the orb and sceptre in one hand."
Pupils hold the golden sceptre and the crown as they prepare for their special Coronation collective worship
And Blossom Packham, 4, also enjoyed being Queen Camilla, saying:
"I like the outfit and I have queen and princess dresses at home — I'd like to be a queen in real life."
Headteacher Elizabeth Chambers said:
"It was our school council who said they wanted to know more about the Coronation.
"Those pupils especially wanted to know more about the service that will take place in Westminster Abbey.
"For me, it's a real strength to have different voices communicating the same message - they hear about faith from church, home and in school."
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