Biden’s coronation stunt breaks 100-year-old tradition.

King Charles III’s Coronation: American Guests and a Break in Tradition

By Peter Partoll | May 7, 2023 at 5:05am

The coronation of King Charles III in London marked a historic event for many reasons, including the presence of American guests representing the United States. First Lady Jill Biden and Finnegan Biden, daughter of the infamous Hunter Biden, attended the ceremony. While it may seem fitting for members of the first family to represent the nation, it turns out that this appears to be a publicity stunt that breaks an American tradition dating back over a century.

For more than 100 years after the American Revolution, it wasn’t really an issue. The difficulties of trans-Atlantic travel in the 19th century ruled out any presidential presence at British coronations. Beginning with the era of steamships, however, official American attendance at a coronation in London became a matter of choice.

According to the New York Post, presidents have never attended the coronation of a British monarch, but for more than 100 years, the White House has sent a carefully chosen delegation of representatives who would work for American interests. This tradition started with the coronation of George V in 1911, according to Boston University historian Arianne Chernock. Then-President William Howard Taft named mining magnate and diplomat John Hays Hammond as the official U.S. representative.

In 1937, then-President Franklin Roosevelt sent retired Gen. John Pershing and diplomat James Gerard to the coronation of George VI to court Britain as an ally in a possible war with Germany. In 1953, then-President Dwight Eisenhower sent Gen. Omar Bradley, then-chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and former Army general, Secretary of State and Secretary of Defense George Marshall to the coronation of Elizabeth II in order to solidify the good relationship built between the two nations during World War II and the countries’ “special relationship” in the early years of the Cold War.

However, Biden seems more interested in using the event as a publicity stunt for his family. This becomes all the more apparent when one realizes that Hunter Biden’s daughter accompanied the first lady on the trip. If Biden wanted to use the occasion as an exercise in diplomacy, why would he send the daughter of Hunter, a man notorious the world over for his degenerate lifestyle, to represent the administration?

The decision to send the first lady over becomes worse when one considers the state of the world right now. Russia has invaded Ukraine and China looks likely to invade Taiwan, making World War III all the more likely. We are going to need all the allies we can get if we end up having to fight both Russia and China, and Great Britain will once again be an important ally in that fight.

Wouldn’t it be wiser for Biden to follow the example of his predecessors by sending serious emissaries, from the military and diplomatic worlds, to court the British as potential allies in World War III were to break out?

Should Jill Biden have gone to the coronation?

• The decision to send the first lady and Hunter Biden’s daughter to the coronation breaks a century-old American tradition.
• Previous presidents have sent carefully chosen delegations of representatives to work for American interests.
• Biden seems more interested in using the event as a publicity stunt for his family.
• With the state of the world right now, it would be wiser for Biden to follow the example of his predecessors and send serious emissaries to court the British as potential allies in World War III.

This decision was really just baffling. But then again, this is the Biden administration.

Summary

Peter Partoll is a commentary writer for the Western Journal and a Research Assistant for the Catholic Herald. He earned his bachelor’s degree at Hillsdale College and recently finished up his masters degree at Royal Holloway University of London. You can follow him on Twitter at @p_partoll.