ROYAL MEMORABILIA/ INVESTITURE CHAIR & RARE PRESENTATION BOX: An original Investiture chair used during the Prince of Wales Investiture ceremony, 1969, together with an original presentation cardboard box.

Designed by Anthony Armstrong-Jones – 1st Earl of Snowdon, Carl Toms (1927-1999) and John Pound (Ministry of Works) and manufactured by Remploy.

The chair in red stained ash laminate plywood and red painted elm, with large gilt Prince of Wales feathers motif impressed to backrest, bearing motto ICH DIEN (I Serve). With original Welsh tweed seat cover. Bearing Remploy stamp under seat. The box with recipient details, showing image of the chair and bearing instructions as to how to assemble to piece.

Dimensions: The chair approximately 780 x 550 x 550 mm

This chair and box feature in House & Garden Magazine May 2023 ‘Country House’ Issue

The Investiture Ceremony, 1969

The Investiture of Prince Charles as Prince of Wales took place at Caernarfon Castle, North Wales on 1st July 1969.

The ceremony was designed by a team which included Lord Snowdon (Anthony Armstrong Jones) designer Carl Toms (known for his work in the theatre) and John Pound (from the Ministry of Works). The team were given a tiny budget of only £50,000. They treated the project almost as a design for a set. Within the Castle the concept combined modern Royal ‘history’ whilst being contemporary and appealing to modern television audiences.

For the now iconic Investiture chair bright vermillion red was chosen. The chairs designed for Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and the Prince of Wales were of identical shape, but produced in Welsh slate with a gold dragon. The effect was particularly theatrical.

All 4,600 chairs produced for the ceremony were manufactured at Remploy (an organization which employed a disabled workforce in a welfare to work scheme). The original fabric seat covers are made of Welsh tweed.

Chairs were available for guest to purchase after the event for £12 (which helped pay for the occasion). Many of the seat backs were attached to the stands during the ceremony – after the ceremony had taken place the leg and arm section were sent to their new owners for assembly at home. The original cardboard box included here shows how they would have originally been sent. The instructions on the box indicate the ‘flat-pack’ nature of the design.

A pair of Investiture chairs previously owned by Lord Snowdon sold at Christies Auctioneers, London in September 2020 for £43,700.

Further Information:

This exact Investiture chair and box featured in House & Garden Magazine May 2023 ‘Country House’ issue.

To watch highlights of the Investiture ceremony (where these chairs are visibly in use) see https://www.britishpathe.com/asset/89498/

For other pieces of Royal furniture included in our store see: ROYAL MEMORABILIA/ INVESTITURE CHAIR & CUSHION: An original chair and cushion used during the Prince of Wales Investiture ceremony, 1969

Dimensions: The chair approximately 780 x 550 x 550 mm

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Shipping: Price includes free insured shipping to a UK address. If you are based outside of the UK please email us directly for a cost price shipping quote.

Condition Report: We have recently had the chair re-foamed. The chair is in overall very good condition, some surface wear and dirt to arm rest section, some minor scuffs and  knocks visible to legs, some small repairs to thinning areas of original seat fabric. Small area of paint missing towards rear of seat cushion, 3 small marks to back side of back rest. The cardboard box with losses, tears, staining and marks throughout (see images).