Patrick Doyle: Scottish composer behind King Charles III’s Coronation March

Having shared what he describes as a “strong personal, professional friendship with the King over the past 30 years”, Patrick Doyle has said he was “thrilled” to be asked to compose a Coronation March.

After beginning his career as an actor, Doyle joined Kenneth Branagh’s theatre company in 1987 as a composer and musical director.

It was this appointment which led him to score his first film, Henry V, in 1989. His theme for that movie, Non Nobis Domine, led to him winning an Ivor Novello Award for Best Film Theme. Doyle has since been nominated for many other awards, such as Best Original Score at the Oscars and in 2015, Doyle was recognised with a Lifetime Achievement award at the World Soundtrack Awards.

Scottish film composer Patrick Doyle has been commissioned to write the music for King Charles’ Coronation March. (Photo by David Cliff/Invision/AP)

His filmography includes movies such as Brave, Cinderella, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, and Bridget Jones’s Diary.

The composer was also a student at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama, which is now the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, and will attend the coronation in Westminster Abbey on May 6.

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Why was Patrick Doyle chosen to compose the Coronation March?

King Charles celebrates his coronation later this year. (Photo:Getty Images)

His relationship with King Charles dates back to 1988 when they met at the premiere of 12th Night, which was directed by Branagh. The composer was conducting a small orchestra on stage when a light fell toward him causing his sheets of music to fall.

Doyle told the Evening Standard: “In desperation I shouted, really loudly, ‘has anybody seen Page 1?’” And when the room erupted, Doyle spotted the now-King in “fits of laughter”.

They met backstage following the show, and a few years later the King personally shared his admiration for the Henry V score in a letter.

Doyle said: "[The King] was so moved by the score for the film and the film itself ... he wrote a lovely letter, and [said] how moved he was by it, and shortly after that he commissioned me to propose a piece for the Queen Mother's 90th birthday."

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Doyle has said the piece was written to “commemorate his life”, and hopefully respect aspects of his character which he has come to know.

He also said: "There's a strong Celtic connection with his connection with myself and Scotland and it has heraldic moments there, it has moments full of pageantry and it has fun and joy."

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Though he has been connected with Charles for decades, he added that it was "hard to believe" he was joining composers including Sir Edward Elgar, George Frideric Handel and Henry Purcell – the composers behind previous royal marches.

He is not the only Scottish composer who has been hard at work ahead of the coronation. Professor Paul Mealor from the University of Aberdeen was also selected to create new music for the event.

The coronation will feature six orchestral commissions, five choral commissions and one organ commission, specially composed for the occasion by British composers whose styles include classical, sacred, film, television and musical theatre.