Carrying the Royal Standard, Francis Dymoke, the 34th Lord of Scrivelsby and 8th of Tetford, served as the King’s Champion during the coronation on May 6.
Since William the Conqueror’s coronation in 1066, members of his family have played this duty, which he completed.
He would have been required to ride a horse into Westminster Hall to confront anyone who questioned the authority of the new king or queen, at least until the 19th century.
But when George IV was crowned king in 1821, all of this came to a stop.
Ever then, the King’s (or Queen’s) Champion has typically carried a standard or banner.
Dymoke passed away on Monday, however Lincolnshire World said that the cause of death is unknown. It is said that the King would write directly to Dymoke’s widow, Gail, and their three kids.
Francis was the 34th Lord of the Manor of Scrivelsby and a former accountant. He was born into an Army family and traveled about a lot as a young child.
That was before the Second World War, when his father inherited 3,000 acres of tenanted farmland and a Tudor house. After attending Hull University and growing up in Marlborough, Dymoke decided to become an accountant. Following his father’s death, he inherited the estate.
While the first Champion was appointed by the monarch after years of service, Dymoke only had to complete an online form outlining his family’s lengthy history of participation in the coronation. Dymoke was his family’s thirty-fourth participant in a coronation.
