King Charles and Queen Camilla Slept at Clarence House the Night Before Coronation, Breaking a Tradition from 1066
- Oops!Something went wrong.Please try again later.
King Charles and Queen Camilla moved into Clarence House in 2003
King Charles and Queen Camilla chose to sleep at Clarence House ahead of his historic coronation.
Per tradition, the State Bed in the Palace of Westminster was prepared for the King the night before the coronation day. But the King, 74, and Queen, 75, opted to sleep in their longtime London residence rather than the special Parliament bedroom.
This tradition of the monarch sleeping in the State Bed originated in 1066 when William the Conqueror slept at the Palace of Westminster before his coronation, according to Royal Central.
Related:King Charles Makes First Buckingham Palace Balcony Appearance of His Reign After Coronation
For centuries, the Palace of Westminster was the primary residence of the monarch, rather than today's Buckingham Palace, according to BBC. But the last monarch to sleep over at the Palace of Westminster prior to his coronation was George IV in 1821.
Clarence House served as the longtime residence for the King and Queen, who moved into the London property in 2003. Their Majesties will reside at Buckingham Palace, one of several residences King Charles inherited following the death of Queen Elizabeth last September.
Related:The King's Real Estate: All About King Charles III's Homes Across the U.K.
Can't get enough of PEOPLE's Royals coverage? Sign up for our free Royals newsletter to get the latest updates on Kate Middleton, Meghan Markle and more!
A tweet from Royal Central revealed where the King and Queen slept on Friday — and that they weren't the only ones sleeping at the royal residence. Britain's Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis was invited to stay at Clarence House the night before the coronation so he could walk to Westminster Abbey and not be in violation of Shabbat.
Saturdays are the Jewish Sabbath and day of rest. In honoring Shabbat, the Rabbi Mirvis refrained from using vehicles to travel to the coronation and also observed a "digital detox," according to CNN. This means he did not use a microphone during his part of the coronation ceremony.
For more People news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter!
Read the original article on People.
