Coronation medal to be awarded to emergency services staff, members of the armed forces and Coronation workers
5 May 2023, 00:00
Some 400,000 people are to be awarded the Coronation medal, including members of the armed forces, frontline emergency service workers, and people actively contributing to Saturday's royal ceremony.
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The new medal, whose design was unveiled on Friday, acts as a show of gratitude to the people who are helping make the Coronation happen.
Everyone actively contributing and supporting the Coronation on May 6, which includes people in the choir, police officers, military and St John Ambulance personnel, as well as people overseeing the organisation side, will be eligible for a medal.
Read more: How long will King Charles's Coronation last?
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All frontline members of the police, fire, emergency services, prison services and armed forces that have completed five full calendar years of service will get a medal as well.
In total, some 400,000 people are expected to be given a medal.
The design features a double portrait of King Charles and Queen Camilla on the front and a version of Charles' royal cypher, a laurel wreath and the date of the Coronation on the reverse.
The ribbon is made up of red, blue and white vertical stripes.
You cannot apply for the medal - anyone who is eligible will be told.
Culture Secretary Lucy Frazer said that the Coronation medal would "act as a reminder of the important part each person has played in this moment of history.
"From our Armed Forces who protect our country to the emergency services who care for us at home, alongside those volunteers who are giving up their time to make this event so special, I am delighted that we can mark their contribution to this special day, and for each and every day that they go above and beyond serving their country," she added.
Deputy Prime Minister Oliver Dowden said that the Coronation would not be possible "without the dedication and selfless service shown by our armed forces and other public servants.
He said that the medal was a "fitting recognition of their efforts, and a thank you from the nation".
Mr Dowden added that it would be "worn with pride for years to come."
Home Secretary Suella Braverman said that the medal recognises everyone working in the emergency services, not just those who are helping at the Coronation.
Defence Secretary Ben Wallace said that the armed forces and the monarch have a "unique bond".
He added: "Our histories and customs mirror the reigns of Kings and Queens. Our deployments are in their names and our allegiance is sworn by each and every one of us.
"The Coronation medal will celebrate that bond and allow huge numbers of service personnel to reaffirm that linkage as King Charles is crowned our new monarch."
The full list of groups who are eligible for the medal:
- People who have actively contributed to the official Coronation events in Westminster Abbey and processions, and other officially recognised ceremonial Coronation events;
- Serving members of the armed forces who have completed five full calendar years of service on May 6 2023 or participate in armed forces Coronation events during the course of 2023;
- Frontline emergency personnel who have been in paid service, retained or in a voluntary capacity, dealing with emergencies as part of their conditions of service, and completed five full calendar years of service on May 6 2023;
- Prison services personnel who are publicly employed and who have completed five full calendar years of service on May 6 2023
- Living individual recipients of the George Cross or of the Victoria Cross.
