President Biden continued a long American tradition by skipping the coronation of King Charles III — but by choosing Jill Biden as his stand-in, he broke sharply with more than a century of precedent, an expert told The Post.
In the 247 years since America declared its independence from the crown, no US president has attended the coronation of a British monarch.
For decades, that was mainly a question of practicality. Revolution-era enmity against Britain had faded by 1821, when George IV succeeded his father George III. But a long ocean journey was impossible for a commander-in-chief at the time. Not until 1918 did Woodrow Wilson become the first president to venture across the Atlantic during his term.
With the advent of steamships in the early 20th century, “It quickly became a precedent to send an official delegation to coronations,” Chernock explained.
[The continuing embarrassments just roll on… ~ Beege]
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