Who is Penny Mordaunt? What was her role in coronation, what was the sword she was holding?

Penny Mordaunt played a key role in the coronation of King Charles III.

The Lord President of the Council presented the Jewelled Sword of Offering during the ceremony at Westminster Abbey on Saturday (6 May). She played a part in the monarch’s accession in September.

But who is Penny Mordaunt? Here is all you need to know:

Who is Penny Mordaunt?

The 49-year-old is the Conservative MP for Portsmouth North. She is the daughter of a former paratrooper and was named after the Arethusa-class cruiser HMS Penelope.

She was the Head of Youth for the Conservative Party under Prime Minister John Major and then worked as Head of Broadcasting for the party under party leader William Hague for two years. Mordaunt worked on George W. Bush’s 2004 presidential election campaign in America.

Mordaunt stood as the Conservative candidate for Portsmouth North in the 2005 general election, losing to Labour candidate Sarah McCarthy-Fry. She stood again in 2010 and won the seat, she has held Portsmouth North for the Tories for 12 years.

She is the Leader of the House of Commons and Lord President of the Council, holding the positions since September of this year. Mordaunt played a role in the accession of King Charles III following the death of his mother Queen Elizabeth II.

Previously she had served in PM Theresa May’s Cabinet as International Development Secretary from 2017 to 2019, and Defence Secretary in 2019. Under Boris Johnson, Mordaunt was the Minister of State for Trade Policy.

What role did she have in the coronation?

She carried the Jewelled Sword of Offering. She brought is forward and it was blessed by the Archbishop and was then presented to the King by Lord President of the Council Penny Mordaunt. It is the first time the sword has been carried and presented by a woman.

The intricate tapered sword, made for George IV’s 1821 coronation, has a hilt encrusted with diamonds, rubies and emeralds and a scabbard decorated with jewelled roses, thistles and shamrocks. It symbolises royal power and the monarch accepting his duty and knightly virtues.

It was placed in the King’s right hand, then clipped onto his girdle and eventually unclipped. The King stepped forward and offers the sword to the Dean, who places it on the altar.

The sword is “redeemed” by Penny Mordaunt, who places the redemption money on an almsdish, held by the Dean. Ms Mordaunt then drew the sword and carries it in its naked form – without its scabbard – before the monarch for the rest of the service.

Was she a magicians assistant?

Mordaunt was raised with her twin brother and younger brother. Her mother died when she was 15. She attended Oaklands Roman Catholic School Academy in Waterlooville, before taking a gap year to volunteer in orphanages in Romania. It is this experience that encouraged her to enter politics.

Mordaunt studied philosophy at the University of Reading. During her time at university, she funded her studies by working in a Johnson & Johnson factory. She also became a magician’s assistant to Will Ayling, a past president of the Portsmouth and District Magic Circle and of the British Ring of the International Brotherhood of Magicians.

Did Mordaunt appear on Splash?

Mordaunt is also well known for her appearance on reality TV show Splash!, which saw her compete in a diving competition against celebrities including Gemma Collins from The Only Way Is Essex in 2014. She stated that she was donating all of her £10,000 appearance fee plus any additional sponsorship to charity.

Is Penny Mordaunt married?

The Portsmouth MP married Paul Murray in 1999, having met at the University of Reading. However the couple divorced a year later.

As of 2015, Mordaunt was reported to be in a long-term relationship with businessman Ian Lyon, a part-time classical singer