THE Britons immediately ran to social media. During the ceremony for King Charles III and Queen Camilla on Saturday May 6, they were surprised by Penny Mordaunt, the Conservative MP who they now indicate as the real protagonist of the event. Enough to push the authoritative newspaper The Guardian to call her the “Pippa Middleton of the Coronation”.
Penny Mordaunt with sword, followed by King Charles III, London, May 6, 2023 (Getty Images)
Until then, few had noticed the “true” character of this beautiful 50-year-old lady who performed her role with surprising dedication and composure. And now they are wondering whether it is appropriate to immediately elect you prime minister.
Penny Mordaunt, the MP who is sympathetic to King Charles III
It was she, the former Conservative minister and leader of the Commons, who received the task, during the long ceremony, of carrying in procession the precious sacred swords intended for King Charles III. Which Penny Mordaunt did with great seriousness and a magnetic charm to say the least: during the long ceremony she remained close to the new sovereign without showing signs of tiredness, entirely concentrated in the solemnity of the historical moment.
Penny Mordaunt, Lord President of the Council, with one of the Coronation Swords, Westminster, May 6, 2023 (Getty Images)
The first woman to carry swords in the Coronation
During the Coronation, Penny Mordaunt immediately secured a record, that of first woman in history to bring the Sword of State, a steel blade that symbolizes royal authority and dates back to the reign of the previous King Charles, who lived in the 17th century; and the Sword of Offeringthe precious jeweled sword, made in 1820 and quite heavy: a good 4 kilos that Mordaunt held up for almost the entire time of the ceremony.
Penny Mordaunt arrives in Westminster for the Coronation of Charles III, May 6, 2023 (Getty Images)
Penny Mordaunt’s muscles of steel
When his Tory colleague, MP Caroline Nokes, called his triceps steel, Mordaunt said her past as a naval reservist helped her, an experience that taught her how to stand for long periods of time without passing out. And she that she had been preparing for weeks, doing push-ups and practicing with weighted copies of the swords. But in a post on social media, she said that compared to the hard work of police officers and the military, her job was actually quite easy.
Penny Mordaunt, King Charles III’s ally in Parliament?
Appointed Lord President last September by then Prime Minister Liz Truss, who had beaten her in the race for the new Prime Minister, Penny Mordaunt – known for having worked in the past as a magician’s assistant and for having participated in a reality television – is the head of the ancient Privy Council, a sort of committee of advisers to the king, with mainly ceremonial functions. But Mordaunt is still aiming for the position of prime minister. AND Carlo, who does not want to be impartial at all costs like his mother Elisabetta, now finds himself with a potential ally for the future.
A “future premier” alongside King Charles III
Upon Queen Elizabeth’s death, just two days after being appointed head of the Privy Council, Mordaunt found herself the protagonist of the official proclamation of the new king. And a few weeks later, with Truss’s resignation, she tried again to enter Downing Street, only to be beaten again, however, by Sunak. The latter allowed her to keep the title of Lord Presidentwhich also allows her to participate in government sessions in Parliament.
Penny Mordaunt, the new Iron Lady
In a moment of serious crisis for the Conservative Party who, after a whirlwind of scandals and prime ministers, has just suffered the humiliation of huge losses in local elections, Mordaunt is now being re-evaluated big time. Her stoic and determined character has led the media to describe her as “a mysterious Roman goddess”, “the new Iron Lady” and “a character from fantasy literature”, Game of Thronesso to speak.
We like her serious and solemn air, the elegance and bearing of a real queen, the look almost inspired by Anne Boleyn. And the British, struck by that evident sense of duty so dear to the Royals too, now they wonder: «If only you were at the head of the government…».
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