Why There’s So Much Blue and Yellow at the King’s Coronation

If you glanced inside Westminster Abbey during King Charles's coronation ceremony, you may have noticed more than sparkling crowns and 700-year-old furniture. The space was festooned with blues and yellows—from the carpets to the attendees' outfits. So, what's the significance of the colors?

The likely reason behind the decorations during the ceremony is simple: The Royal Standard flag includes red, blue, and yellow, all of which are heavily incorporated throughout the abbey. However, Queen Elizabeth adopted a personal flag in 1960 that's solely yellow (or gold) and blue. Its design encompasses the initial 'E' inside the royal crown, surrounded by a chaplet of roses.

While the carpets at the coronation may resemble the Ukrainian flag, as many viewers have pointed out, they seem to be traditional as the late Queen Elizabeth's coronation ceremony also featured yellow and blue carpets, with the yellow section covering the area where the throne chairs sit and the blue section covering the areas where attendees sit.

The Ukraine connection may be a happy coincidence when it comes to the carpets and decor, but it does have relevance to guests' fashion choices. Namely, First Lady Jill Biden and her granddaughter Finnegan Biden wore monochromatic blue and yellow ensembles, respectively, which the Daily Beast reports is a visible statement of support for the country. The pair was actually seated next to Olena Zelenska, who is the wife of Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky. Ahead of the coronation, Jill Biden met with Zelenska and Catherine, Princess of Wales. She tweeted a photo of the visit, saying, "We stand with Ukraine."

Symbolism aside, blue and yellow were certainly standout colors during the coronation—and they're designer-favorite colors to work with. Whether they inspire you to dream up a yellow bedroom or a blue kitchen, you can't go wrong.

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