Created as the focal point of a Christmas event at the royal Kensington Palace in 2013, the Talking Throne was designed to offer visitors a magical, fairytale experience: the opportunity to be crowned under a title of their own creation. To achieve this illusion, all technology was to be completely hidden from view.

On entering the throne room each visitor was given an empty title board which they filled with their choice from over one hundred different adjectives, titles and places (e.g. The Messy Countess of the Moon, or The Sleepy Duke of Denmark). Armed with their new title, the guest walked the red carpet and climbed the steps to take their place on the throne. Thirteen golden trumpets then erupted into a royal fanfare, followed by a regal voice emanating from within the throne itself, presenting the visitor to the crowd using their chosen title. Cue applause, photos and smiles.

At the end of the event at Kensington Palace the throne was donated to the Story Museum in Oxford, where its been in daily use since.

In 2022 the throne underwent a complete refresh, and we hope to do the same again in another ten years.