King Charles III Coronation: Medieval chair restored for Royal ceremony
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A team of experts have been restoring the special chair for King Charles' coronation in May
King Charles will be crowned in a special chair that dates back to the 13th century, thanks to a crack team of restorers.
The chair has been used in the coronation of different kings and queens throughout history in England, but it is in need of repairs.
Experts say it's "extremely fragile", and needs special painting and fixing techniques so it can be used safely for the coronation ceremony in May.
The last time it was used was for Queen Elizabeth II's coronation, in 1953.
The chair's special history
This is what the chair looks like now
The chair has been used for hundreds of years, and nearly every English monarch since the thirteenth century used it in their coronation ceremony.
Back when it was first made, over 700 years ago, it was covered in gold and coloured glass. There were patterns all over it, including animals, birds and flowers.
It was first built for King Edward I in the thirteenth century, to look after a special stone that his armies took from Scotland - it was called the Stone of Scone.
The stone is no longer a part of the coronation chair that Charles III will use - it was returned to Scotland in 1996.
Ruling between 1239 and 1307, Edward I was a famous medieval king.
He spent a lot of time as king rewriting royal rules and laws for the country.
He made sure parliament became a permanent part of the country - which meant it was not just the king in charge.
He invaded Scotland in 1296, where he took the famous Stone of Scone.
Protecting the chair
Krista Blessley has been looking closely at what needs to be done
The chair now needs some special work to get it ready for King Charles to use during his coronation ceremony.
Conservation expert Krista Blessley has been working on it, and says it is currently "extremely fragile".
She's been restoring the chair for several months already, and says there's still lots to do.
"If there are little changes in humidity, the wood moves" she explained. The wood that the chair is made of can quickly react to new temperatures around it, or could risk being damaged by water in the air.
Because it was not kept in a museum for such a long time, the chair has been exposed to the elements, as well as the public!
Graffiti and damage
Graffiti is carved into the back of the historic chair
During the 18th and 19th centuries, the chair was open to the public to visit.
Children and tourists covered the chair in graffiti, which can be seen on the back of it!
Someone even had a nap on there - one part of the graffiti reads "P. Abbot slept in this chair, 5-6 July 1800"!
As well as this damage, it was also impacted by an explosion in 1914 during the suffragette campaign for women's rights.
What do we know so far about King Charles's coronation?
King Charles Coronation: What we know so far
The coronation service is going to take place on 6 May.
Charles became King as soon as Queen Elizabeth II died, but the special coronation ceremony happens whenever a new monarch is announced.
As well as Charles using the coronation chair during his ceremony, there's also going to be a special concert at Windsor Castle on 7 May, and then a bank holiday on 8 May.
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