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Home , Duke of Norfolk, Gold Stick (The Crown), Jupe (clothing), Lady of the Bedchamber, Maid of Honour, Mistress of the Robes

The Ostrich & An exhibition celebrating Holkham’s history from 1612 to 2012 and the Coke family’s association with the Crown over 400 years. The ostrich was believed to be capable of digesting anything, even iron. Sir was said to be the only man in England who understood The Digest (of the law) and chose the bird to compliment his motto, Prudens qui patiens etenim durissima coquit – The prudent man is the patient man, for he can digest (endure) even the hardest things.

1558 1603 1625 1649 1660 1685 1689 1694 1714

Elizabeth I James I Charles I Commonwealth Charles II James II William & Mary Anne 1612 Sir Edward Coke was Attorney General to 400 years ago this year, John Coke’s John took Parliament’s side in the Civil War. and James I, but imprisoned by him. He marriage secured the Holkham Estate. His brother, Robert, took the side of King Charles I. founded the family fortune, but never lived at Holkham.

1714 1727 1760 1820

George I George II George III 1734 1776 In 1734 Thomas Coke began to build Holkham Hall. Thomas William Coke, known as ‘Coke of ’, inherited Holkham He did not live to see it completed 30 years later. 1744 from his uncle and undertook the programme of revolutionary Made 1st of Leicester Made Earl of Leicester agricultural innovations that made him famous. of 2nd creation 61 years after inheriting Holkham 1820 1830 1837 1901 1910

George IV William IV Victoria Edward VII 1837 At the age of 83, ‘Coke of Norfolk’ The 2nd Earl inherited Holkham at the age of 20. The 3rd Earl did not He was in charge of the estate for 66 years and inherit until he was 61, but accepted a peerage from , 1842 1909 only five years before his death. Inherited title had the terraces and fountain built. Inherited title lived to be 93.

1910 1936 1952 2012

George V Edward VIII George VI Elizabeth II

1941 1949 1976 Inherited title Inherited title Inherited title

The 4th Earl considered handing over The 5th Earl had three daughters, The 6th Earl, the 5th Earl’s first cousin, Lord Leicester, the 7th and present Holkham to the National Trust. but no son to inherit Holkham. lived most of his life in Africa. Earl, inherited the title in 1994. The Ostrich & The Crown The Coronation State Banquet

Banquet Invitation his table made by Johnstone Jupe Code & Co. circa 1835 has been set in a The stipulated full or . However, as a T cost saving me asure, those not able to afford such dress had formal style as was common during the an option to we ar evening dress with med als. 3rd Earl’s time. The Victorian dinner service was made for the Coke family by Spode and the gilt chairs are part of a set made by Saunders of Soho in the early part of the 18th century.

The coronation state banquet held at Buckingham Palace on the evening of the 4th June 1953 saw the 5th Earl and Countess sit down to dinner in the ballroom with nearly 300 other guests. Extract from Instruction for Royal Household State Banquet Room Plan The 5th Earl sat at table R, whilst the Countess sat at table E.

The Count e ss of Le ice s t er was Lady of the Bed chamber, the second mos t senior female position in the Q ue en’s hou sehold aft er the Mis tre ss of the s . This ins truction booklet shows that she was on du ty at Buckingham Palace be fore the banq uet, rece iving non-royal gue s ts in the Gre en Draw ing Room. The state banquet menu may have appear ed extravagant for the time as meat rationing did not end until 1954. The Ostrich & The Crown By Royal Command

he coronation of Queen Elizabeth II Coronation on the 2nd June 1953 was a unique T The issued detailed printed orders concerning the dress code for Peers and Peeresses attending the coronation. family occasion for Holkham, with the 5th Earl and Countess of Leicester and their eldest daughter, Anne, all closely involved in the ceremony.

Summons to the Coronation

This press cutting shows the 5th Earl and Countess in their coronation robes, although for the actual coronation ceremony the Countess wore a dress by Norman Hartnell. Coronation Robes for Peers In the last 300 years Peers’ coronation robes have only been used twelve times. They are made of crimson silk velvet, trimmed with white ermine and rows of black sealskin spots. The rows extend around the full width of the , with half rows reaching from the right front edge to the centre back. These spots subtly reveal a Peer’s rank: a has four rows; a Marquess has three and a half rows; an Earl has three rows; a Viscount has two and a half rows and a Baron has two rows. Coronation Robes for Peeresses Instead of a loose cape as worn by Peers, a Peeress’s robe is close fitting, open down the front, with short fitted sleeves edged with miniver fur. A small cape is worn across the shoulders whilst the train is edged with finest ermine. In addition to rows of sealskin spots on the cape, the Peeress’s two other symbols of rank are designed into the dress: the width of the ermine edging and length of train.

This cartoon, which was cut from the Daily Express by the 5th Earl, shows two of Osbert Lancaster’s best known characters, Maudie and William , on their way to the coronation and in a bit of a pickle. The caption refers to the Four Hundred Club, one of the haunts of Margaret and her friends, of whom Lady Anne Coke was perhaps one of the closest. The club, housed in The 5th Earl of Leicester had been an equerry to the cellar of a building in Leicester the Queen’s father, George VI, and had walked in Square, was described as “the night the procession at the King’s coronation in 1937. time headquarters of society”. He was also a pallbearer at the King’s funeral Clearly the doings of ’s high in 1952. During the coronation week his duties society were as of much popular were to be in attendance on His Royal Highness interest and as well known to all Marshal Shah Wali Khan, who was representing then as they are in today’s ‘celebrity the King of Afghanistan. culture’. The Ostrich & The Crown

Coronet Moth! Coronation Chair It would seem that moths are no respecter of rank and Chairs for the attending peers and peeresses were made attacked the ermine band surrounding the base of the by B. North & Sons and W. Hand & Sons. Listers Mill in 5th Earl’s . Bradford made over 4,000 yards of blue velvet to cover the 2,000 chairs and 5,700 stools. After the ceremony those who occupied the chairs and stools were given the opportunity to purchase them.

The 5th Earl, who served with the Scots Guards, is wearing underneath his coronation robes the full dress with medals as stipulated in the dress code for the coronation. The Ostrich & The Crown A

he sovereign’s procession of nearly T250 people included the 5th Earl’s wife Elizabeth, who was to the Queen, and her eldest daughter Lady Anne Coke aged 20 years, who was one of the six Maids of Honour. The Countess of Leicester followed the , the Duchess of Devonshire, in the procession behind the Maids of Honour. For many of the Train Bearer next twenty years the Countess was to The letter from the Earl Marshal, the , to Lady Anne Coke informing her of the part she was to play in the coronation and the letter instructing her to accompany the Queen on state visits, arrange with her opposite number as train bearer to adjust the height of their heels, The coronation procession with the Countess of Leicester (circled right) so that there was no more than an inch between their heights. both at home and abroad. and Lady Anne Coke (circled centre) in .

Press Attention Numerous rehearsals were needed for those taking part in the procession and Lady Anne Coke’s the pretty Maids of Honour became invitation to the coronation. a particular focus for the attention of the press in the weeks leading up to the coronation as public and media interest reached a peak.

As reported in The Standard  The Standard published this picture of the Queen with her Maids of Honour and the Mistress of the Robes, Mary, Duchess of Devonshire. The Maids of Honour are from left to right: Lady Moyra Hamilton, Lady Rosemary Spencer- Churchill, Lady Anne Coke, Lady Jane Heathcote- Drummond-Willoughby, Lady Jane Vane-Tempest- Stewart and Lady Mary Baillie-Hamilton. As reported in the Daily Sketch  An alert Daily Sketch photographer caught the moment when Lady Anne Coke accidentally revealed the dress she would be wearing at the coronation as she descended the steps of Westminster Abbey. The headline for this article read, ‘The sparkle of tiaras in coronation London’. The Ostrich & The Crown

The Norman Hartnell Dress Photographs at the Palace Cecil Beaton took a series of photographs of the Queen with her Maids of Honour. Lady Anne is second from the left in this photograph. Following a precedent set by Queen Victoria, the Queen chose maids of honour rather than pages to bear her train throughout the ceremony. They were paired according to height so that the smallest would be at the front and closest to the Queen in the procession. This dress is part of a collection of designed by Norman Hartnell for the coronation and it is of historic importance to the story of the coronation. Made of ivory coloured silk satin, the dress is full length and sleeveless Coronation with a contrasting bronze coloured trim to the neckline and armholes. It is embellished with beads, pearls and gold and bronze sequins. The decoration on the front and the back of the dress continues across the bodice and down to the over the hips. At the centre back, the beading extends down on a false train to the hem, as can be seen from the way the dress is displayed.

The most prestigious and sought after designer of the 1950s, Norman Hartnell designed the coronation dress for the Queen as well as those of all the other important ladies in the ceremony. In 1960 he designed the dresses for the wedding of Princess Margaret. Norman Hartnell To commemorate the occasion, each Maid The tiaras worn by the Maids held the Royal Warrant as Dressmaker of Honour was presented with a brooch of Honour were made of gold to both the Queen and Her Majesty in the form of the initials ER, made by the and silver in the form of sprigs Queen Elizabeth, The Queen Mother. crown jewellers, Garrard & Co. London and of flowers, reflecting the presented in a monogrammed case. decoration on their dresses. Lady Anne Coke The Ostrich & The Crown Entertaining Royalty

hroughout the centuries the varied A Splendid Celebration A Royal Friendship attractions of Holkham charmed royal T In the 19th century a long friendship was guests who found themselves entertained in forged between the 2nd Earl and the , later King Edward VII. the house with dancing and library visits, and The Earl, twenty years older than the outside with shooting, cricket and bathing at Prince, was a down-to-earth character. When the Prince once said to the Earl Holkham beach. at breakfast, “I wish you would order me a flask of brandy,” the Earl responded, “Sir, you are welcome to anything in my house The 2nd Earl Princess Alexandra at Holkham except brandy at nine in the morning.” in his sombrero. Close links between Holkham and Sandringham were forged after 1863, when Queen Victoria’s eldest son married Princess . The Queen presented them with the Sandringham estate, and they became regular The scene in the Saloon during the ball held at Holkham in January 1865. visitors at Holkham, enjoying the shooting, an annual ball in the New Year and, in their youth, ‘romps’ and parlour games after dinner.

Amateur Gilders As this letter shows, Royal visitors to Holkham in 1909 enjoyed an encounter with Romeo, Lingi and Leone, a team of Italian gilders and carvers at work renovating furniture in the This photograph shows King Edward VII and the 2nd Earl hall. The 3rd Earl of Leicester, in 1908. In his old age the Earl had become stone deaf and who had recently inherited infirm and his bed was wheeled into the Saloon each day. Holkham, entertained King Less regular visitors were disconcerted to find him lying Edward VII and Queen Alexandra to lunch there, a bearded figure often wearing a sombrero and in November 1909. Viscount Coke, later the 4th Earl of dark , accompanied by his terrier, Fan. The royal Leicester, described the occasion in a letter to his wife, “The Queen was couple continued to visit him and on one occasion, Queen really too funny, she spent nearly three quarters of an hour gilding a chair with Alexandra said to the Countess at his side, “He looks so Romeo and rubbing the brush on his whiskers and then on her hair to make pink and white I should like to kiss him’” The Countess wrote the gold stick, the King could not get her away and at last left her there”. this on his slate whereupon he shouted, “For God’s sake tell The ball was described in the Illustrated Times. her not to!” The Ostrich & The Crown Royal Guests

he Green State Bedroom is the most opulent bedroom in the hall. Day Bed T The was so Kings, queens and nobility of all ranks concerned for the safety of the young princess that she was not allowed to walk downstairs have slept here over the centuries. When unaccompanied. At night the Duchess would often sleep in Queen Mary visited Holkham, the the same room as the princess and this day bed may well have painting of the god Jupiter caressing his been used on their visit. wife Juno, by Gavin Hamilton (1730-1797), was considered too lewd and was banished High Ranking Bed The Earl’s mounted to the attics. A plaque of Julius Caesar, around the canopy of the bed reminded guests of the rank which originally had pride of place on the of their host and were placed there by Lady Margaret Tufton, mantelpiece beneath the painting, is now the widow of the 1st Earl of over the fireplace in the Statue Gallery. Leicester. The Diary of a Princess In September 1835, Princess Victoria, aged 16 years, visited Holkham for two days whilst touring East Anglia. The tour, organised by her controlling mother the Duchess of The Florentine Prayer Book Kent, was part of a PR campaign to show off Victoria to Princess Victoria was particularly taken by one of Holkham’s most exquisite and her future subjects. Victoria noted in her diary how the rarely seen treasures, a tiny illuminated prayer book made in Florence in 1469 as a royal party arrived at Holkham late, at around 8pm. They wedding present from Lorenzo de’ Medici to his bride, Clarice Orsini. Illuminated on were welcomed by their host, Thomas William Coke, every page with a series of exquisite miniatures by the artist Francesco del Chierico, later 1st Earl of Leicester of this Book of Hours enchanted the young princess. As she had expressed an interest the 2nd creation and she in the manuscript, convention dictated that the item should be presented to her as remarked upon the age a gift. However Coke of Norfolk chose not to, remarking afterwards “I was not going gap of some 49 years to give it to a child like that who could not appreciate its value”. between her 81 year old host and his second This page from the Medici Hours depicts the Nativity On this page of the Medici Hours, the Florentine in the initial, and other scenes from Christ’s childhood artist Francesco di Antonio del Chierico depicts wife, Anne Keppel. in the border, with the of arms of the Medici Christ and his disciples in the garden of Gethsemane Anne Thomas and Orsini families (lower margin). (initial) and the Last Supper (upper border). The Ostrich & The Crown Continuing Links

ir Edward Coke was regarded as one of the most Sir Edward Coke Viscount Coke Sbrilliant lawyers of the 16th century. He rose to prominence during the reigns of Queen Elizabeth I and King James I, serving as Attorney General to both monarchs and later as Lord Chief Justice to James I. Sir Edward shrewdly invested in property and land, part of which was to become the Holkham Estate as it is known today. The Coke family’s links to our monarchy continue.

Lord Leicester CBE

The present Earl’s elder son, Viscount Coke, followed a family tradition of service when, like his forebears, he served in the family regiment the Scots Sir Edward Coke Guards. Viscount Coke also served as Equerry to the from 1991 to 1993, a similar role to that performed by the 5th Earl who was Equerry to the from 1934 to HM the Queen and Lord Leicester 1937. with a lead planter presented to The 7th Earl and Countess of Leicester outside the Queen by the members of the Buckingham Palace with Lord Leicester’s younger son, Historic Houses Association to At the age of 14, Viscount Coke the Hon. Rupert and daughter, Lady Laura, after his commemorate her golden jubilee in acted as a at investiture. Lord Leicester was made a Companion of 2002. Lord Leicester was president the Ceremony of the The warrant appointing Sir Edward Coke as Attorney General to the British Empire for his services to heritage. of the HHA from 1998 to 2003. Queen Elizabeth I. at Windsor Castle in 1980.