9. The ‘Penny Crowning’ of Queen Victoria
In 1838, Queen Victoria’s coronation was a grand affair, marked by three state balls, two court receptions, a drawing room, a state concert, and a public procession to Westminster Abbey. The total expenditure for the event was £69,000, approximately £6.2 million in today’s money. This lavish spending contrasted sharply with the frugality of her predecessor, William IV, whose 1831 coronation was so austere that it was nicknamed the ‘Penny Coronation’. (bbc.co.uk).
