Frontline emergency service workers including those in the fire service are to be given a commemorative medal to mark the Coronation of Their Majesties The King and Queen Consort.
The UK Government has unveiled the design of the medal and confirmed they will be given to Armed Forces, frontline emergency service workers, and those taking part in the Coronation.
design of the medal
Firefighters from West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service will be amongst the thousands of people to be given this medal.
The medals, made of nickel silver and plated in nickel, feature an image of The King and Queen Camilla. It acts as a thank-you gift from the nation to commemorate the Coronation for the people who will make the historic service happen.
serving frontline members
It will also be given to serving frontline members of the police, fire, emergency services, prison services
Everyone actively contributing and supporting the Coronation on 6 May including choristers, police officers, military personnel, and St John Ambulance personnel, as well as those directly involved in the delivery of the Coronation, are eligible.
It will also be given to serving frontline members of the police, fire, emergency services, prison services, and armed forces who have completed five full calendar years of service. It is expected that more than 400,000 Coronation Medals will be issued.
design features
The design features a double portrait of Their Majesties on the front and a version of the 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 - the colors of the Union Flag and is made of nickel silver and plated in nickel. For those eligible, there is no application process, staff will be automatically notified via their employer.
commemorative medal
We are proud to serve our communities and keep them safe through the work we all do together here in West Yorkshire"
Welcoming the plans for fire service employees in West Yorkshire, Chief Fire Officer, John Roberts, said “It is an honor to be thanked in this way and will be a privilege for us to wear such a commemorative medal."
He adds, “We are proud to serve our communities and keep them safe through the work we all do together here in West Yorkshire. We were delighted to be thanked with the Jubilee medal last year, bestowed upon us by Her late Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II, so to be honored again in this way is very humbling. On behalf of West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service, I wish Their Majesties all the best in their reign.”
tradition of Coronation Medals
The tradition of Coronation Medals dates to the reign of King James I of England and VI of Scotland when the first medal was awarded in 1603.
This medal featured a bust of King James wearing the costume of a Roman Emperor. Its reverse included a crowned lion rampant holding a beacon and a wheat sheaf.
contribution to this day
The Coronation Medal will act as a reminder of the important part each person has played"
Culture Secretary, Lucy Frazer, stated “The Coronation Medal will act as a reminder of the important part each person has played in this moment of history."
She adds, "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 every day that they go above and beyond serving their country.”
role our emergency services
UK Home Secretary, Suella Braverman, said “This medal is a symbol of the critical role our emergency services will play in this potentially once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to honor our new King."
She adds, "However, it rightly also goes further and recognizes not just those who are helping at the Coronation, but the heroes across our emergency services, such as the police, fire, and rescue services, who go to work every day to protect and support us all.”
double portrait
The newly unveiled Coronation Medal was designed by Martin Jennings who also designed the official effigy of the King
The double portrait of the King and Queen Consort on the front of the newly unveiled Coronation Medal was designed by Martin Jennings who also designed the official effigy of the King for the new coins issued by the Royal Mint.
The medal is made by Worcestershire Medal Service Ltd in Birmingham.
Medal recipients
Those who will receive the medal for the Coronation of Their Majesties The King and Queen Consort are:
- Individuals who have actively contributed to the official Coronation events in Westminster Abbey and processions, and other officially recognized ceremonial Coronation events;
- Serving members of the Armed Forces who have completed five full calendar years of service on 6 May 2023 or participate in Armed Forces Coronation events during 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 6 May 2023;
- Prison services personnel who are publicly employed and who have completed five full calendar years of service on 6 May 2023;
- Living individual recipients of the George Cross or the Victoria Cross.
