King Charles immortalised in 23kg of chocolate
A life-size bust of King Charles – made entirely of chocolate – has been unveiled ahead of his historic coronation.
READING LEVEL: GREEN
King Charles III’s coronation* will take place at Westminster Abbey, London on May 6 formalising* his role as the head of the monarchy*. The three-day extravaganza* will include processions* and a concert, but a team of British chocolatiers* and model makers have found another way to mark the occasion.
Having studied hours of footage of the King to replicate* his likeness, they’ve melting down more than 17 litres of chocolate to create a bespoke* mould*.
The bust, which took four weeks to create and weighs over 23kg – the equivalent* of 2,875 individual chocolate bars, is modelled on the uniform the King is expected to wear during the coronation.
Its ornamental* shoulder pieces are adorned* with chocolate favourites such as miniature Twix, Milky Way, and Bounty chocolates, while classic Maltesers were used to decorate the King’s collar.
The medals decorating the chest of the bust were created using one of each of the well-known chocolates, including miniature Snickers bars.
The piece was specially commissioned* by UK confectionery* brand Celebrations, which is launching a Limited-Edition “Coronation” tub to mark the historical event.
“What better way to celebrate this moment in British history than immortalising HM King Charles III using the nation’s ultimate sharing treat,” Emily Owen, Senior Brand Manager at Celebrations said.
“A team of master chocolatiers created the tasty tribute to our new King to mark this occasion of national festivity and we are delighted with how he looks.
“The team studied hours of footage of the King to capture his true likeness and the resemblance is uncanny*.”
GLOSSARY
- coronation: a ceremony at which a person is made king or queen
- formalising: to make official
- monarchy: a political system in which there is one individual ruler who functions as head of state
- extravaganza: a large, expensive and impressive entertainment
- processions: a line of people or vehicles that move along slowly, especially as part of a ceremony
- chocolatiers: a person who makes chocolate
- replicate: to make an exact copy
- bespoke: custom-made
- mould: a hollow form for giving a particular shape to something
- equivalent: like or equal in number, value, or meaning
- ornamental: used to make something more attractive
- adorned: to enhance the appearance of especially with beautiful objects
- commissioned: to formally choose someone to do a special piece of work
- confectionery: sweets or chocolate
- uncanny: strange or unusual in a way that is surprising or difficult to understand
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QUICK QUIZ
- Why did the British chocolatiers make the chocolate bust?
- How much chocolate was used?
- What are some of the popular chocolate bars that were used to make the shoulder pieces?
- What has UK confectionery brand Celebration launched to mark the coronation?
- What did the team of chocolatiers do to capture the King’s true likeness?
LISTEN TO THE STORY
CLASSROOM ACTIVITY
1. Document the process
Create a page of step-by-step instructions to show the process that chocolatiers worked through to create the life-sized bust of King Charles III. Some steps are specifically mentioned, others you can imagine based on your own knowledge and experience. The steps should be in order and each one should include a picture and a caption.
Time: allow 25 minutes to complete this activity
Curriculum Links: English
2. Extension
Draw a picture of your own life-sized bust, constructed out of food items. Perhaps you will be made of lollies, fruits and vegetables, or your favourite meal! Label your picture to point out your favourite parts. Explain how the pieces of your sculpture would be held together if you made it for real.
Time: allow 20 minutes to complete this activity
Curriculum Links: Visual Arts
VCOP ACTIVITY
Choccy Charlie
Wow, that is a very realistic block of King Charles chocolate. Straight away, I think of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and winning a golden ticket, but this time it’s to attend the coronation of King Charles and win the chocolate bust. I wonder if it would taste nice?
Can you write a letter to King Charles to convince him that this would make a great competition? Or should we convince him to ship the chocolate bust to your school so we can all have a piece?
If you could convince King Charles to take action on one thing immediately after he becomes King, what would it be and why?
Pick any of these activities to write about in your letter stating convincing reasons why it should happen.
Re-read your letter and practice it in a presentation voice as well. Make sure the information makes sense and is engaging and correct.