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Crown Jewels of the United Kingdom

July 04, 2023

The Crown Jewels of the United Kingdom, originally the Crown Jewels of England, are a collection of royal ceremonial objects kept in the Tower of London, which include the coronation regalia and vestments worn by British monarchs.[c]

Crown Jewels
St Edward's Crown is the centrepiece of the British coronation regalia.
Overview
CountryUnited Kingdom
LocationTower of London[a]
Size
142 objects[2][b]
  • 35 pieces of secular plate
  • 31 pieces of altar plate
  • 16 trumpets
  • 13 maces
  • 7 sovereign crowns
  • 6 consort crowns
  • 6 swords
  • 6 sceptres
  • 3 robes
  • 3 rings
  • 3 pieces of baptismal plate
  • 3 Prince of Wales coronets
  • 2 orbs
  • 2 pairs of armills
  • 1 pair of spurs
  • 1 ampulla
  • 1 spoon
  • 1 staff
  • 1 armlet
  • 1 monde
OldestCoronation Spoon (12th century)
NewestCharles III's stole (2023)
Stones23,578 including Cullinan I, Cullinan II, Koh-i-Noor, Black Prince's Ruby, Stuart Sapphire, St Edward's Sapphire
OwnerCharles III in right of the Crown[3]
Managers
Website
  • hrp.org.uk
  • rct.uk

Symbols of over 800 years of monarchy,[6] the coronation regalia are the only working set in Europe and the collection is the most historically complete of any regalia in the world.[7] Objects used to invest and crown British monarchs variously denote their role as head of state of the United Kingdom and other countries of the Commonwealth, Supreme Governor of the Church of England, and head of the British armed forces. They feature heraldic devices and national emblems of England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland.

Use of regalia by monarchs in England can be traced back to when the country was converted to Christianity in the Early Middle Ages. A permanent set of coronation regalia, once belonging to Edward the Confessor, was established after he was made a saint in the 12th century. These holy relics were kept at Westminster Abbey, the venue of coronations since 1066, and another set of regalia was reserved for religious feasts and State Openings of Parliament. Collectively, these objects came to be known as the Jewels of the Crown. Most of the collection dates from around 350 years ago when Charles II ascended the throne. The medieval and Tudor regalia had been sold or melted down after the monarchy was abolished in 1649 during the English Civil War. Only four original items predate the Restoration: a late 12th-century anointing spoon (the oldest object) and three early 17th-century swords. The regalia continued to be used by British monarchs after the kingdoms of England and Scotland merged in 1707.

The regalia contain 23,578 gemstones, among them Cullinan I (530 carats (106 g)), the largest clear cut diamond in the world, set in the Sovereign's Sceptre with Cross. It was cut from the largest gem-quality rough diamond ever found, the eponymous Cullinan, discovered in South Africa in 1905 and presented to Edward VII. On the Imperial State Crown are Cullinan II (317 carats (63 g)), the Stuart Sapphire, St Edward's Sapphire, and the Black Prince's Ruby – a large red spinel. The Koh-i-Noor diamond (105 carats (21 g)) was acquired by Queen Victoria from the Sikh Empire and has featured on three consort crowns. A small number of historical objects at the Tower are either empty or set with glass and crystal replicas.

At a coronation, the monarch is anointed using holy oil poured from an ampulla into the spoon, invested with robes and ornaments, and crowned with St Edward's Crown. Afterwards, it is exchanged for the lighter Imperial State Crown, which is also usually worn at State Openings of Parliament. Wives of kings, known as queens consort, are invested with a plainer set of regalia.[d] Also regarded as crown jewels are state swords, trumpets, ceremonial maces, church plate, historical regalia, banqueting plate, and royal christening fonts. They are part of the Royal Collection and belong to the institution of monarchy, passing from one sovereign to the next. When not in use the Jewels are on public display in the Jewel House where they are seen by 2.5 million visitors every year.

History

Prehistory and Romans

The earliest known use of a crown in Britain was discovered by archaeologists in 1988 in Deal, Kent, and dates to between 200 and 150 BCE. A sword, brooch, ceremonial shield, and decorated bronze crown with a single arch,[e] which sat directly on the head of its wearer, were found inside the tomb of the Mill Hill Warrior.[9] At this point, crowns were symbols of authority worn by religious and military leaders. Priests continued to use crowns following the Roman conquest of Britain in 43 CE.[10] A dig in a field at Hockwold cum Wilton, Norfolk, in the 1950s revealed a bronze crown with two arches and depictions of male faces,[f] as well as two bronze diadems with an adjustable headband and repoussé silver embellishments, dating from the Roman period. One diadem features a plaque in the centre depicting a man holding a sphere and an object similar to a shepherd's crook,[g] analogues of the orb and sceptre that evolved later as royal ornaments.[11]

Anglo-Saxons

 
King Æthelstan, wearing a crown, presents an illuminated manuscript to St Cuthbert, c. 930

By the early 5th century, the Romans had withdrawn from Britain, and the Angles and the Saxons settled. A heptarchy of new kingdoms began to emerge. One method used by regional kings to solidify their authority was the use of ceremony and insignia.[12] The tomb of an unknown king – evidence suggests it may be Rædwald of East Anglia (r. c. 599 – 624) – at Sutton Hoo provides insight into the regalia of a pre-Christian Anglo-Saxon monarch.[13] Inside the early 7th-century tomb, discovered in 1939, was found the ornate Sutton Hoo helmet, consisting of an iron cap, a neck guard, and a face mask decorated with copper alloy images of animals and warriors set with garnets.[14] He was also buried with a decorated sword; a ceremonial shield; and a heavy whetstone sceptre,[h] on top of which is an iron ring surmounted by the figure of a stag.[13]

In 597 CE, a Benedictine monk was sent by Pope Gregory I to start converting Pagan England to Christianity. The monk, Augustine, became the first archbishop of Canterbury. Within two centuries, the ritual of anointing monarchs with holy oil and crowning them (initially with helmets) in a Christian ceremony had been established, and regalia took on a religious identity. There was still no permanent set of coronation regalia; each monarch generally had a new set made, with which they were buried upon death.[15] In 9th-century Europe, gold crowns in the Byzantine tradition were replacing bronze, and gold soon became the standard material for English royal crowns.[16]

King Æthelstan (r. 924–939) united the various Anglo-Saxon realms to form the Kingdom of England. In the earliest known depiction of an English king wearing a crown he is shown presenting a copy of Bede's Life of St Cuthbert to the saint himself.[17] Until his reign, kings were portrayed on coins wearing helmets and circlets,[18] or wreath-like diadems in the style of Roman emperor Constantine the Great. Whether they actually wore such an item is not known.[11] Edgar the Peaceful (r. 959–975) was the first English king to be crowned with an actual crown, and a sceptre was also introduced for his coronation.[19] After crowns, sceptres were the most potent symbols of royal authority in medieval England.[20]

Edward the Confessor

Edward the Confessor (r. 1042–1066) is depicted on a throne and wearing a crown while holding a sceptre in the first scene of the Bayeux Tapestry.[21] Edward died without an heir, and William the Conqueror emerged as the first Norman king of England following his victory over the English at the Battle of Hastings. Wearing a crown became an important part of William I's efforts to assert authority over his new territory and subjects.[22] At his death in 1087, the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle reported: "[William] kept great state … He wore his crown three times a year as often as he was in England … He was so stern and relentless … we must not forget the good order he kept in the land".[23] Those crown-wearings were held on the religious festivals of Easter, Whitsun, and Christmas.[24]

 
The first great seal of Edward the Confessor

In 1161, Edward the Confessor was made a saint, and objects connected with his reign became holy relics. The monks at his burial place, Westminster Abbey, claimed that Edward had asked them to look after his regalia in perpetuity and that they were to be used at the coronations of all future kings.[22] A note to this effect is contained in an inventory of precious relics drawn up by a monk at the abbey in 1450, recording a tunicle, dalmatic, pallium, and other vestments; a gold sceptre, two rods, a gold crown, comb, and spoon; a crown and two rods for the queen's coronation; and a chalice of onyx stone and a paten made of gold for the Holy Communion.[25] Although the Abbey's claim is likely to have been an exercise in self-promotion, and some of the regalia had probably been taken from Edward's grave when he was reinterred there, it became accepted as fact,[22] thereby establishing the first known set of hereditary coronation regalia in Europe.[26] Westminster Abbey is owned by a monarch,[27] and the regalia had always been royal property – the abbots were mere custodians. In the following centuries, some of these objects would fall out of use and the regalia would expand to include many others used or worn by monarchs and queens consort at coronations.[28]

An object referred to as "St Edward's Crown" is first recorded as having been used for the coronation of Henry III (r. 1216–1272) and appears to be the same crown worn by Edward. Being crowned and invested with regalia owned by a previous monarch who was also a saint reinforced the king's legitimacy.[29] It was also wrongly thought to have originally been owned by Alfred the Great (r. 871–899) because an inscription on the lid of its box, translated from Latin, read: "This is the chief crown of the two, with which were crowned Kings Alfred, Edward and others".[30] The crown would be used in many subsequent coronations until its eventual destruction 400 years later. Few descriptions survive, although one 17th-century historian noted that it was "ancient Work with Flowers, adorn'd with Stones of somewhat a plain setting",[31] and an inventory described it as "gold wire-work set with slight stones and two little bells", weighing 2.25 kilograms (79.5 oz).[32] It had arches and may have been decorated with filigree and cloisonné enamels.[33] Also in the Royal Collection in this period was an item called a state crown, which together with other crowns, rings, and swords, constituted the monarch's state regalia that were mainly kept at royal palaces.[34]

Late medieval period

 
The Stone of Scone in the Coronation Chair at Westminster Abbey, 1859

The handing over of crowns symbolised the transfer of power between rulers. Following the defeat in 1282 of the Welsh prince Llewelyn ap Gruffydd by Edward I (r. 1272–1307), the Welsh regalia, including the crown of the legendary King Arthur, were surrendered to England. According to the Chronicle of Aberconwy Abbey, "and so the glory of Wales and the Welsh was handed over to the kings of England".[35] After the invasion of Scotland in 1296, the Stone of Scone was sent to the Tower of London "in recognition of a kingdom surrendered and conquered".[36] It was fitted into a wooden chair, which came to be used for the investiture of English kings and known as the Coronation Chair.[37] The Scottish regalia were also taken to London and offered at the shrine of Edward the Confessor;[38] Scotland eventually regained its independence.[39] In the treasury of Edward II (r. 1307–1327) there were no fewer than 10 crowns.[40] When Richard II (r. 1377–1399) was forced to abdicate, he symbolically handed St Edward's Crown over to his successor with the words "I present and give to you this crown … and all the rights dependent on it".[41]

Monarchs often pledged items of state regalia as collateral for loans. Edward III (r. 1327–1377) pawned his magna corona to Baldwin of Luxembourg in 1339 for more than £16,650,[42] equivalent to £18,926,055 in 2021.[43] Three crowns and other jewels were held by the Bishop of London and the Earl of Arundel in the 1370s as security for £10,000.[44] One crown was exchanged with the Corporation of London in 1386 for a £4,000 loan. Mayors, knights, peers, bankers, and other wealthy subjects sometimes released objects on a temporary basis for the royal family to use at state occasions. Monarchs also distributed plate and jewels to troops in lieu of money.[45] At some point in the 14th century, all of the state regalia were moved to the White Tower at the Tower of London owing to a series of successful and attempted thefts in Westminster Abbey.[i] The holy relics of the coronation regalia stayed behind intact at the Abbey.[46]

Having fallen out of use in England in the 13th century,[47] two arches topped with a monde and cross reappeared on the state crown during the reign of Henry V (r. 1413–1422),[44] though arches did not feature on the Great Seal again until 1471.[48] Known as a 'closed' or imperial crown, the arches and cross symbolised the king's pretensions of being an emperor of his own domain, subservient to no one but God, unlike some continental rulers who owed fealty to more powerful kings or to the Holy Roman emperor.[49]

Tudors and early Stuarts

The traditions established in the medieval period continued later. By the mid 15th century, a crown was formally worn on six religious feasts every year: Christmas, Epiphany, Easter, Whitsun, All Saints' Day, and one or both feasts of St Edward.[50] A crown was displayed and worn at the annual State Opening of Parliament.[51] Also around this time, three swords – symbols of kingship since ancient times – were being used in the coronation ceremony to represent the king's powers in the administration of justice: the Sword of Spiritual Justice, the Sword of Temporal Justice, and the blunt Sword of Mercy.[52]

 
Elizabeth I, the last Tudor monarch, in her coronation robes

An emerging item of regalia was the orb, described in Tudor inventories as a gold ball with a cross,[53] which underlined the monarch's sovereignty. Orbs had been pictorial emblems of royal authority in England since the early Middle Ages, but a real orb was probably not used at any English coronation until Henry VIII (r. 1509–1547).[54] State regalia increasingly passed from one monarch to the next. The best example of this was the Tudor Crown, probably created at the beginning of the Tudor dynasty.[53] It first appears in a royal inventory during Henry VIII's reign and was one of three used at the coronation of each of his next three successors, the other two being St Edward's Crown and a "rich crown" made specially for the new monarch.[55] After the English Reformation, when England broke away from the authority of the Roman Catholic Church, the Church of England denounced the veneration of medieval relics and downplayed the history of St Edward's regalia.[56]

The concept of hereditary state regalia was enshrined in English law in 1606 when James I (r. 1603–1625), the first Stuart king to rule England, decreed a list of "Roiall and Princely ornaments and Jewells to be indyvidually and inseparably for ever hereafter annexed to the Kingdome of this Realme".[53][j] After James died, his son, Charles I (r. 1625–1649) ascended the throne. Desperate for money, one of his first acts was to load 41 masterpieces from the Jewel House onto a ship bound for Amsterdam – the hub of Europe's jewel trade. This hoard of unique treasures, including the Mirror of Great Britain brooch, a 14th-century pendant called the Three Brothers, a 4.7-kilogram (10 lb) gold salt cellar known as the Morris Dance, and much fine Elizabethan plate, was expected to swell the king's coffers by £300,000, but fetched only £70,000.[57]

Charles's many conflicts with Parliament, stemming from his belief in the divine right of kings and the many religious conflicts that pervaded his reign, triggered the English Civil War in 1642.[58] Parliament deemed the regalia "Jewels of the Crown": their ownership was vested in the monarch by virtue of his public role as king and not owned by him personally.[59] To avoid legal risk to his subjects, Charles asked his wife, Henrietta Maria, to smuggle the inalienable property of the Crown abroad and sell it on the Dutch jewellery market. Upon learning of the scheme, the House of Lords and House of Commons both declared anyone involved in trafficking the Crown Jewels to be enemies of the state.[60][k] Henrietta succeeded in disposing of a small quantity of jewels, albeit at a heavy discount, and shipped guns and ammunition back to England for the royalist cause.[61] Two years later, Parliament seized 187 kilograms (412 lb) of rare silver-gilt pieces from the Jewel House and used the proceeds to bankroll its own side of the war.[62]

Interregnum

 
Charles I standing beside Henry VIII's Crown, 1631

After six years of war, Charles was defeated and executed, and less than a week later, the Rump Parliament voted to abolish the monarchy. The newly created English Commonwealth found itself short of money. To raise funds, the Act for the Sale of the Goods and Personal Estate of the Late King, Queen and Prince was brought into law, and trustees were appointed to value the Jewels – then regarded by Oliver Cromwell as "symbolic of the detestable rule of kings"[63] and "monuments of superstition and idolatry"[64]  – and sell them to the highest bidder.[l] The most valuable object was Henry VIII's Crown, valued at £1,100.[65] Their gemstones and pearls removed, most of the coronation and state regalia were melted down and struck into coins by the Mint.[66]

Two nuptial crowns survived: the Crown of Margaret of York and the Crown of Princess Blanche had been taken out of England centuries before the Civil War when Margaret and Blanche married kings in continental Europe. Both crowns and the 9th-century Alfred Jewel give a sense of the character of royal jewellery in England in the Middle Ages.[67] Another rare survivor is the 600-year-old Crystal Sceptre, a gift from Henry V to the Lord Mayor of London, who still bears it at coronations.[68] Many pieces of English plate that were presented to visiting dignitaries can be seen in museums throughout Europe.[69] Cromwell declined Parliament's invitations to be made king and became Lord Protector. It was marked by a ceremony in Westminster Hall in 1657, where he donned purple robes, sat on the Coronation Chair, and was invested with many traditional symbols of sovereignty, except a crown.[70] A crown—perhaps made of gilded base metal, which was typical of funerary crowns in those days—was placed beside Cromwell at his lying in state in 1660.[71]

Restoration to present

The monarchy was restored after Cromwell's death. For the English coronation of Charles II (r. 1660–1685), who had been living in exile abroad,[72] new Jewels were made based on records of the lost items.[63] They were supplied by the banker and royal goldsmith,[m] Sir Robert Vyner, at a cost of £12,184 7s 2d[63] – as much as three warships.[74] It was decided to fashion the replicas like the medieval regalia and to use the original names. These 22-carat gold objects,[16] made in 1660 and 1661, form the nucleus of the Crown Jewels: St Edward's Crown, two sceptres, an orb, an ampulla, a pair of spurs, a pair of armills or bracelets, and a staff. A medieval silver-gilt anointing spoon and three early Stuart swords had survived and were returned to the Crown,[75] and the Dutch ambassador arranged the return of extant jewels pawned in Holland.[76] The king also spent £11,800 acquiring 2,270 kilograms (5,000 lb) of altar and banqueting plate, and he was presented with conciliatory gifts.[77]

 
Thomas Blood making his escape, drawn 1793

In 1669, the Jewels went on public display for the first time in the Jewel House at the Tower of London. The Deputy Keeper of the Jewel House took the regalia out of a cupboard and showed it to visitors for a small fee.[78] This informal arrangement was ended two years later when Thomas Blood, an Irish-born army officer loyal to Parliament, attacked the 77-year-old and stole a crown, a sceptre, and an orb. Blood and his three accomplices were apprehended at the castle perimeter, but the crown had been flattened with a mallet in an attempt to conceal it, and there was a dent in the orb.[79] He was pardoned by the king, who also gave him land and a pension; it has been suggested that Blood was treated leniently because he was a government spy.[80] Ever since, the Jewels have been protected by armed guards.[81]

Since the Restoration, there have been many additions and alterations to the regalia.[n] A new set was commissioned in 1685 for Mary of Modena, the first queen consort to be crowned since the Restoration (Charles II was unmarried when he took the throne). Another, more elaborate set had to be made for Mary II (r. 1689–1694), who was crowned as joint sovereign with her husband William III (r. 1689–1702).[63] After England and Scotland were united as one kingdom by the Acts of Union 1707, the Scottish regalia were locked away in a chest,[82] and the English regalia continued to be used by British monarchs. Gemstones were hired for coronations – the fee typically being 4% of their value – and replaced with glass and crystals for display in the Jewel House, a practice that continued until the early 20th century.[63]

As enemy planes targeted London during the Second World War, the Crown Jewels were secretly moved to Windsor Castle.[83] The most valuable gemstones were taken out of their settings by James Mann, Master of the Armouries, and Sir Owen Morshead, the Royal Librarian. They were wrapped in cotton wool, placed in a tall glass preserving-jar, which was then sealed in a biscuit tin, and hidden in the castle's basement. Also placed in the jar was a note from the King, stating that he had personally directed that the gemstones be removed from their settings. As the Crown Jewels were bulky and thus difficult to transport without a vehicle, the idea was that if the Nazis invaded, the historic precious stones could easily be carried on someone's person without drawing suspicion and if necessary buried or sunk.[84]

After the war, the Jewels were kept in a vault at the Bank of England for two years while the Jewel House was repaired; the Tower had been struck by a bomb.[85] On 6 May 2023,[86] St Edward's Crown was placed on the head of Charles III (r. 2022–present) in the only ceremony of its kind in Europe.[87][o] Other European monarchies have abandoned coronations in favour of secular ceremonies.[89] The Crown Jewels comprise 142 objects,[90] which are permanently set with 23,578 precious and semi-precious stones and are seen by around 2.5 million visitors every year.[91]

Crowns

Crowns are the main symbols of royal authority.[92] All crowns in the Tower are decorated with alternating crosses pattée and fleurs-de-lis, a pattern which first appears on the great seal of Richard III,[48] and their arches are surmounted with a monde and cross pattée. Most of the crowns also have a red or purple velvet cap and an ermine border.[2]

St Edward's Crown

The centrepiece of the coronation regalia is named after Edward the Confessor and is placed on the monarch's head at the moment of crowning.[93] Made of gold and completed in 1661, St Edward's Crown is embellished with 444 stones, including amethysts, garnets, peridots, rubies, sapphires, topazes, tourmalines and zircons.[94] The coronation crown closely resembles the medieval one, with a heavy gold base and clusters of semi-precious stones, but the disproportionately large arches are a Baroque affectation.[95] It was long assumed to be the original as their weight is almost identical and an invoice produced in 1661 was for the addition of gold to an existing crown. In 2008, new research found that it had actually been made in 1660 and was enhanced the following year when Parliament increased the budget for Charles II's twice-delayed coronation.[96] The crown is 30 centimetres (11.8 in) tall and at a weight of 2.23 kg (4.9 lb) has been noted to be extremely heavy.[94] After 1689, monarchs chose to be crowned with a lighter, bespoke coronation crown (e.g., that of George IV[97]) or their state crown, while St Edward's Crown rested on the high altar.[93] At Queen Victoria's coronation in 1838 it was entirely absent from the ceremony. The tradition of using St Edward's Crown was revived in 1911 by George V and has continued ever since.[98] In 1953 Elizabeth II opted for a stylised image of this crown to be used on coats of arms, badges, logos and various other insignia in the Commonwealth realms to symbolise her royal authority, replacing the image of a Tudor-style crown adopted in 1901 by Edward VII.[99][p]

Imperial State Crown

 
Elizabeth II wearing the Imperial State Crown, 1953

A much lighter crown is worn by the monarch when leaving Westminster Abbey, and at the annual State Opening of Parliament.[101] The current Imperial State Crown was made in 1937 for George VI and is a copy of the one made in 1838 for Queen Victoria, which had fallen into a poor state of repair,[102] and had been made using gems from its own predecessor, the State Crown of George I.[103] In 1953, the crown was resized to fit Elizabeth II, and the arches were lowered by 2.5 cm (1 in).[104] The gold, silver and platinum crown is decorated with 2,868 diamonds, 273 pearls, 17 sapphires, 11 emeralds and 5 rubies.[105] Among the largest stones are the 317-carat (63 g) Cullinan II diamond, also known as the Second Star of Africa, added to the crown in 1909 (the larger Cullinan I is set in the Sovereign's Sceptre). The 170-carat (34 g) Black Prince's Ruby, set in the front cross, is not actually a ruby but a large cabochon red spinel. According to legend it was given to Edward the Black Prince by the Spanish king Peter of Castile in 1367 and Henry V wore it at the Battle of Agincourt.[106] How the stone found its way back into the Royal Collection after the Interregnum is unclear, but a substantial "ruby" was acquired for the Crown Jewels in 1661 at a cost of £400, and this may well have been the spinel.[107] On the back of the crown is the 104-carat (20.8 g) cabochon Stuart Sapphire, and in the top cross is St Edward's Sapphire, reputedly taken from the ring of the Confessor when his body was re-interred at the Abbey in 1163.[106] Below the monde hang four pearls, three of which are often said to have belonged to Elizabeth I, but the association is almost certainly erroneous.[108]

Consort crowns

After the Restoration, wives of kings – queens consort – traditionally wore the State Crown of Mary of Modena, who first wore it at her coronation in 1685. Originally set with 561 hired diamonds and 129 pearls, it was re-set with crystals and cultured pearls for display in the Jewel House along with a matching diadem that consorts wore in procession to the Abbey. The diadem once held 177 diamonds, 1 ruby, 1 sapphire, and 1 emerald.[109] By the 19th century, that crown was judged to be too theatrical and in a poor state of repair, so in 1831 the Crown of Queen Adelaide was made for Adelaide of Saxe-Meiningen using gemstones from her private jewellery.[110]

 
Queen Mary's Crown with eight half-arches and the Koh-i-Noor diamond set in the front cross

Thus began a tradition of each queen consort having a custom-made crown.[111] In 1902 the Crown of Queen Alexandra, a European-style crown – flatter and with eight half-arches instead of the typical four – was made for Alexandra of Denmark to wear at her coronation. Set with over 3,000 diamonds, it was the first consort crown to include the Koh-i-Noor diamond presented to Queen Victoria in 1850 following the British conquest of the Punjab. Originally 191 carats (38 g) and set in an armlet, it was cut down to an oval brilliant weighing 105 carats (21 g), which Victoria mounted in a brooch and circlet.[112] The second was the Crown of Queen Mary; also unusual for a British crown owing to its eight half-arches, it was made in 1911 for Mary of Teck. Mary purchased the Art Deco-inspired crown with her own money hoping it would become an heirloom used by future queens consort.[113] Altogether, it is adorned with 2,200 diamonds, and once contained the 94.4-carat (19 g) Cullinan III and 63.4-carat (13 g) Cullinan IV diamonds. Its arches were made detachable in 1914 allowing it to be worn as an open crown or circlet.[114]

After George V's death, Mary continued wearing the crown (without its arches) as a queen mother, so the Crown of Queen Elizabeth was created for Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon, later known as the Queen Mother, to wear at her coronation in 1937.[115] It is the only British crown made entirely out of platinum,[114] and was modelled on Queen Mary's Crown, but has four half-arches instead of eight.[116] The crown is decorated with about 2,800 diamonds, with the Koh-i-Noor in the middle of the front cross. It also contains a replica of the 22.5-carat (5 g) Lahore Diamond given to Queen Victoria by the East India Company in 1851,[117] and a 17.3-carat (3 g) diamond given to her by Abdülmecid I, Sultan of the Ottoman Empire, in 1856.[116] The crown was laid on top of the Queen Mother's coffin in 2002 during her lying in state and funeral.[118] The crowns of Queen Alexandra and Queen Mary feature crystal replicas of the Koh-i-Noor, which has been the subject of repeated controversy, with governments of both India and Pakistan claiming to be the diamond's rightful owners and demanding its return ever since gaining independence from the UK.

Queen Camilla was crowned using Queen Mary's Crown at her coronation with Charles III on 6 May 2023.[86] Alterations included re-setting the crown with the original Cullinan diamonds and removing four of its eight half-arches. The Cullinan V brooch took the place of the Koh-i-Noor.[119]

Prince of Wales coronets

A relatively modest gold coronet was made in 1728 for Frederick, Prince of Wales, the eldest son of George II. It takes the form laid down in a royal warrant issued by Charles II in 1677,[120] which states "the Son & Heir apparent of the Crown for the time being shall use & bear his coronett composed of crosses & flowers de Lizs with one Arch & in the midst a Ball & Cross".[121] The single arch denotes inferiority to the monarch while showing that the prince outranks other royal children, whose coronets have no arches.[122] Frederick never wore his coronet; instead, it was placed on a cushion in front of him when he first took his seat in the House of Lords. It was subsequently used by George III, George IV, and Edward VII when they were Princes of Wales.[123] Due to its age, a new silver-gilt coronet was made for the future George V to wear at Edward VII's coronation in 1902. In contrast to the earlier coronet, which has a depressed arch, the arch on this one is raised. At George's coronation in 1911 the coronet was worn by his eldest son, Edward,[124] who was invested as Prince of Wales at Caernarfon Castle a month later.[125] The revival of this public ceremony, not performed since the early 17th century, was intended to boost the Royal family's profile in Wales. Princely regalia known as the Honours of Wales were designed for the occasion by Goscombe John, comprising a Welsh gold circlet with pearls, amethysts and engraved daffodils; a rod; a ring; a sword; and a robe with doublet and sash.[126] After he became king in 1936, Edward VIII abdicated the same year and emigrated to France,[127] where the 1902 coronet remained in his possession until his death in 1972. In its absence, a new coronet had to be created in 1969 for the investiture of the future Charles III,[128] which is made from gold and platinum and is set with diamonds and emeralds. Both it and the rod were added to the Jewel House in 2020,[129] joining the 1728 and 1902 coronets.

Non-coronation crowns

In the Jewel House there are two crowns that were never intended to be worn at a coronation. Queen Victoria's Small Diamond Crown is just 10 cm (3.9 in) tall and was made in 1870 using 1,187 diamonds for Victoria to wear on top of her widow's cap. She often wore it at State Openings of Parliament in place of the much heavier Imperial State Crown. After the queen's death in 1901 the crown passed to her daughter-in-law Queen Alexandra and later Queen Mary.[130] When George V attended the Delhi Durbar with Queen Mary in 1911 to be proclaimed (but not crowned) as Emperor of India, he wore the Imperial Crown of India. As the British constitution forbids coronation regalia to leave the United Kingdom, it was not possible for him to wear St Edward's Crown or the Imperial State Crown, so one had to be made specially for the event. It contains 6,170 diamonds, 9 emeralds, 4 rubies and 4 sapphires.[131] The crown has not been used since and is considered a part of the Crown Jewels.[132]

Processional objects

A coronation begins with the procession into Westminster Abbey.[133]

Swords

 
Left to right: The Sword of Offering, the Sword of State, and the Sword of Mercy

The swords of state reflect a monarch's role as Head of the British Armed Forces and Defender of the Faith.[134] Three are carried before the monarch into the Abbey: the blunt Sword of Mercy (also known as Curtana), the Sword of Spiritual Justice, and the Sword of Temporal Justice.[52] All are believed to have been supplied at the time of James I between 1610 and 1620, probably by a member of the Worshipful Company of Cutlers,[135] using blades created in the 1580s by Italian bladesmiths Giandonato and Andrea Ferrara. They were deposited with St Edward's regalia at the Abbey by Charles II. Before that point, new swords had been made for each coronation since the 15th century.[52] Sold in the civil war, they were returned at the Restoration, and their use was first recorded at the coronation of James II in 1685.[135]

The two-handed Sword of State, made in 1678, symbolises the monarch's authority and is also carried before the monarch at State Openings of Parliament.[136] Its wooden sheath, made in 1689, is bound in crimson velvet decorated with silver-gilt emblems of England, Scotland and Ireland, fleurs-de-lis, and portcullises.[137] The lion of England and unicorn of Scotland form the cross-piece to the sword's handle. The sword weighs 3.6 kg (8 lb) and is 1.2 m (4 ft) long. During a coronation it must be held for much of the service pointing upwards without touching the body by the Lord President of the Privy Council.[138]

Before the investiture, the unwieldly Sword of State is exchanged for the lighter Sword of Offering, which is described as "the one true coronation sword". Commissioned by George IV for his extravagant 1821 coronation, its gilded leather sheath is encrusted with 1,251 diamonds, 16 rubies, 2 sapphires and 2 turquoises.[139] The sword has a partly blued and gilt steel blade,[140] and its handle is set with 2,141 diamonds, 12 emeralds and 4 rubies.[139] The stones are arranged to form roses, thistles, shamrocks, oak leaves and acorns. Two diamond lion heads, one at each end of the cross-piece, have ruby eyes.[141] George paid more than £5,000 for the sword out of his own pocket in a radical change from the austere £2 swords used by his 18th-century predecessors. It remained in the Royal family's personal ownership until 1903 when it was deposited with the Crown Jewels and has been used at every coronation since 1911.[139] A monarch is girded and blessed using the sword, which is returned to the Keeper of the Jewel House by the Abbey for a token sum of £5,[74][q] and is borne unsheathed for the rest of the ceremony.[139]

The 17th-century Irish Sword of State was held by the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland (a viceroy) prior to Ireland's independence from the UK in 1922 and has been displayed in the Jewel House since 1959. The handle takes the form of a lion and a unicorn and is decorated with a celtic harp. Each new viceroy was invested with the sword at Dublin Castle where it usually sat across the arms of a throne, representing the king or queen in their absence. It was borne in procession in front of monarchs during their official visits to Dublin. In June 1921 the sword was present at the official opening of the Parliament of Northern Ireland by George V. The sword was displayed at Dublin Castle in 2018 as part of the 'Making Majesty' exhibition – the first time it had been to Ireland in 95 years.[142]

St Edward's Staff

St Edward's Staff is a 1.4-metre-long (4.6 ft) ceremonial gold walking stick made for Charles II in 1661. It has a plain monde and cross at the top and a steel pike at the bottom.[143] This object is almost certainly a copy of the long rod mentioned in the list of royal plate and jewels destroyed in 1649,[144] although the pre-Interregnum version was gold and silver and topped by a dove.[145] The staff's intended role in the coronation has been forgotten since medieval times, and so it is carried into the Abbey by a peer as a holy relic and laid on the altar, where it remains throughout the ceremony.[146]

Trumpets

 
Trumpeters and a mace bearer at the English coronation of James II

The Crown Jewels include 16 silver trumpets dating from between 1780 and 1848.[2] Nine are draped with red silk damask banners embroidered with coats of arms in gold, originally made for Queen Victoria's coronation in 1838. They have not been used since the Corps of State Trumpeters was disbanded as a cost-cutting measure in the 19th century.[147] The trumpeters' main job was to sound a fanfare at key points in the coronation, and they also played at the banquet afterwards in Westminster Hall.[148] Today, the Band of the Household Cavalry and the Central Band of the Royal Air Force play their own trumpets at state occasions.[149][150]

Maces

Main article: Ceremonial maces in the United Kingdom

Beginning as lethal weapons of medieval knights, maces evolved into ceremonial objects carried by sergeants-at-arms that represent a monarch's authority.[1] The House of Commons can only operate lawfully when the royal mace – dating from Charles II's reign – is present at the table. Two other maces dating from the reigns of Charles II and William III are used by the House of Lords, one of which is placed on the Woolsack before the house meets and is absent when a monarch is there in person delivering the King's or Queen's Speech.[151] In the late 17th century there were 16 maces, but only 13 survive, 10 of which are on display at the Tower of London. Two of these are carried in the royal procession at State Openings of Parliament and coronations. Each mace is about 1.5 m (4.9 ft) long and weighs an average of 10 kg (22 lb).[152] They are silver-gilt and were made between 1660 and 1695.[2]

Anointing objects

When a monarch is anointed, the Dean of Westminster first pours holy anointing oil from an ampulla into a spoon.[153]

Ampulla

 
The Ampulla

The Ampulla, 20.5 cm (8 in) tall and weighing 660 g (1 lb 7+1⁄4 oz), is a hollow gold vessel made in 1661 and shaped like an eagle with outspread wings. Its head unscrews, enabling the vessel to be filled with oil, which exits via a hole in the beak.[154] The original ampulla was a small stone phial, sometimes worn around the neck as a pendant by kings, and otherwise kept inside an eagle-shaped golden reliquary.[155] According to 14th-century legend, the Virgin Mary appeared to Thomas Becket, Archbishop of Canterbury from 1162 until 1170, and presented him with a gold eagle and some oil for anointing English kings.[154] This ampulla was first recorded as being used at Henry IV's coronation in 1399 and was deposited for safekeeping with St Edward's regalia at the Abbey by Richard III in 1483.[56] Known as the Holy Oil of St Thomas, the same batch was used to anoint all subsequent kings and queens (except Mary I) until it eventually ran out in 1625. It is unclear why, after the Restoration, the vessel itself came to be reinterpreted as an eagle standing on a domed base.[155] In terms of religious importance, the anointing objects are second only to St Edward's Crown,[156] and in 2013 the ampulla stood beside the crown on the altar of Westminster Abbey at a service marking the 60th anniversary of Elizabeth II's coronation.[157]

Coronation Spoon

The 27-centimetre-long (10+1⁄2 in) Coronation Spoon, which dates from the late 12th century, is silver-gilt and set with four pearls added in the 17th century. A ridge divides the bowl in half, creating grooves into which the Archbishop of Canterbury dips two fingers and anoints the monarch as Supreme Governor of the Church of England. Originally, it may have been used for mixing water and wine in a chalice. The spoon is first known to have been used to anoint a monarch at the English coronation of James I in 1603.[158] It is the oldest surviving piece of the Crown Jewels (and the only surviving English royal goldsmith's work from the 1100s), first recorded in the Royal Collection in 1349 as "a spoon of ancient form", and was probably made for Henry II or Richard I.[159] In 1649 the spoon was sold for 16 shillings to Clement Kynnersley, Yeoman of the Removing Wardrobe, who returned it to Charles II upon the restoration of the monarchy.[160]

 
The silver-gilt Coronation Spoon

Robes and ornaments

The anointing is followed by investing with coronations robes and ornaments.[r]

Robes

 
Queen Victoria wearing a copy of the Imperial Mantle, kept in the Museum of London,[161] 1838

All the robes have priestly connotations and their form has changed little since the Middle Ages. A tradition of wearing St Edward's robes came to an end in 1547 after the English Reformation, but was revived in 1603 by James I to emphasise his belief in the divine nature of kingship.[162] As well as robes, a monarch also wore cloth-of-gold buskins or sandals, depending on his or her foot size.[163] These holy relics were destroyed along with royal crowns and ornaments in the Civil War. New robes were made for each monarch starting with Charles II, a practice that ended in 1911, when George V reused the 1902 Supertunica (a dalmatic), and the Imperial Mantle (a cope), fashioned for George IV in 1821.[162][s] They were also worn by his successors George VI, Elizabeth II and Charles III. Together, the gold robes weigh approximately 10 kg (22 lb).[165] A new Stole Royal was made in 2023 for Charles III by the Royal School of Needlework, taking inspiration from the 1953 stole of his predecessor, Elizbeth II. It is adorned with emblems of the four countries of the United Kingdom, a dove representing the Holy Spirit, a Tudor-style crown, and a pattern based on the Cosmati Pavement in Westminster Abbey.[166]

Spurs

Prick spurs remade for Charles II are presented to the monarch. They are made of solid gold, richly embossed with floral patterns and scrolls, and have crimson velvet straps embroidered in gold. Both necks terminate in a Tudor rose with a spike at its centre. Also known as St George's Spurs, they are emblems of knighthood and chivalry, and denote the sovereign's role as head of the armed forces. Gold spurs are first known to have been used in 1189 at the coronation of Richard I, though it is likely they were introduced for Henry the Young King in 1170, and this element of the service was probably inspired by the initiation ceremony of knights. A pair of mid 14th-century spurs were added to St Edward's regalia at the Abbey in 1399 and used at all coronations until their destruction in 1649.[167] Historically, spurs were fastened to a monarch's feet, but since the Restoration they are simply presented to the monarch.[168]

Armills

The Armills are gold bracelets of sincerity and wisdom.[169] Like spurs, they were first used at English coronations in the 12th century.[170] By the 17th century, armills were no longer delivered to the monarch, but simply carried at the coronation. A new pair had to be made in 1661; they are 4 cm (1.6 in) wide, 7 cm (2.8 in) in diameter, and champlevé enamelled on the surface with roses, thistles and harps (the national symbols of England, Scotland and Ireland) as well as fleurs-de-lis.[171] For Elizabeth II's coronation in 1953, the tradition of wearing armills was revived, and a new set of plain 22-karat gold armills lined with crimson velvet presented to the Queen on behalf of various Commonwealth governments. Each bracelet is fitted with an invisible hinge and a clasp in the form of a Tudor rose. The hallmark includes a tiny portrait of the Queen,[172] who continued to wear them upon leaving the Abbey and could be seen wearing them later, along with the Imperial State Crown and Sovereign's Ring, at her appearance on the balcony of Buckingham Palace.[173]

Orbs

 
Sovereign's Orb

An orb, a type of globus cruciger, was first used at an English coronation by Henry VIII in 1509, and then by all subsequent monarchs apart from the early Stuart kings James I and Charles I, who opted for the medieval coronation order. The Tudor orb was deposited with St Edward's regalia at Westminster Abbey in 1625.[174] Since 1661 the Sovereign's Orb is a hollow gold sphere about 16.5 cm (6.5 in) in diameter and weighing 1.2 kg (2.6 lb) (more than twice as heavy as the original[174]) made for Charles II.[175] A band of gems and pearls runs along the equator and there is a half-band on the top hemisphere. Atop the orb is an amethyst surmounted by a jewelled cross, symbolising the Christian world, with a sapphire on one side and an emerald on the other.[176] Altogether, the orb is decorated with 375 pearls, 365 diamonds, 18 rubies, 9 emeralds, 9 sapphires, 1 amethyst and 1 piece of glass.[177] It is handed to the sovereign during the investiture rite of the coronation, and is borne later in the left hand when leaving Westminster Abbey.[178] A small version, originally set with hired gems, was made in 1689 for Mary II to hold at her coronation as joint sovereign with William III; it was never used again at a coronation and was re-set with imitation gems and cultured pearls. The orb is 14.6 cm (5.7 in) in diameter and weighs 1.07 kg (2.4 lb).[175] Both orbs were laid on Queen Victoria's coffin at her state funeral in 1901. Officially, no reason was given for using Mary II's orb, but it may have been intended to reflect Victoria's position as Empress of India.[179]

Rings

The Sovereign's Ring has been worn by monarchs at their coronation since William IV in 1831, with the exceptions of Queen Victoria, whose fingers were too small to retain it,[180] and Charles III, who acknowledged the ring but did not wear it.[181] In the centre is a large octagonal sapphire overlaid with rubies forming a cross, surrounded by 14 brilliant diamonds. The general design is intended to represent the red St George's Cross (England) on the blue background of St Andrew's Cross (Scotland).[172] Rubies symbolise all the kingly virtues – such as humility, good morals, and charity – and have featured on coronation rings since the early Middle Ages.[182] A small copy was made for Victoria, who wrote in a letter: "The Archbishop had (most awkwardly) put the ring on the wrong finger, and the consequence was that I had the greatest difficulty to take it off again, which I at last did with great pain"[183] – her jewellers had measured the wrong finger.[184] In 1919 both rings were deposited at the Tower along with the Queen Consort's Ring, which is similar in design and was made in 1831 for Queen Adelaide.[185]

Before 1831, monarchs generally received a new ring symbolising their "marriage" to the nation,[180] with perhaps two exceptions: Richard II offered Westminster Abbey a "solemn jewel, a gold ring set with a precious stone called a ruby, of no small value" to be worn by his successors. Evidence suggests it was later worn by Henry V.[186] Another was the Stuart Coronation Ring, probably used at the English coronations of Charles I and Charles II, and certainly that of James II, who took it into exile with him in France after the Glorious Revolution in 1688. It was returned to the Kingdom of Great Britain 100 years later and belongs to the Royal Collection of Gems and Jewels. The ring has a large ruby etched with a St George's Cross and bordered by 26 diamonds. Since 1830 it has been on permanent loan from Windsor Castle to Edinburgh Castle where it is displayed with the Honours of Scotland.[187] The coronation ring of Mary II survives in the Portland Collection at Welbeck Abbey.[188]

Sceptres

 
The head of the Sovereign's Sceptre with Cross

The sceptre, a symbolic ornamental rod held by the monarch at a coronation, is derived from the shepherd's staff via the crozier of a bishop.[189] Two gold sceptres made in 1661 are part of the coronation regalia. The Sovereign's Sceptre with Cross is a token of his or her temporal power as head of state. The whole object is 92 cm (3 ft) long, weighs around 1.17 kg (2.6 lb), and is decorated with 333 diamonds, 31 rubies, 15 emeralds, 7 sapphires, 6 spinels, and 1 composite amethyst.[190] In 1910, it was redesigned to incorporate Cullinan I, also known as the Great Star of Africa, which, at over 530 carats (106 g), is the largest clear cut diamond in the world.[191] It was part of a rough diamond weighing 3,106 carats (621.2 g) found in South Africa in 1905, and was named after Thomas Cullinan, the chairman of the mining company. The gold clasps holding it can be opened and the stone removed to be worn as a pendant hanging from Cullinan II, which is set in the Imperial State Crown, to form a brooch – Queen Mary often wore it like this.[106] Above the pear-shaped diamond is the amethyst surmounted by a cross pattée encrusted with an emerald and small diamonds.[191]

The Sovereign's Sceptre with Dove, which has also been known as the Rod of Equity and Mercy, is emblematic of their spiritual role. It is slightly longer, at 1.1 m (3.6 ft), but weighs about the same as the Sceptre with Cross. The sceptre is decorated with 285 gemstones, including 94 diamonds, 53 rubies, 10 emeralds, 4 sapphires and 3 spinels.[190] Circling the rod are bands of precious stones. At the top is a gold monde set with diamonds and topped by a plain cross, upon which sits a white enamelled dove with its wings outspread, representing the Holy Ghost.[192] A sceptre like this first appeared in the 11th century and was probably based on the German sceptre, which was topped by an Imperial Eagle.[189] The Sceptre with Dove is the penultimate piece of regalia to be delivered. As the monarch holds both sceptres, they are crowned with St Edward's Crown.[184]

The Crown Jewels include two sceptres made for Mary of Modena in 1685: a gold sceptre with a cross known as the Queen Consort's Sceptre with Cross, and another made of ivory topped by a dove known as the Queen Consort's Ivory Rod with Dove. Unlike the sovereign's dove, this one has folded wings and is relatively small. It was last used by Queen Elizabeth, later known as the Queen Mother, at her husband George VI's coronation in 1937. For the coronation of Mary II, the wife and joint sovereign of William III, a more elaborate gold sceptre with dove was commissioned in 1689. It has not been used since, and went missing for several decades, only to be found in 1814 at the back of a cupboard in the Tower of London.[177]

Altar plate

 
Altar dishes behind George V at his coronation in 1911

In the Jewel House there is a collection of chalices, patens, flagons, candlesticks, and dishes – all silver-gilt except five gold communion vessels – that are displayed on the altars at Westminster Abbey during coronations. Some are also used at other times.[193] Although not regalia, such items are considered to be Crown Jewels by virtue of their long association with the Jewel House.[194]

One of the most striking pieces is a large dish 95 cm (3.12 ft) across and weighing 13 kg (28.7 lb), in the centre of which is a relief depiction of the Last Supper. Around the edge are four engravings of biblical scenes: the Washing of the Feet, the Walk to Emmaus, the Coming of the Holy Ghost, and Christ's Commission to the Apostles. Made in 1664 for James, Duke of York, and later acquired by Charles II, it stands on the high altar during a coronation ceremony.[195] At each end of the altar stands a 91 cm (3 ft) tall candlestick made in the 17th century, which is engraved all over with scrolls, leaves and flowers.[196]

An altar dish and flagon were made in 1691 for the royal Church of St Peter ad Vincula at the Tower of London. The dish measures 70 cm (2.3 ft) across and depicts the Last Supper above the coat of arms of co-regents William III and Mary II.[197] The flagon stands 42.5 cm (1.4 ft) tall.[198] Both pieces are still used in the chapel on Easter, Whitsun and Christmas, and they were first displayed at a coronation in 1821.[199] Another dish still in regular use is the Maundy Dish – one of six used by the King at Royal Maundy for handing out alms to elderly people in recognition of their service to the church and local community. The ceremony, which takes place in a different cathedral every year, entirely replaced the ancient custom of washing the feet of the poor in 1730, and the dish, though it bears the royal cypher of William and Mary, dates from the reign of Charles II. Two purses containing specially minted coins are taken from the dish and presented to each recipient.[200]

Banqueting plate

 
The Exeter Salt top centre with salt spoons either side, a caddinet (spice box) lower left, and a cruet lower right

The last coronation banquet held at Westminster Hall took place in 1821 for George IV.[201] Silverware used at those banquets include the Plymouth Fountain, a wine fountain made around 1640 by a German goldsmith and presented to Charles II by the city of Plymouth. Gilded for George II in 1726, it is 77.5 cm (2.5 ft) tall and decorated with flowers, fruit, dolphins, mermaids and sea monsters.[202] The nautical theme is continued in the silver-gilt Wine Cistern, also known as the Grand Punch Bowl, which is cast as a giant oyster shell. It weighs 257 kg (567 lb), is 0.76 m (2.5 ft) tall, 1.38 m (4.5 ft) long and 1.01 m (3.3 ft) wide, and can hold 144 bottles of wine on ice.[203] It was commissioned in 1829 by George IV but not completed until after his death. It is the heaviest surviving piece of English banqueting plate.[204] In 1841, the cistern was re-purposed as a punch bowl, with the addition of a large ivory-stemmed ladle, which has a silver-gilt bowl in the form of a nautilus shell.[205]

The Exeter Salt is a 45-centimetre (1.5 ft) tall salt cellar in the form of a castle on a rocky outcrop. Each of its four main compartments held about 29 g (1 oz) of salt, while smaller ones held pepper and other spices.[206] It was made c. 1630 in Germany and is set with 73 gems probably added later. The Salt was bought in Hamburg in 1657 by the city's British Resident as a peace offering to the Russian court, which had cut all ties with Britain during the Interregnum. He was turned away at the Russian border and eventually took it home to London. In 1660, it was acquired from a private dealer for £700 by the city of Exeter and presented to Charles II.[207]

Eleven smaller salts named after St George were originally made for a St George's Day banquet of the Knights of the Garter in the late 17th century. A twelfth, the Queen Elizabeth Salt, was made in 1572 during the reign of Elizabeth I for a member of the aristocracy; it was later acquired by Charles II. Twelve spoons made for George IV in 1820 complement these salts.[208]

Baptismal plate

 
The Lily Font on top of the Charles II font and basin at the christening of Edward, Prince of Wales in 1842

Three silver-gilt objects (comprising a total of six parts) associated with royal christenings are displayed in the Jewel House. Charles II's 95-centimetre (3 ft 1 in) tall font was created in 1661 and stood on a basin to catch any spills.[2] Surmounting the font's domed lid is a figure of Philip the Evangelist baptising the Ethiopian eunuch.[209] While Charles's marriage to Catherine of Braganza produced no heir, the font may have been used to secretly baptise some of his 13 illegitimate children.[210] In 1688, James Francis Edward Stuart, son of James II and Mary of Modena, was the first royal baby to be christened using this object.[211]

A ewer and basin of French design made in 1735 were only used at two christenings. The 46-centimetre (1 ft 6 in) tall ewer's handle is topped by a figure of Hercules slaying the Hydra, an unlikely motif for baptismal plate, suggesting it originally had an alternate purpose. Indeed, it was first used in 1738 at the impromptu christening of a "very ill" future George III only hours after his birth.[212] His father, Frederick, Prince of Wales, was also banished from the royal court and forbidden to use the Charles II font.[210] An inscription on the ewer records its presence at the 1780 christening of George III's youngest son, Prince Alfred.[212]

The Lily Font was made in 1840 for the christening of Victoria, Princess Royal, the first child of Queen Victoria, who declined to use the Charles II font because of its unseemly history. The 1661 font was recycled as a plinth (pictured) and its basin found a new role as an altar dish.[210] The Lily Font stands 43 centimetres (1 ft 5 in) tall and weighs approximately 10 kg (22 lb).[213] It is decorated with water lilies, symbolising purity and new life, and cherubs plucking lyres. The object has been used for the christenings of all of Elizabeth II's children and grandchildren (except Princess Eugenie) with holy water brought from the River Jordan.[214]

Ownership, management and value

The Crown Jewels are part of the Royal Collection.[90] As with Royal palaces, ownership is regarded as inalienable and passes from one monarch to the next in perpetuity.[215] However, a 17th-century ruling by Sir Edward Coke, which states "the ancient jewels of the crown are heirloomes and shall descend to the next successor and are not devisable by testament", contains an exception allowing the monarch to dispose of objects via letters patent during their lifetime under the Great Seal or Privy Seal.[216][t] In 1995, Iain Sproat, then Secretary of State for National Heritage, confirmed that the disposal of the Royal Collection was "entirely a matter for the Queen".[217] Their potential value is generally not included in estimates of the monarch's wealth because in practice it is unlikely the Crown Jewels will ever be sold,[215] nor are they insured against loss,[218] and are officially described as priceless.[219][u] Maintenance, alteration and repair falls to the Crown Jeweller, a member of the Royal Household who cleans them after visiting hours at the Tower of London each January and accompanies the regalia and plate whenever they leave the Tower for use at royal ceremonies. Older items have been conserved by experts from the British Museum.[222] The Royal Collection Trust keeps an inventory of the jewels,[4] and Historic Royal Palaces is responsible for their display.[223]

See also

Notes

  1. ^ Three maces from the Jewel House are on permanent loan to the Palace of Westminster.[1] Objects can be temporarily moved to other exhibitions.
  2. ^ This figure counts items with two or more parts as a single object. For instance, the Royal Collection website states the pair of candlesticks weigh "408 7/20 oz (parts .a and .b together)" so they are classed here as one object, as are the chalices and patens; Charles II font, basin and lid; 1735 ewer and basin; armills; and spurs. It also includes the rod and coronet both added to the Jewel House in 2020 (see 'Prince of Wales coronets').
  3. ^ Technically, the Crown Jewels are the regalia and vestments used or worn by monarchs at a coronation.[4] However, the term has been commonly used to refer to the contents of the Jewel House since at least the 17th century.[5] The inventory in Keay (2011) extends to items displayed in the Martin Tower.
  4. ^ Husbands of queens regnant are not crowned in the United Kingdom.[8]
  5. ^ British Museum number 1990,0102.24
  6. ^ British Museum number 1957,0207.15
  7. ^ British Museum number 1956,1011.2
  8. ^ British Museum number 1939,1010.160
  9. ^ Thomas Frederick Tout gives an illuminating second-hand account of one such theft in A Mediæval Burglary (1916).
  10. ^ For the schedule of royal jewels see Nichols, John (1828), The Progresses, etc. of King James the First, vol. 2, p. 45.
  11. ^ "An Order of the House concerning the Pawning of the Crown Jewels at Amsterdam" can be found in Rushworth, John (1721), Historical Collections, vol. 4, p. 736.
  12. ^ For the inventory see Millar, Oliver, ed. (1972). "The Inventories and Valuations of the King's Goods 1649–1651" in The Volume of the Walpole Society, vol. 43. pp. 20–51.
  13. ^ Vyner outsourced work to fellow members of the Goldsmiths' Company.[73]
  14. ^ There is a list of additions and alterations up to Queen Victoria's 1838 coronation in Jones, pp. 63–72. For a timeline of changes between 1855 and 1967 see Holmes and Sitwell, pp. 76–78. A thorough history is contained in Blair, vol. 2.
  15. ^ In 1937 and 1953 the coronation was rehearsed using a set of replicas made by Messrs Robert White and Sons. After 1953 the set was purchased jointly by the Abbey and the Ministry of Works, and it has been displayed in the Abbey's triforium since 2018.[88]
  16. ^ The Tudor Crown was reinstated in 2022 by Elizabeth's successor, Charles III.[100]
  17. ^ Prior to decimalisation in 1971 the sword was redeemed for 100 shillings.[139]
  18. ^ Objects are listed in the order in which they are presented to a monarch.
  19. ^ George IV never wore the Supertunica. Westminster Abbey took custody of the robe and it was donated to the Crown by a private owner in 1911.[164]
  20. ^ Further reading on this subject: Nash, Michael L. (2017). "The Jewels of the Kingdom". Royal Wills in Britain from 1509 to 2008. Palgrave Macmillan. pp. 61–86. ISBN 978-1-137-60144-5.
  21. ^ In 1995, three historical crown frames then owned by Asprey and now in the Tower of London were valued for an export licence application:[220]

References

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  223. ^ Hoey, p. 197.

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External links

 
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Crown jewels of the United Kingdom.
  • Royal Collection Trust
  • The Crown Jewels at Historic Royal Palaces
  • The Crown Jewels at the website of the British royal family

Videos:

July 04, 2023
crown, jewels, united, kingdom, originally, crown, jewels, england, collection, royal, ceremonial, objects, kept, tower, london, which, include, coronation, regalia, vestments, worn, british, monarchs, crown, jewelsst, edward, crown, centrepiece, british, coro. The Crown Jewels of the United Kingdom originally the Crown Jewels of England are a collection of royal ceremonial objects kept in the Tower of London which include the coronation regalia and vestments worn by British monarchs c Crown JewelsSt Edward s Crown is the centrepiece of the British coronation regalia OverviewCountryUnited KingdomLocationTower of London a Size142 objects 2 b 35 pieces of secular plate31 pieces of altar plate16 trumpets13 maces7 sovereign crowns6 consort crowns6 swords6 sceptres3 robes3 rings3 pieces of baptismal plate3 Prince of Wales coronets2 orbs2 pairs of armills1 pair of spurs1 ampulla1 spoon1 staff1 armlet1 mondeOldestCoronation Spoon 12th century NewestCharles III s stole 2023 Stones23 578 including Cullinan I Cullinan II Koh i Noor Black Prince s Ruby Stuart Sapphire St Edward s SapphireOwnerCharles III in right of the Crown 3 ManagersCrown JewellerRoyal Collection TrustHistoric Royal PalacesWebsitehrp org ukrct ukSymbols of over 800 years of monarchy 6 the coronation regalia are the only working set in Europe and the collection is the most historically complete of any regalia in the world 7 Objects used to invest and crown British monarchs variously denote their role as head of state of the United Kingdom and other countries of the Commonwealth Supreme Governor of the Church of England and head of the British armed forces They feature heraldic devices and national emblems of England Scotland Wales and Northern Ireland Use of regalia by monarchs in England can be traced back to when the country was converted to Christianity in the Early Middle Ages A permanent set of coronation regalia once belonging to Edward the Confessor was established after he was made a saint in the 12th century These holy relics were kept at Westminster Abbey the venue of coronations since 1066 and another set of regalia was reserved for religious feasts and State Openings of Parliament Collectively these objects came to be known as the Jewels of the Crown Most of the collection dates from around 350 years ago when Charles II ascended the throne The medieval and Tudor regalia had been sold or melted down after the monarchy was abolished in 1649 during the English Civil War Only four original items predate the Restoration a late 12th century anointing spoon the oldest object and three early 17th century swords The regalia continued to be used by British monarchs after the kingdoms of England and Scotland merged in 1707 The regalia contain 23 578 gemstones among them Cullinan I 530 carats 106 g the largest clear cut diamond in the world set in the Sovereign s Sceptre with Cross It was cut from the largest gem quality rough diamond ever found the eponymous Cullinan discovered in South Africa in 1905 and presented to Edward VII On the Imperial State Crown are Cullinan II 317 carats 63 g the Stuart Sapphire St Edward s Sapphire and the Black Prince s Ruby a large red spinel The Koh i Noor diamond 105 carats 21 g was acquired by Queen Victoria from the Sikh Empire and has featured on three consort crowns A small number of historical objects at the Tower are either empty or set with glass and crystal replicas At a coronation the monarch is anointed using holy oil poured from an ampulla into the spoon invested with robes and ornaments and crowned with St Edward s Crown Afterwards it is exchanged for the lighter Imperial State Crown which is also usually worn at State Openings of Parliament Wives of kings known as queens consort are invested with a plainer set of regalia d Also regarded as crown jewels are state swords trumpets ceremonial maces church plate historical regalia banqueting plate and royal christening fonts They are part of the Royal Collection and belong to the institution of monarchy passing from one sovereign to the next When not in use the Jewels are on public display in the Jewel House where they are seen by 2 5 million visitors every year Contents 1 History 1 1 Prehistory and Romans 1 2 Anglo Saxons 1 3 Edward the Confessor 1 4 Late medieval period 1 5 Tudors and early Stuarts 1 6 Interregnum 1 7 Restoration to present 2 Crowns 2 1 St Edward s Crown 2 2 Imperial State Crown 2 3 Consort crowns 2 4 Prince of Wales coronets 2 5 Non coronation crowns 3 Processional objects 3 1 Swords 3 2 St Edward s Staff 3 3 Trumpets 3 4 Maces 4 Anointing objects 4 1 Ampulla 4 2 Coronation Spoon 5 Robes and ornaments 5 1 Robes 5 2 Spurs 5 3 Armills 5 4 Orbs 5 5 Rings 5 6 Sceptres 6 Altar plate 7 Banqueting plate 8 Baptismal plate 9 Ownership management and value 10 See also 11 Notes 12 References 13 Bibliography 14 External linksHistory EditPrehistory and Romans Edit The earliest known use of a crown in Britain was discovered by archaeologists in 1988 in Deal Kent and dates to between 200 and 150 BCE A sword brooch ceremonial shield and decorated bronze crown with a single arch e which sat directly on the head of its wearer were found inside the tomb of the Mill Hill Warrior 9 At this point crowns were symbols of authority worn by religious and military leaders Priests continued to use crowns following the Roman conquest of Britain in 43 CE 10 A dig in a field at Hockwold cum Wilton Norfolk in the 1950s revealed a bronze crown with two arches and depictions of male faces f as well as two bronze diadems with an adjustable headband and repousse silver embellishments dating from the Roman period One diadem features a plaque in the centre depicting a man holding a sphere and an object similar to a shepherd s crook g analogues of the orb and sceptre that evolved later as royal ornaments 11 Anglo Saxons Edit King AEthelstan wearing a crown presents an illuminated manuscript to St Cuthbert c 930 By the early 5th century the Romans had withdrawn from Britain and the Angles and the Saxons settled A heptarchy of new kingdoms began to emerge One method used by regional kings to solidify their authority was the use of ceremony and insignia 12 The tomb of an unknown king evidence suggests it may be Raedwald of East Anglia r c 599 624 at Sutton Hoo provides insight into the regalia of a pre Christian Anglo Saxon monarch 13 Inside the early 7th century tomb discovered in 1939 was found the ornate Sutton Hoo helmet consisting of an iron cap a neck guard and a face mask decorated with copper alloy images of animals and warriors set with garnets 14 He was also buried with a decorated sword a ceremonial shield and a heavy whetstone sceptre h on top of which is an iron ring surmounted by the figure of a stag 13 In 597 CE a Benedictine monk was sent by Pope Gregory I to start converting Pagan England to Christianity The monk Augustine became the first archbishop of Canterbury Within two centuries the ritual of anointing monarchs with holy oil and crowning them initially with helmets in a Christian ceremony had been established and regalia took on a religious identity There was still no permanent set of coronation regalia each monarch generally had a new set made with which they were buried upon death 15 In 9th century Europe gold crowns in the Byzantine tradition were replacing bronze and gold soon became the standard material for English royal crowns 16 King AEthelstan r 924 939 united the various Anglo Saxon realms to form the Kingdom of England In the earliest known depiction of an English king wearing a crown he is shown presenting a copy of Bede s Life of St Cuthbert to the saint himself 17 Until his reign kings were portrayed on coins wearing helmets and circlets 18 or wreath like diadems in the style of Roman emperor Constantine the Great Whether they actually wore such an item is not known 11 Edgar the Peaceful r 959 975 was the first English king to be crowned with an actual crown and a sceptre was also introduced for his coronation 19 After crowns sceptres were the most potent symbols of royal authority in medieval England 20 Edward the Confessor Edit Edward the Confessor r 1042 1066 is depicted on a throne and wearing a crown while holding a sceptre in the first scene of the Bayeux Tapestry 21 Edward died without an heir and William the Conqueror emerged as the first Norman king of England following his victory over the English at the Battle of Hastings Wearing a crown became an important part of William I s efforts to assert authority over his new territory and subjects 22 At his death in 1087 the Anglo Saxon Chronicle reported William kept great state He wore his crown three times a year as often as he was in England He was so stern and relentless we must not forget the good order he kept in the land 23 Those crown wearings were held on the religious festivals of Easter Whitsun and Christmas 24 The first great seal of Edward the Confessor In 1161 Edward the Confessor was made a saint and objects connected with his reign became holy relics The monks at his burial place Westminster Abbey claimed that Edward had asked them to look after his regalia in perpetuity and that they were to be used at the coronations of all future kings 22 A note to this effect is contained in an inventory of precious relics drawn up by a monk at the abbey in 1450 recording a tunicle dalmatic pallium and other vestments a gold sceptre two rods a gold crown comb and spoon a crown and two rods for the queen s coronation and a chalice of onyx stone and a paten made of gold for the Holy Communion 25 Although the Abbey s claim is likely to have been an exercise in self promotion and some of the regalia had probably been taken from Edward s grave when he was reinterred there it became accepted as fact 22 thereby establishing the first known set of hereditary coronation regalia in Europe 26 Westminster Abbey is owned by a monarch 27 and the regalia had always been royal property the abbots were mere custodians In the following centuries some of these objects would fall out of use and the regalia would expand to include many others used or worn by monarchs and queens consort at coronations 28 An object referred to as St Edward s Crown is first recorded as having been used for the coronation of Henry III r 1216 1272 and appears to be the same crown worn by Edward Being crowned and invested with regalia owned by a previous monarch who was also a saint reinforced the king s legitimacy 29 It was also wrongly thought to have originally been owned by Alfred the Great r 871 899 because an inscription on the lid of its box translated from Latin read This is the chief crown of the two with which were crowned Kings Alfred Edward and others 30 The crown would be used in many subsequent coronations until its eventual destruction 400 years later Few descriptions survive although one 17th century historian noted that it was ancient Work with Flowers adorn d with Stones of somewhat a plain setting 31 and an inventory described it as gold wire work set with slight stones and two little bells weighing 2 25 kilograms 79 5 oz 32 It had arches and may have been decorated with filigree and cloisonne enamels 33 Also in the Royal Collection in this period was an item called a state crown which together with other crowns rings and swords constituted the monarch s state regalia that were mainly kept at royal palaces 34 Late medieval period Edit The Stone of Scone in the Coronation Chair at Westminster Abbey 1859 The handing over of crowns symbolised the transfer of power between rulers Following the defeat in 1282 of the Welsh prince Llewelyn ap Gruffydd by Edward I r 1272 1307 the Welsh regalia including the crown of the legendary King Arthur were surrendered to England According to the Chronicle of Aberconwy Abbey and so the glory of Wales and the Welsh was handed over to the kings of England 35 After the invasion of Scotland in 1296 the Stone of Scone was sent to the Tower of London in recognition of a kingdom surrendered and conquered 36 It was fitted into a wooden chair which came to be used for the investiture of English kings and known as the Coronation Chair 37 The Scottish regalia were also taken to London and offered at the shrine of Edward the Confessor 38 Scotland eventually regained its independence 39 In the treasury of Edward II r 1307 1327 there were no fewer than 10 crowns 40 When Richard II r 1377 1399 was forced to abdicate he symbolically handed St Edward s Crown over to his successor with the words I present and give to you this crown and all the rights dependent on it 41 Monarchs often pledged items of state regalia as collateral for loans Edward III r 1327 1377 pawned his magna corona to Baldwin of Luxembourg in 1339 for more than 16 650 42 equivalent to 18 926 055 in 2021 43 Three crowns and other jewels were held by the Bishop of London and the Earl of Arundel in the 1370s as security for 10 000 44 One crown was exchanged with the Corporation of London in 1386 for a 4 000 loan Mayors knights peers bankers and other wealthy subjects sometimes released objects on a temporary basis for the royal family to use at state occasions Monarchs also distributed plate and jewels to troops in lieu of money 45 At some point in the 14th century all of the state regalia were moved to the White Tower at the Tower of London owing to a series of successful and attempted thefts in Westminster Abbey i The holy relics of the coronation regalia stayed behind intact at the Abbey 46 Having fallen out of use in England in the 13th century 47 two arches topped with a monde and cross reappeared on the state crown during the reign of Henry V r 1413 1422 44 though arches did not feature on the Great Seal again until 1471 48 Known as a closed or imperial crown the arches and cross symbolised the king s pretensions of being an emperor of his own domain subservient to no one but God unlike some continental rulers who owed fealty to more powerful kings or to the Holy Roman emperor 49 Tudors and early Stuarts Edit The traditions established in the medieval period continued later By the mid 15th century a crown was formally worn on six religious feasts every year Christmas Epiphany Easter Whitsun All Saints Day and one or both feasts of St Edward 50 A crown was displayed and worn at the annual State Opening of Parliament 51 Also around this time three swords symbols of kingship since ancient times were being used in the coronation ceremony to represent the king s powers in the administration of justice the Sword of Spiritual Justice the Sword of Temporal Justice and the blunt Sword of Mercy 52 Elizabeth I the last Tudor monarch in her coronation robes An emerging item of regalia was the orb described in Tudor inventories as a gold ball with a cross 53 which underlined the monarch s sovereignty Orbs had been pictorial emblems of royal authority in England since the early Middle Ages but a real orb was probably not used at any English coronation until Henry VIII r 1509 1547 54 State regalia increasingly passed from one monarch to the next The best example of this was the Tudor Crown probably created at the beginning of the Tudor dynasty 53 It first appears in a royal inventory during Henry VIII s reign and was one of three used at the coronation of each of his next three successors the other two being St Edward s Crown and a rich crown made specially for the new monarch 55 After the English Reformation when England broke away from the authority of the Roman Catholic Church the Church of England denounced the veneration of medieval relics and downplayed the history of St Edward s regalia 56 The concept of hereditary state regalia was enshrined in English law in 1606 when James I r 1603 1625 the first Stuart king to rule England decreed a list of Roiall and Princely ornaments and Jewells to be indyvidually and inseparably for ever hereafter annexed to the Kingdome of this Realme 53 j After James died his son Charles I r 1625 1649 ascended the throne Desperate for money one of his first acts was to load 41 masterpieces from the Jewel House onto a ship bound for Amsterdam the hub of Europe s jewel trade This hoard of unique treasures including the Mirror of Great Britain brooch a 14th century pendant called the Three Brothers a 4 7 kilogram 10 lb gold salt cellar known as the Morris Dance and much fine Elizabethan plate was expected to swell the king s coffers by 300 000 but fetched only 70 000 57 Charles s many conflicts with Parliament stemming from his belief in the divine right of kings and the many religious conflicts that pervaded his reign triggered the English Civil War in 1642 58 Parliament deemed the regalia Jewels of the Crown their ownership was vested in the monarch by virtue of his public role as king and not owned by him personally 59 To avoid legal risk to his subjects Charles asked his wife Henrietta Maria to smuggle the inalienable property of the Crown abroad and sell it on the Dutch jewellery market Upon learning of the scheme the House of Lords and House of Commons both declared anyone involved in trafficking the Crown Jewels to be enemies of the state 60 k Henrietta succeeded in disposing of a small quantity of jewels albeit at a heavy discount and shipped guns and ammunition back to England for the royalist cause 61 Two years later Parliament seized 187 kilograms 412 lb of rare silver gilt pieces from the Jewel House and used the proceeds to bankroll its own side of the war 62 Interregnum Edit Charles I standing beside Henry VIII s Crown 1631 After six years of war Charles was defeated and executed and less than a week later the Rump Parliament voted to abolish the monarchy The newly created English Commonwealth found itself short of money To raise funds the Act for the Sale of the Goods and Personal Estate of the Late King Queen and Prince was brought into law and trustees were appointed to value the Jewels then regarded by Oliver Cromwell as symbolic of the detestable rule of kings 63 and monuments of superstition and idolatry 64 and sell them to the highest bidder l The most valuable object was Henry VIII s Crown valued at 1 100 65 Their gemstones and pearls removed most of the coronation and state regalia were melted down and struck into coins by the Mint 66 Two nuptial crowns survived the Crown of Margaret of York and the Crown of Princess Blanche had been taken out of England centuries before the Civil War when Margaret and Blanche married kings in continental Europe Both crowns and the 9th century Alfred Jewel give a sense of the character of royal jewellery in England in the Middle Ages 67 Another rare survivor is the 600 year old Crystal Sceptre a gift from Henry V to the Lord Mayor of London who still bears it at coronations 68 Many pieces of English plate that were presented to visiting dignitaries can be seen in museums throughout Europe 69 Cromwell declined Parliament s invitations to be made king and became Lord Protector It was marked by a ceremony in Westminster Hall in 1657 where he donned purple robes sat on the Coronation Chair and was invested with many traditional symbols of sovereignty except a crown 70 A crown perhaps made of gilded base metal which was typical of funerary crowns in those days was placed beside Cromwell at his lying in state in 1660 71 Restoration to present Edit The monarchy was restored after Cromwell s death For the English coronation of Charles II r 1660 1685 who had been living in exile abroad 72 new Jewels were made based on records of the lost items 63 They were supplied by the banker and royal goldsmith m Sir Robert Vyner at a cost of 12 184 7s 2d 63 as much as three warships 74 It was decided to fashion the replicas like the medieval regalia and to use the original names These 22 carat gold objects 16 made in 1660 and 1661 form the nucleus of the Crown Jewels St Edward s Crown two sceptres an orb an ampulla a pair of spurs a pair of armills or bracelets and a staff A medieval silver gilt anointing spoon and three early Stuart swords had survived and were returned to the Crown 75 and the Dutch ambassador arranged the return of extant jewels pawned in Holland 76 The king also spent 11 800 acquiring 2 270 kilograms 5 000 lb of altar and banqueting plate and he was presented with conciliatory gifts 77 Thomas Blood making his escape drawn 1793 In 1669 the Jewels went on public display for the first time in the Jewel House at the Tower of London The Deputy Keeper of the Jewel House took the regalia out of a cupboard and showed it to visitors for a small fee 78 This informal arrangement was ended two years later when Thomas Blood an Irish born army officer loyal to Parliament attacked the 77 year old and stole a crown a sceptre and an orb Blood and his three accomplices were apprehended at the castle perimeter but the crown had been flattened with a mallet in an attempt to conceal it and there was a dent in the orb 79 He was pardoned by the king who also gave him land and a pension it has been suggested that Blood was treated leniently because he was a government spy 80 Ever since the Jewels have been protected by armed guards 81 Since the Restoration there have been many additions and alterations to the regalia n A new set was commissioned in 1685 for Mary of Modena the first queen consort to be crowned since the Restoration Charles II was unmarried when he took the throne Another more elaborate set had to be made for Mary II r 1689 1694 who was crowned as joint sovereign with her husband William III r 1689 1702 63 After England and Scotland were united as one kingdom by the Acts of Union 1707 the Scottish regalia were locked away in a chest 82 and the English regalia continued to be used by British monarchs Gemstones were hired for coronations the fee typically being 4 of their value and replaced with glass and crystals for display in the Jewel House a practice that continued until the early 20th century 63 As enemy planes targeted London during the Second World War the Crown Jewels were secretly moved to Windsor Castle 83 The most valuable gemstones were taken out of their settings by James Mann Master of the Armouries and Sir Owen Morshead the Royal Librarian They were wrapped in cotton wool placed in a tall glass preserving jar which was then sealed in a biscuit tin and hidden in the castle s basement Also placed in the jar was a note from the King stating that he had personally directed that the gemstones be removed from their settings As the Crown Jewels were bulky and thus difficult to transport without a vehicle the idea was that if the Nazis invaded the historic precious stones could easily be carried on someone s person without drawing suspicion and if necessary buried or sunk 84 After the war the Jewels were kept in a vault at the Bank of England for two years while the Jewel House was repaired the Tower had been struck by a bomb 85 On 6 May 2023 86 St Edward s Crown was placed on the head of Charles III r 2022 present in the only ceremony of its kind in Europe 87 o Other European monarchies have abandoned coronations in favour of secular ceremonies 89 The Crown Jewels comprise 142 objects 90 which are permanently set with 23 578 precious and semi precious stones and are seen by around 2 5 million visitors every year 91 Crowns EditCrowns are the main symbols of royal authority 92 All crowns in the Tower are decorated with alternating crosses pattee and fleurs de lis a pattern which first appears on the great seal of Richard III 48 and their arches are surmounted with a monde and cross pattee Most of the crowns also have a red or purple velvet cap and an ermine border 2 St Edward s Crown Edit The centrepiece of the coronation regalia is named after Edward the Confessor and is placed on the monarch s head at the moment of crowning 93 Made of gold and completed in 1661 St Edward s Crown is embellished with 444 stones including amethysts garnets peridots rubies sapphires topazes tourmalines and zircons 94 The coronation crown closely resembles the medieval one with a heavy gold base and clusters of semi precious stones but the disproportionately large arches are a Baroque affectation 95 It was long assumed to be the original as their weight is almost identical and an invoice produced in 1661 was for the addition of gold to an existing crown In 2008 new research found that it had actually been made in 1660 and was enhanced the following year when Parliament increased the budget for Charles II s twice delayed coronation 96 The crown is 30 centimetres 11 8 in tall and at a weight of 2 23 kg 4 9 lb has been noted to be extremely heavy 94 After 1689 monarchs chose to be crowned with a lighter bespoke coronation crown e g that of George IV 97 or their state crown while St Edward s Crown rested on the high altar 93 At Queen Victoria s coronation in 1838 it was entirely absent from the ceremony The tradition of using St Edward s Crown was revived in 1911 by George V and has continued ever since 98 In 1953 Elizabeth II opted for a stylised image of this crown to be used on coats of arms badges logos and various other insignia in the Commonwealth realms to symbolise her royal authority replacing the image of a Tudor style crown adopted in 1901 by Edward VII 99 p Imperial State Crown Edit Elizabeth II wearing the Imperial State Crown 1953 A much lighter crown is worn by the monarch when leaving Westminster Abbey and at the annual State Opening of Parliament 101 The current Imperial State Crown was made in 1937 for George VI and is a copy of the one made in 1838 for Queen Victoria which had fallen into a poor state of repair 102 and had been made using gems from its own predecessor the State Crown of George I 103 In 1953 the crown was resized to fit Elizabeth II and the arches were lowered by 2 5 cm 1 in 104 The gold silver and platinum crown is decorated with 2 868 diamonds 273 pearls 17 sapphires 11 emeralds and 5 rubies 105 Among the largest stones are the 317 carat 63 g Cullinan II diamond also known as the Second Star of Africa added to the crown in 1909 the larger Cullinan I is set in the Sovereign s Sceptre The 170 carat 34 g Black Prince s Ruby set in the front cross is not actually a ruby but a large cabochon red spinel According to legend it was given to Edward the Black Prince by the Spanish king Peter of Castile in 1367 and Henry V wore it at the Battle of Agincourt 106 How the stone found its way back into the Royal Collection after the Interregnum is unclear but a substantial ruby was acquired for the Crown Jewels in 1661 at a cost of 400 and this may well have been the spinel 107 On the back of the crown is the 104 carat 20 8 g cabochon Stuart Sapphire and in the top cross is St Edward s Sapphire reputedly taken from the ring of the Confessor when his body was re interred at the Abbey in 1163 106 Below the monde hang four pearls three of which are often said to have belonged to Elizabeth I but the association is almost certainly erroneous 108 Consort crowns Edit After the Restoration wives of kings queens consort traditionally wore the State Crown of Mary of Modena who first wore it at her coronation in 1685 Originally set with 561 hired diamonds and 129 pearls it was re set with crystals and cultured pearls for display in the Jewel House along with a matching diadem that consorts wore in procession to the Abbey The diadem once held 177 diamonds 1 ruby 1 sapphire and 1 emerald 109 By the 19th century that crown was judged to be too theatrical and in a poor state of repair so in 1831 the Crown of Queen Adelaide was made for Adelaide of Saxe Meiningen using gemstones from her private jewellery 110 Queen Mary s Crown with eight half arches and the Koh i Noor diamond set in the front cross Thus began a tradition of each queen consort having a custom made crown 111 In 1902 the Crown of Queen Alexandra a European style crown flatter and with eight half arches instead of the typical four was made for Alexandra of Denmark to wear at her coronation Set with over 3 000 diamonds it was the first consort crown to include the Koh i Noor diamond presented to Queen Victoria in 1850 following the British conquest of the Punjab Originally 191 carats 38 g and set in an armlet it was cut down to an oval brilliant weighing 105 carats 21 g which Victoria mounted in a brooch and circlet 112 The second was the Crown of Queen Mary also unusual for a British crown owing to its eight half arches it was made in 1911 for Mary of Teck Mary purchased the Art Deco inspired crown with her own money hoping it would become an heirloom used by future queens consort 113 Altogether it is adorned with 2 200 diamonds and once contained the 94 4 carat 19 g Cullinan III and 63 4 carat 13 g Cullinan IV diamonds Its arches were made detachable in 1914 allowing it to be worn as an open crown or circlet 114 After George V s death Mary continued wearing the crown without its arches as a queen mother so the Crown of Queen Elizabeth was created for Elizabeth Bowes Lyon later known as the Queen Mother to wear at her coronation in 1937 115 It is the only British crown made entirely out of platinum 114 and was modelled on Queen Mary s Crown but has four half arches instead of eight 116 The crown is decorated with about 2 800 diamonds with the Koh i Noor in the middle of the front cross It also contains a replica of the 22 5 carat 5 g Lahore Diamond given to Queen Victoria by the East India Company in 1851 117 and a 17 3 carat 3 g diamond given to her by Abdulmecid I Sultan of the Ottoman Empire in 1856 116 The crown was laid on top of the Queen Mother s coffin in 2002 during her lying in state and funeral 118 The crowns of Queen Alexandra and Queen Mary feature crystal replicas of the Koh i Noor which has been the subject of repeated controversy with governments of both India and Pakistan claiming to be the diamond s rightful owners and demanding its return ever since gaining independence from the UK Queen Camilla was crowned using Queen Mary s Crown at her coronation with Charles III on 6 May 2023 86 Alterations included re setting the crown with the original Cullinan diamonds and removing four of its eight half arches The Cullinan V brooch took the place of the Koh i Noor 119 Prince of Wales coronets Edit Coronet of Frederick Prince of Wales A relatively modest gold coronet was made in 1728 for Frederick Prince of Wales the eldest son of George II It takes the form laid down in a royal warrant issued by Charles II in 1677 120 which states the Son amp Heir apparent of the Crown for the time being shall use amp bear his coronett composed of crosses amp flowers de Lizs with one Arch amp in the midst a Ball amp Cross 121 The single arch denotes inferiority to the monarch while showing that the prince outranks other royal children whose coronets have no arches 122 Frederick never wore his coronet instead it was placed on a cushion in front of him when he first took his seat in the House of Lords It was subsequently used by George III George IV and Edward VII when they were Princes of Wales 123 Due to its age a new silver gilt coronet was made for the future George V to wear at Edward VII s coronation in 1902 In contrast to the earlier coronet which has a depressed arch the arch on this one is raised At George s coronation in 1911 the coronet was worn by his eldest son Edward 124 who was invested as Prince of Wales at Caernarfon Castle a month later 125 The revival of this public ceremony not performed since the early 17th century was intended to boost the Royal family s profile in Wales Princely regalia known as the Honours of Wales were designed for the occasion by Goscombe John comprising a Welsh gold circlet with pearls amethysts and engraved daffodils a rod a ring a sword and a robe with doublet and sash 126 After he became king in 1936 Edward VIII abdicated the same year and emigrated to France 127 where the 1902 coronet remained in his possession until his death in 1972 In its absence a new coronet had to be created in 1969 for the investiture of the future Charles III 128 which is made from gold and platinum and is set with diamonds and emeralds Both it and the rod were added to the Jewel House in 2020 129 joining the 1728 and 1902 coronets Non coronation crowns Edit In the Jewel House there are two crowns that were never intended to be worn at a coronation Queen Victoria s Small Diamond Crown is just 10 cm 3 9 in tall and was made in 1870 using 1 187 diamonds for Victoria to wear on top of her widow s cap She often wore it at State Openings of Parliament in place of the much heavier Imperial State Crown After the queen s death in 1901 the crown passed to her daughter in law Queen Alexandra and later Queen Mary 130 When George V attended the Delhi Durbar with Queen Mary in 1911 to be proclaimed but not crowned as Emperor of India he wore the Imperial Crown of India As the British constitution forbids coronation regalia to leave the United Kingdom it was not possible for him to wear St Edward s Crown or the Imperial State Crown so one had to be made specially for the event It contains 6 170 diamonds 9 emeralds 4 rubies and 4 sapphires 131 The crown has not been used since and is considered a part of the Crown Jewels 132 Processional objects EditA coronation begins with the procession into Westminster Abbey 133 Swords Edit Left to right The Sword of Offering the Sword of State and the Sword of Mercy The swords of state reflect a monarch s role as Head of the British Armed Forces and Defender of the Faith 134 Three are carried before the monarch into the Abbey the blunt Sword of Mercy also known as Curtana the Sword of Spiritual Justice and the Sword of Temporal Justice 52 All are believed to have been supplied at the time of James I between 1610 and 1620 probably by a member of the Worshipful Company of Cutlers 135 using blades created in the 1580s by Italian bladesmiths Giandonato and Andrea Ferrara They were deposited with St Edward s regalia at the Abbey by Charles II Before that point new swords had been made for each coronation since the 15th century 52 Sold in the civil war they were returned at the Restoration and their use was first recorded at the coronation of James II in 1685 135 The two handed Sword of State made in 1678 symbolises the monarch s authority and is also carried before the monarch at State Openings of Parliament 136 Its wooden sheath made in 1689 is bound in crimson velvet decorated with silver gilt emblems of England Scotland and Ireland fleurs de lis and portcullises 137 The lion of England and unicorn of Scotland form the cross piece to the sword s handle The sword weighs 3 6 kg 8 lb and is 1 2 m 4 ft long During a coronation it must be held for much of the service pointing upwards without touching the body by the Lord President of the Privy Council 138 Before the investiture the unwieldly Sword of State is exchanged for the lighter Sword of Offering which is described as the one true coronation sword Commissioned by George IV for his extravagant 1821 coronation its gilded leather sheath is encrusted with 1 251 diamonds 16 rubies 2 sapphires and 2 turquoises 139 The sword has a partly blued and gilt steel blade 140 and its handle is set with 2 141 diamonds 12 emeralds and 4 rubies 139 The stones are arranged to form roses thistles shamrocks oak leaves and acorns Two diamond lion heads one at each end of the cross piece have ruby eyes 141 George paid more than 5 000 for the sword out of his own pocket in a radical change from the austere 2 swords used by his 18th century predecessors It remained in the Royal family s personal ownership until 1903 when it was deposited with the Crown Jewels and has been used at every coronation since 1911 139 A monarch is girded and blessed using the sword which is returned to the Keeper of the Jewel House by the Abbey for a token sum of 5 74 q and is borne unsheathed for the rest of the ceremony 139 The 17th century Irish Sword of State was held by the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland a viceroy prior to Ireland s independence from the UK in 1922 and has been displayed in the Jewel House since 1959 The handle takes the form of a lion and a unicorn and is decorated with a celtic harp Each new viceroy was invested with the sword at Dublin Castle where it usually sat across the arms of a throne representing the king or queen in their absence It was borne in procession in front of monarchs during their official visits to Dublin In June 1921 the sword was present at the official opening of the Parliament of Northern Ireland by George V The sword was displayed at Dublin Castle in 2018 as part of the Making Majesty exhibition the first time it had been to Ireland in 95 years 142 St Edward s Staff Edit St Edward s Staff is a 1 4 metre long 4 6 ft ceremonial gold walking stick made for Charles II in 1661 It has a plain monde and cross at the top and a steel pike at the bottom 143 This object is almost certainly a copy of the long rod mentioned in the list of royal plate and jewels destroyed in 1649 144 although the pre Interregnum version was gold and silver and topped by a dove 145 The staff s intended role in the coronation has been forgotten since medieval times and so it is carried into the Abbey by a peer as a holy relic and laid on the altar where it remains throughout the ceremony 146 Trumpets Edit Trumpeters and a mace bearer at the English coronation of James II The Crown Jewels include 16 silver trumpets dating from between 1780 and 1848 2 Nine are draped with red silk damask banners embroidered with coats of arms in gold originally made for Queen Victoria s coronation in 1838 They have not been used since the Corps of State Trumpeters was disbanded as a cost cutting measure in the 19th century 147 The trumpeters main job was to sound a fanfare at key points in the coronation and they also played at the banquet afterwards in Westminster Hall 148 Today the Band of the Household Cavalry and the Central Band of the Royal Air Force play their own trumpets at state occasions 149 150 Maces Edit Main article Ceremonial maces in the United Kingdom Beginning as lethal weapons of medieval knights maces evolved into ceremonial objects carried by sergeants at arms that represent a monarch s authority 1 The House of Commons can only operate lawfully when the royal mace dating from Charles II s reign is present at the table Two other maces dating from the reigns of Charles II and William III are used by the House of Lords one of which is placed on the Woolsack before the house meets and is absent when a monarch is there in person delivering the King s or Queen s Speech 151 In the late 17th century there were 16 maces but only 13 survive 10 of which are on display at the Tower of London Two of these are carried in the royal procession at State Openings of Parliament and coronations Each mace is about 1 5 m 4 9 ft long and weighs an average of 10 kg 22 lb 152 They are silver gilt and were made between 1660 and 1695 2 Anointing objects EditWhen a monarch is anointed the Dean of Westminster first pours holy anointing oil from an ampulla into a spoon 153 Ampulla Edit The Ampulla The Ampulla 20 5 cm 8 in tall and weighing 660 g 1 lb 7 1 4 oz is a hollow gold vessel made in 1661 and shaped like an eagle with outspread wings Its head unscrews enabling the vessel to be filled with oil which exits via a hole in the beak 154 The original ampulla was a small stone phial sometimes worn around the neck as a pendant by kings and otherwise kept inside an eagle shaped golden reliquary 155 According to 14th century legend the Virgin Mary appeared to Thomas Becket Archbishop of Canterbury from 1162 until 1170 and presented him with a gold eagle and some oil for anointing English kings 154 This ampulla was first recorded as being used at Henry IV s coronation in 1399 and was deposited for safekeeping with St Edward s regalia at the Abbey by Richard III in 1483 56 Known as the Holy Oil of St Thomas the same batch was used to anoint all subsequent kings and queens except Mary I until it eventually ran out in 1625 It is unclear why after the Restoration the vessel itself came to be reinterpreted as an eagle standing on a domed base 155 In terms of religious importance the anointing objects are second only to St Edward s Crown 156 and in 2013 the ampulla stood beside the crown on the altar of Westminster Abbey at a service marking the 60th anniversary of Elizabeth II s coronation 157 Coronation Spoon Edit The 27 centimetre long 10 1 2 in Coronation Spoon which dates from the late 12th century is silver gilt and set with four pearls added in the 17th century A ridge divides the bowl in half creating grooves into which the Archbishop of Canterbury dips two fingers and anoints the monarch as Supreme Governor of the Church of England Originally it may have been used for mixing water and wine in a chalice The spoon is first known to have been used to anoint a monarch at the English coronation of James I in 1603 158 It is the oldest surviving piece of the Crown Jewels and the only surviving English royal goldsmith s work from the 1100s first recorded in the Royal Collection in 1349 as a spoon of ancient form and was probably made for Henry II or Richard I 159 In 1649 the spoon was sold for 16 shillings to Clement Kynnersley Yeoman of the Removing Wardrobe who returned it to Charles II upon the restoration of the monarchy 160 The silver gilt Coronation SpoonRobes and ornaments EditThe anointing is followed by investing with coronations robes and ornaments r Robes Edit Queen Victoria wearing a copy of the Imperial Mantle kept in the Museum of London 161 1838 All the robes have priestly connotations and their form has changed little since the Middle Ages A tradition of wearing St Edward s robes came to an end in 1547 after the English Reformation but was revived in 1603 by James I to emphasise his belief in the divine nature of kingship 162 As well as robes a monarch also wore cloth of gold buskins or sandals depending on his or her foot size 163 These holy relics were destroyed along with royal crowns and ornaments in the Civil War New robes were made for each monarch starting with Charles II a practice that ended in 1911 when George V reused the 1902 Supertunica a dalmatic and the Imperial Mantle a cope fashioned for George IV in 1821 162 s They were also worn by his successors George VI Elizabeth II and Charles III Together the gold robes weigh approximately 10 kg 22 lb 165 A new Stole Royal was made in 2023 for Charles III by the Royal School of Needlework taking inspiration from the 1953 stole of his predecessor Elizbeth II It is adorned with emblems of the four countries of the United Kingdom a dove representing the Holy Spirit a Tudor style crown and a pattern based on the Cosmati Pavement in Westminster Abbey 166 Spurs Edit Prick spurs remade for Charles II are presented to the monarch They are made of solid gold richly embossed with floral patterns and scrolls and have crimson velvet straps embroidered in gold Both necks terminate in a Tudor rose with a spike at its centre Also known as St George s Spurs they are emblems of knighthood and chivalry and denote the sovereign s role as head of the armed forces Gold spurs are first known to have been used in 1189 at the coronation of Richard I though it is likely they were introduced for Henry the Young King in 1170 and this element of the service was probably inspired by the initiation ceremony of knights A pair of mid 14th century spurs were added to St Edward s regalia at the Abbey in 1399 and used at all coronations until their destruction in 1649 167 Historically spurs were fastened to a monarch s feet but since the Restoration they are simply presented to the monarch 168 Armills Edit The Armills are gold bracelets of sincerity and wisdom 169 Like spurs they were first used at English coronations in the 12th century 170 By the 17th century armills were no longer delivered to the monarch but simply carried at the coronation A new pair had to be made in 1661 they are 4 cm 1 6 in wide 7 cm 2 8 in in diameter and champleve enamelled on the surface with roses thistles and harps the national symbols of England Scotland and Ireland as well as fleurs de lis 171 For Elizabeth II s coronation in 1953 the tradition of wearing armills was revived and a new set of plain 22 karat gold armills lined with crimson velvet presented to the Queen on behalf of various Commonwealth governments Each bracelet is fitted with an invisible hinge and a clasp in the form of a Tudor rose The hallmark includes a tiny portrait of the Queen 172 who continued to wear them upon leaving the Abbey and could be seen wearing them later along with the Imperial State Crown and Sovereign s Ring at her appearance on the balcony of Buckingham Palace 173 Orbs Edit Sovereign s Orb An orb a type of globus cruciger was first used at an English coronation by Henry VIII in 1509 and then by all subsequent monarchs apart from the early Stuart kings James I and Charles I who opted for the medieval coronation order The Tudor orb was deposited with St Edward s regalia at Westminster Abbey in 1625 174 Since 1661 the Sovereign s Orb is a hollow gold sphere about 16 5 cm 6 5 in in diameter and weighing 1 2 kg 2 6 lb more than twice as heavy as the original 174 made for Charles II 175 A band of gems and pearls runs along the equator and there is a half band on the top hemisphere Atop the orb is an amethyst surmounted by a jewelled cross symbolising the Christian world with a sapphire on one side and an emerald on the other 176 Altogether the orb is decorated with 375 pearls 365 diamonds 18 rubies 9 emeralds 9 sapphires 1 amethyst and 1 piece of glass 177 It is handed to the sovereign during the investiture rite of the coronation and is borne later in the left hand when leaving Westminster Abbey 178 A small version originally set with hired gems was made in 1689 for Mary II to hold at her coronation as joint sovereign with William III it was never used again at a coronation and was re set with imitation gems and cultured pearls The orb is 14 6 cm 5 7 in in diameter and weighs 1 07 kg 2 4 lb 175 Both orbs were laid on Queen Victoria s coffin at her state funeral in 1901 Officially no reason was given for using Mary II s orb but it may have been intended to reflect Victoria s position as Empress of India 179 Rings Edit The Sovereign s Ring has been worn by monarchs at their coronation since William IV in 1831 with the exceptions of Queen Victoria whose fingers were too small to retain it 180 and Charles III who acknowledged the ring but did not wear it 181 In the centre is a large octagonal sapphire overlaid with rubies forming a cross surrounded by 14 brilliant diamonds The general design is intended to represent the red St George s Cross England on the blue background of St Andrew s Cross Scotland 172 Rubies symbolise all the kingly virtues such as humility good morals and charity and have featured on coronation rings since the early Middle Ages 182 A small copy was made for Victoria who wrote in a letter The Archbishop had most awkwardly put the ring on the wrong finger and the consequence was that I had the greatest difficulty to take it off again which I at last did with great pain 183 her jewellers had measured the wrong finger 184 In 1919 both rings were deposited at the Tower along with the Queen Consort s Ring which is similar in design and was made in 1831 for Queen Adelaide 185 Before 1831 monarchs generally received a new ring symbolising their marriage to the nation 180 with perhaps two exceptions Richard II offered Westminster Abbey a solemn jewel a gold ring set with a precious stone called a ruby of no small value to be worn by his successors Evidence suggests it was later worn by Henry V 186 Another was the Stuart Coronation Ring probably used at the English coronations of Charles I and Charles II and certainly that of James II who took it into exile with him in France after the Glorious Revolution in 1688 It was returned to the Kingdom of Great Britain 100 years later and belongs to the Royal Collection of Gems and Jewels The ring has a large ruby etched with a St George s Cross and bordered by 26 diamonds Since 1830 it has been on permanent loan from Windsor Castle to Edinburgh Castle where it is displayed with the Honours of Scotland 187 The coronation ring of Mary II survives in the Portland Collection at Welbeck Abbey 188 Sceptres Edit The head of the Sovereign s Sceptre with Cross The sceptre a symbolic ornamental rod held by the monarch at a coronation is derived from the shepherd s staff via the crozier of a bishop 189 Two gold sceptres made in 1661 are part of the coronation regalia The Sovereign s Sceptre with Cross is a token of his or her temporal power as head of state The whole object is 92 cm 3 ft long weighs around 1 17 kg 2 6 lb and is decorated with 333 diamonds 31 rubies 15 emeralds 7 sapphires 6 spinels and 1 composite amethyst 190 In 1910 it was redesigned to incorporate Cullinan I also known as the Great Star of Africa which at over 530 carats 106 g is the largest clear cut diamond in the world 191 It was part of a rough diamond weighing 3 106 carats 621 2 g found in South Africa in 1905 and was named after Thomas Cullinan the chairman of the mining company The gold clasps holding it can be opened and the stone removed to be worn as a pendant hanging from Cullinan II which is set in the Imperial State Crown to form a brooch Queen Mary often wore it like this 106 Above the pear shaped diamond is the amethyst surmounted by a cross pattee encrusted with an emerald and small diamonds 191 The Sovereign s Sceptre with Dove which has also been known as the Rod of Equity and Mercy is emblematic of their spiritual role It is slightly longer at 1 1 m 3 6 ft but weighs about the same as the Sceptre with Cross The sceptre is decorated with 285 gemstones including 94 diamonds 53 rubies 10 emeralds 4 sapphires and 3 spinels 190 Circling the rod are bands of precious stones At the top is a gold monde set with diamonds and topped by a plain cross upon which sits a white enamelled dove with its wings outspread representing the Holy Ghost 192 A sceptre like this first appeared in the 11th century and was probably based on the German sceptre which was topped by an Imperial Eagle 189 The Sceptre with Dove is the penultimate piece of regalia to be delivered As the monarch holds both sceptres they are crowned with St Edward s Crown 184 The Crown Jewels include two sceptres made for Mary of Modena in 1685 a gold sceptre with a cross known as the Queen Consort s Sceptre with Cross and another made of ivory topped by a dove known as the Queen Consort s Ivory Rod with Dove Unlike the sovereign s dove this one has folded wings and is relatively small It was last used by Queen Elizabeth later known as the Queen Mother at her husband George VI s coronation in 1937 For the coronation of Mary II the wife and joint sovereign of William III a more elaborate gold sceptre with dove was commissioned in 1689 It has not been used since and went missing for several decades only to be found in 1814 at the back of a cupboard in the Tower of London 177 Altar plate Edit Altar dishes behind George V at his coronation in 1911 In the Jewel House there is a collection of chalices patens flagons candlesticks and dishes all silver gilt except five gold communion vessels that are displayed on the altars at Westminster Abbey during coronations Some are also used at other times 193 Although not regalia such items are considered to be Crown Jewels by virtue of their long association with the Jewel House 194 One of the most striking pieces is a large dish 95 cm 3 12 ft across and weighing 13 kg 28 7 lb in the centre of which is a relief depiction of the Last Supper Around the edge are four engravings of biblical scenes the Washing of the Feet the Walk to Emmaus the Coming of the Holy Ghost and Christ s Commission to the Apostles Made in 1664 for James Duke of York and later acquired by Charles II it stands on the high altar during a coronation ceremony 195 At each end of the altar stands a 91 cm 3 ft tall candlestick made in the 17th century which is engraved all over with scrolls leaves and flowers 196 An altar dish and flagon were made in 1691 for the royal Church of St Peter ad Vincula at the Tower of London The dish measures 70 cm 2 3 ft across and depicts the Last Supper above the coat of arms of co regents William III and Mary II 197 The flagon stands 42 5 cm 1 4 ft tall 198 Both pieces are still used in the chapel on Easter Whitsun and Christmas and they were first displayed at a coronation in 1821 199 Another dish still in regular use is the Maundy Dish one of six used by the King at Royal Maundy for handing out alms to elderly people in recognition of their service to the church and local community The ceremony which takes place in a different cathedral every year entirely replaced the ancient custom of washing the feet of the poor in 1730 and the dish though it bears the royal cypher of William and Mary dates from the reign of Charles II Two purses containing specially minted coins are taken from the dish and presented to each recipient 200 Banqueting plate Edit The Exeter Salt top centre with salt spoons either side a caddinet spice box lower left and a cruet lower right The last coronation banquet held at Westminster Hall took place in 1821 for George IV 201 Silverware used at those banquets include the Plymouth Fountain a wine fountain made around 1640 by a German goldsmith and presented to Charles II by the city of Plymouth Gilded for George II in 1726 it is 77 5 cm 2 5 ft tall and decorated with flowers fruit dolphins mermaids and sea monsters 202 The nautical theme is continued in the silver gilt Wine Cistern also known as the Grand Punch Bowl which is cast as a giant oyster shell It weighs 257 kg 567 lb is 0 76 m 2 5 ft tall 1 38 m 4 5 ft long and 1 01 m 3 3 ft wide and can hold 144 bottles of wine on ice 203 It was commissioned in 1829 by George IV but not completed until after his death It is the heaviest surviving piece of English banqueting plate 204 In 1841 the cistern was re purposed as a punch bowl with the addition of a large ivory stemmed ladle which has a silver gilt bowl in the form of a nautilus shell 205 The Exeter Salt is a 45 centimetre 1 5 ft tall salt cellar in the form of a castle on a rocky outcrop Each of its four main compartments held about 29 g 1 oz of salt while smaller ones held pepper and other spices 206 It was made c 1630 in Germany and is set with 73 gems probably added later The Salt was bought in Hamburg in 1657 by the city s British Resident as a peace offering to the Russian court which had cut all ties with Britain during the Interregnum He was turned away at the Russian border and eventually took it home to London In 1660 it was acquired from a private dealer for 700 by the city of Exeter and presented to Charles II 207 Eleven smaller salts named after St George were originally made for a St George s Day banquet of the Knights of the Garter in the late 17th century A twelfth the Queen Elizabeth Salt was made in 1572 during the reign of Elizabeth I for a member of the aristocracy it was later acquired by Charles II Twelve spoons made for George IV in 1820 complement these salts 208 Baptismal plate Edit The Lily Font on top of the Charles II font and basin at the christening of Edward Prince of Wales in 1842 Three silver gilt objects comprising a total of six parts associated with royal christenings are displayed in the Jewel House Charles II s 95 centimetre 3 ft 1 in tall font was created in 1661 and stood on a basin to catch any spills 2 Surmounting the font s domed lid is a figure of Philip the Evangelist baptising the Ethiopian eunuch 209 While Charles s marriage to Catherine of Braganza produced no heir the font may have been used to secretly baptise some of his 13 illegitimate children 210 In 1688 James Francis Edward Stuart son of James II and Mary of Modena was the first royal baby to be christened using this object 211 A ewer and basin of French design made in 1735 were only used at two christenings The 46 centimetre 1 ft 6 in tall ewer s handle is topped by a figure of Hercules slaying the Hydra an unlikely motif for baptismal plate suggesting it originally had an alternate purpose Indeed it was first used in 1738 at the impromptu christening of a very ill future George III only hours after his birth 212 His father Frederick Prince of Wales was also banished from the royal court and forbidden to use the Charles II font 210 An inscription on the ewer records its presence at the 1780 christening of George III s youngest son Prince Alfred 212 The Lily Font was made in 1840 for the christening of Victoria Princess Royal the first child of Queen Victoria who declined to use the Charles II font because of its unseemly history The 1661 font was recycled as a plinth pictured and its basin found a new role as an altar dish 210 The Lily Font stands 43 centimetres 1 ft 5 in tall and weighs approximately 10 kg 22 lb 213 It is decorated with water lilies symbolising purity and new life and cherubs plucking lyres The object has been used for the christenings of all of Elizabeth II s children and grandchildren except Princess Eugenie with holy water brought from the River Jordan 214 Ownership management and value EditThe Crown Jewels are part of the Royal Collection 90 As with Royal palaces ownership is regarded as inalienable and passes from one monarch to the next in perpetuity 215 However a 17th century ruling by Sir Edward Coke which states the ancient jewels of the crown are heirloomes and shall descend to the next successor and are not devisable by testament contains an exception allowing the monarch to dispose of objects via letters patent during their lifetime under the Great Seal or Privy Seal 216 t In 1995 Iain Sproat then Secretary of State for National Heritage confirmed that the disposal of the Royal Collection was entirely a matter for the Queen 217 Their potential value is generally not included in estimates of the monarch s wealth because in practice it is unlikely the Crown Jewels will ever be sold 215 nor are they insured against loss 218 and are officially described as priceless 219 u Maintenance alteration and repair falls to the Crown Jeweller a member of the Royal Household who cleans them after visiting hours at the Tower of London each January and accompanies the regalia and plate whenever they leave the Tower for use at royal ceremonies Older items have been conserved by experts from the British Museum 222 The Royal Collection Trust keeps an inventory of the jewels 4 and Historic Royal Palaces is responsible for their display 223 See also Edit Monarchy portal United Kingdom portalCap of Maintenance Collar order Jewels of Elizabeth II Diamond Diadem Royal Family Orders of the United Kingdom The Wash King John and his jewelsNotes Edit Three maces from the Jewel House are on permanent loan to the Palace of Westminster 1 Objects can be temporarily moved to other exhibitions This figure counts items with two or more parts as a single object For instance the Royal Collection website states the pair of candlesticks weigh 408 7 20 oz parts a and b together so they are classed here as one object as are the chalices and patens Charles II font basin and lid 1735 ewer and basin armills and spurs It also includes the rod and coronet both added to the Jewel House in 2020 see Prince of Wales coronets Technically the Crown Jewels are the regalia and vestments used or worn by monarchs at a coronation 4 However the term has been commonly used to refer to the contents of the Jewel House since at least the 17th century 5 The inventory in Keay 2011 extends to items displayed in the Martin Tower Husbands of queens regnant are not crowned in the United Kingdom 8 British Museum number 1990 0102 24 British Museum number 1957 0207 15 British Museum number 1956 1011 2 British Museum number 1939 1010 160 Thomas Frederick Tout gives an illuminating second hand account of one such theft in A Mediaeval Burglary 1916 For the schedule of royal jewels see Nichols John 1828 The Progresses etc of King James the First vol 2 p 45 An Order of the House concerning the Pawning of the Crown Jewels at Amsterdam can be found in Rushworth John 1721 Historical Collections vol 4 p 736 For the inventory see Millar Oliver ed 1972 The Inventories and Valuations of the King s Goods 1649 1651 in The Volume of the Walpole Society vol 43 pp 20 51 Vyner outsourced work to fellow members of the Goldsmiths Company 73 There is a list of additions and alterations up to Queen Victoria s 1838 coronation in Jones pp 63 72 For a timeline of changes between 1855 and 1967 see Holmes and Sitwell pp 76 78 A thorough history is contained in Blair vol 2 In 1937 and 1953 the coronation was rehearsed using a set of replicas made by Messrs Robert White and Sons After 1953 the set was purchased jointly by the Abbey and the Ministry of Works and it has been displayed in the Abbey s triforium since 2018 88 The Tudor Crown was reinstated in 2022 by Elizabeth s successor Charles III 100 Prior to decimalisation in 1971 the sword was redeemed for 100 shillings 139 Objects are listed in the order in which they are presented to a monarch George IV never wore the Supertunica Westminster Abbey took custody of the robe and it was donated to the Crown by a private owner in 1911 164 Further reading on this subject Nash Michael L 2017 The Jewels of the Kingdom Royal Wills in Britain from 1509 to 2008 Palgrave Macmillan pp 61 86 ISBN 978 1 137 60144 5 In 1995 three historical crown frames then owned by Asprey and now in the Tower of London were valued for an export licence application 220 State Crown of George I 576 000 c 915 000 in 2019 221 Crown of Queen Adelaide 425 000 c 675 000 in 2019 221 Coronation Crown of George IV 376 000 c 597 000 in 2019 221 References Edit a b Dixon Smith et al p 12 a b c d e Keay 2011 pp 189 195 Crown Jewels Parliamentary Debates Hansard Vol 211 United Kingdom House of Commons 16 July 1992 col 944W a b Crown Jewels Parliamentary Debates Hansard Vol 267 United Kingdom House of Commons 27 November 1995 col 447W Keay 2002 p 3 Mears et al p 5 Keay 2011 dust jacket Allison and Riddell p 451 Keay 2011 p 9 Parfitt p 86 a b Twining pp 100 102 Keay 2011 p 12 a b Barker pp 25 29 The Sutton Hoo Helmet British Museum Retrieved 27 August 2017 Keay 2011 pp 13 18 a b Kathryn Jones 17 December 2014 Royal Gold Reflections of Power Podcast Royal Collection Trust Retrieved 14 February 2018 Keay 2011 p 17 Steane p 31 Twining p 103 Steane p 14 Hinton p 142 a b c Keay 2011 pp 18 20 Nicholas p 220 Steane p 71 Strong pp 118 119 Rose p 13 Profile Westminster Abbey BBC News 23 November 2010 Retrieved 1 August 2018 Rose p 16 Rose p 14 Holmes p 216 Holmes p 217 Twining p 132 Rose p 24 Keay 2011 p 22 Williams p xxxii Breeze et al p 201 The Coronation Chair Westminster Abbey Retrieved 17 July 2016 Breeze et al p 216 The Wars of Independence Scotland s History BBC Scotland Retrieved 26 July 2016 Twining p 117 Steane p 34 Stratford p 11 UK Retail Price Index inflation figures are based on data from Clark Gregory 2017 The Annual RPI and Average Earnings for Britain 1209 to Present New Series MeasuringWorth Retrieved 11 June 2022 a b Steane p 35 Collins p 75 Keay 2011 pp 33 34 Rose p 25 a b Collins p 11 Dale Hoak in Hoak The iconography of the crown imperial pp 55 63 Keay 2011 pp 27 28 David Dean in Hoak Image and ritual in the Tudor parliaments p 243 a b c Keay 2011 p 30 a b c Keay 2011 p 32 Rose pp 44 45 Strong pp 191 193 a b Ronald Lightbown in MacGregor The King s Regalia Insignia and Jewellery p 257 Philippa Glanville in Abramova and Dmitrieva The Goldsmiths and the Court Silver in London 1600 65 p 52 Collins p 168 Keay 2011 pp 37 38 Barker p 46 Barker pp 48 49 Humphrey David 2014 To Sell England s Jewels Queen Henrietta Maria s visits to the Continent 1642 and 1644 E rea Revue electronique d etudes sur le monde anglophone 11 2 ISSN 1638 1718 Philippa Glanville in Abramova and Dmitrieva The Goldsmiths and the Court Silver in London 1600 65 p 54 a b c d e Mears et al p 6 Rose p 17 Keay 2011 pp 40 41 Keay 2011 p 43 Keay 2011 pp 20 21 Henry V s Crystal Sceptre displayed at Guildhall Art Gallery City of London Retrieved 21 January 2018 Collins p 196 Barker pp 57 58 Barclay pp 157 159 Rose p 18 Jacobsen p 16 a b Crown Jewels factsheet 2 PDF Historic Royal Palaces Retrieved 29 January 2016 Dixon Smith et al p 7 Collins p 12 Philippa Glanville in Abramova and Dmitrieva The Goldsmiths and the Court Silver in London 1600 65 p 56 and Holmes p 54 Mears et al pp 46 47 Hammond p 20 Rose p 20 Barker p 66 Douglas S Mack in McCracken Flesher Can the Scottish Subaltern Speak Nonelite Scotland and the Scottish Parliament p 145 Aronson p 81 Shenton pp 203 204 Hennessy p 237 a b Emma Owen James FitzGerald 6 May 2023 Charles and Camilla crowned King and Queen at Westminster Abbey BBC News Royal Household Symbols of the Monarchy The Crown Jewels British Monarchy website Archived from the original on 9 March 2015 Jenkins amp Trowles p 41 Morris p 27 a b BBC One The Coronation Royal Collection Trust Retrieved 11 January 2018 Maev Kennedy Katy Roberts 28 March 2012 Crown Jewels go on show for major new exhibition The Guardian Retrieved 26 July 2016 Rose p 22 a b Mears et al p 23 a b St Edward s Crown Royal Collection Trust Inventory no 31700 Holmes p 220 Barclay pp 150 151 167 Dixon Smith et al p 61 Keay 2002 p 23 Victorian Coat of Arms Victoria State Government Archived from the original on 27 February 2015 Retrieved 15 December 2015 Royal Cypher College of Arms 27 September 2022 Mears et al p 29 Keay 2011 pp 174 175 Dixon Smith et al p 30 Keay 2011 p 183 The Imperial State Crown Royal Collection Trust Inventory no 31701 a b c Mears et al p 30 Olivia Fryman in Bird and Clayton Ceremony and Coronation p 102 Dixon Smith et al p 38 Mears et al p 25 Keay 2011 p 137 Dixon Smith et al p 50 Keay 2011 pp 164 166 Keay 2011 p 175 a b Mears et al p 27 Twining p 167 a b Keay 2011 p 178 Allison and Riddell p 134 Priceless gem in Queen Mother s crown BBC News 4 April 2002 Retrieved 5 January 2016 Caroline Davies 14 February 2023 Camilla to wear recycled crown without Koh i Noor diamond at coronation The Guardian The Prince of Wales s Coronet 1728 Royal Collection Trust Inventory no 31709 Keay 2002 p 26 Boutell p 205 Mears et al p 31 The Prince of Wales s Coronet 1902 Royal Collection Trust Inventory no 31710 Honours of the Principality of Wales The Royal Family 15 January 2016 Retrieved 20 September 2022 Allison and Riddell p 265 Jennifer Latson 11 December 2014 King Edward and Wallis Simpson The English Royal Abdication Time Retrieved 2 August 2018 Mears et al p 24 His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales s Investiture Coronet to go on display at the Tower of London for the first time Historic Royal Palaces Retrieved 29 March 2020 Queen Victoria s Small Diamond Crown Royal Collection Trust Inventory no 31705 Twining p 169 Mears et al p 33 Mears et al p 7 Rose pp 46 47 a b Strong p 268 Keay 2011 pp 96 97 Twining p 172 Abraham Tamara 6 May 2023 Penny Mordaunt emerges as the Pippa Middleton of the Coronation The Telegraph a b c d e Rose pp 49 51 Royal Collection Trust The Jewelled Sword of Offering 1820 Royal Collection Trust Retrieved 16 May 2023 Keay 2011 p 127 The Irish Sword of State Dublin Castle Retrieved 22 May 2018 St Edward s Staff Royal Collection Trust Inventory no 31717 Twining p 143 Ronald Lightbown in MacGregor The King s Regalia Insignia and Jewellery p 265 Keay 2011 p 63 Mears et al p 10 Jones p 54 The Band of the Household Cavalry British Army Retrieved 17 February 2016 The Central Band of the RAF Royal Air Force Archived from the original on 3 July 2017 Mace The Parliament uk Retrieved 7 December 2015 Mears et al p 8 King George s Jubilee Trust p 25 a b The Ampulla Royal Collection Trust Inventory no 31732 a b Rose pp 95 98 Keay 2011 p 48 Gordon Rayner 4 June 2013 Crown to leave Tower for first time since 1953 for Westminster Abbey service The Telegraph UK Archived from the original on 12 January 2022 Retrieved 14 December 2015 The Coronation Spoon Royal Collection Trust Inventory no 31733 Strong pp 78 79 Strong pp 270 271 Caroline de Guitaut 11 February 2015 Cloth of Gold The Use of Gold in Royal Couture Podcast Royal Collection Trust 16 50 minutes in Retrieved 14 February 2018 a b Rose pp 99 100 Valerie Cumming in MacGregor Great vanity and excesse in Apparell Some Clothing and Furs of Tudor and Stuart Royalty p 327 Cox p 279 Mears et al p 14 Coronation outfits worn by Their Majesties King Charles III and Queen Camilla to go on display at Buckingham Palace Royal Collection Trust 19 May 2023 Rose pp 50 52 Dixon Smith et al p 22 Barker p 94 Rose p 52 The Armills Royal Collection Trust Inventory no 31723 a b Twining p 171 Mears et al p 17 a b Rose p 45 a b Mears et al p 19 The Sovereign s Orb Royal Collection Trust Inventory no 31718 a b Rose p 42 King George s Jubilee Trust pp 26 31 Twining p 173 a b Lawrence E Tanner 6 June 1953 The Queen s coronation The story of the regalia Country Life pp 52 61 Retrieved 17 July 2013 The Authorised Liturgy for the Coronation Rite of His Majesty King Charles III PDF Church of England 29 April 2023 Rose p 26 Hibbert p 35 a b Rose p 107 The Queen Consort s Ring Royal Collection Trust Inventory no 31721 Oman p 49 Piacenti and Boardman pp 199 200 Arts Council of Great Britain p 58 a b Steane p 36 a b Rose p 41 a b The Sovereign s Sceptre with Cross Royal Collection Trust Inventory no 31712 The Sovereign s Sceptre with Dove Royal Collection Trust Inventory no 31713 Mears et al p 34 Banqueting and church plate Royal Collection Trust Retrieved 12 January 2018 Altar Dish 1664 Royal Collection Trust Inventory no 31745 Mears et al pp 35 36 Altar Dish 1691 Royal Collection Trust Inventory no 31744 Flagon 1691 Royal Collection Trust Inventory no 31752 Dixon Smith et al p 64 Office for the Royal Maundy 2011 The Maundy Service PDF Westminster Abbey Coronation banquets Parliament uk Retrieved 14 February 2016 The Plymouth Fountain Royal Collection Trust Inventory no 31742 Mears et al pp 42 43 Keay 2011 p 150 Ladle Royal Collection Trust Inventory no 31769 Keay 2011 p 70 Olivia Fryman in Bird and Clayton Ceremony and Coronation p 82 Mears et al pp 39 40 Baptismal font and basin Royal Collection Trust Inventory no 31739 a b c Mears et al p 44 Keay 2002 p 43 a b Ewer and basin Royal Collection Trust Inventory no 31740 The Lily Font Royal Collection Trust Inventory no 31741 Queen Victoria s font to be used for Princess Charlotte s baptism The Yorkshire Post 5 July 2015 Retrieved 10 December 2015 a b Bogdanor p 190 Ronald Lightbown in MacGregor The King s Regalia Insignia and Jewellery p 259 Ethiopian Manuscripts Parliamentary Debates Hansard Vol 263 United Kingdom House of Commons 19 July 1995 col 1463W Royal Residences Parliamentary Debates Hansard Vol 407 United Kingdom House of Commons 19 June 2003 col 353W Crown Jewels factsheet PDF Historic Royal Palaces Retrieved 16 February 2016 Reviewing Committee on the Export of Works of Art pp 48 50 a b c United Kingdom Gross Domestic Product deflator figures follow the Measuring Worth consistent series supplied in Thomas Ryland Williamson Samuel H 2018 What Was the U K GDP Then MeasuringWorth Retrieved 2 February 2020 Hoey p 64 Hoey p 197 Bibliography EditAbramova Natalya Dmitrieva Olga eds 2006 Britannia amp Muscovy English Silver at the Court of the Tsars Yale University Press ISBN 978 0 30011 678 6 Allison Ronald Riddell Sarah 1991 The Royal Encyclopedia Macmillan Press ISBN 978 0 333 53810 4 Aronson Theo 1997 Princess Margaret A Biography M O Mara Books ISBN 978 1 85479 248 8 Arts Council of Great Britain 1950 William amp Mary and Their Time An Exhibition Victoria and Albert Museum ASIN B0000CHP9T Barclay Andrew 2008 The 1661 St Edward s Crown Refurbished Recycled or Replaced The Court Historian 13 2 149 170 doi 10 1179 cou 2008 13 2 002 S2CID 159809217 Barker Brian 1979 The Symbols of Sovereignty Westbridge Books ISBN 978 0 7153 7649 2 Bird Rufus Clayton Martin eds 2017 Charles II Art and Power Royal Collection Trust ISBN 978 1 909741 44 7 Blair Claude ed 1998 The Crown Jewels The History of the Coronation Regalia The Stationery Office ISBN 978 0 11 701359 9 Bogdanor Vernon 1997 The Monarchy and the Constitution Oxford University Press ISBN 978 0 19 829334 7 Boutell Charles 1983 Brooke Little J P ed Boutell s Heraldry Warne ISBN 978 0 723 23093 9 Breeze David John Clancy Thomas Owen Welander Richard 2003 The Stone of Destiny Artefact and Icon Society of Antiquaries of Scotland ISBN 978 0 903903 22 6 Collins Arthur Jefferies 1955 Jewels and Plate of Queen Elizabeth I Trustees of the British Museum ISBN 978 0 714 10445 4 Cox Noel 1999 Coronation Robes of the Sovereign Arma the Journal of the Heraldry Society of Southern Africa 5 1 271 280 Dixon Smith Sally Edwards Sebastian Kilby Sarah Murphy Clare Souden David Spooner Jane Worsley Lucy 2010 The Crown Jewels Souvenir Guidebook Historic Royal Palaces ISBN 978 1 873993 13 2 Hammond Peter 1981 The Tower of London Young Visitor s Guide HM Stationery Office ISBN 978 0 11 671054 3 Hennessy Elizabeth 1992 A Domestic History of the Bank of England 1930 1960 Cambridge University Press ISBN 978 0 521 39140 5 Hibbert Christopher 2000 Queen Victoria in Her Letters and Journals Sutton ISBN 978 0 7509 2349 1 Hinton David A 2006 Gold and Gilt Pots and Pins Possessions and People in Medieval Britain Oxford University Press ISBN 978 0 19 926454 4 Hoak Dale ed 2002 Tudor Political Culture Cambridge University Press ISBN 978 0 521 52014 0 Hoey Brian 1992 All the Queen s Men Inside the Royal Household HarperCollins ISBN 978 0 246 13851 4 Holmes Martin 1959 New Light on St Edward s Crown Archaeologia 97 213 223 doi 10 1017 S0261340900010006 Holmes Martin Rivington Sitwell Hervey Degge Wilmot 1972 The English Regalia Their History Custody and Display HM Stationery Office ISBN 978 0 1167 0407 8 Jacobsen Helen 2012 Luxury and Power The Material World of the Stuart Diplomat 1660 1714 Oxford University Press ISBN 978 0 19 969375 7 Jenkins Susan Trowles Tony 2018 The Queen s Diamond Jubilee Galleries Westminster Abbey Scala Arts amp Heritage Publishers ISBN 978 1 785511 31 8 Jones Edward Alfred 1908 The Old Royal Plate in the Tower of London Fox Jones amp Co ASIN B004BWZDGY Keay Anna 2002 The Crown Jewels Official Guidebook Historic Royal Palaces ISBN 978 1 873 99320 0 2011 The Crown Jewels Thames amp Hudson ISBN 978 0 500 51575 4 King George s Jubilee Trust 1937 The Coronation of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Odhams Press ASIN B000NNCSEK MacGregor Arthur ed 1989 The Late King s Goods Collections Possessions and Patronage of Charles I Alistair McAlpine ISBN 978 0 19 920171 6 McCracken Flesher Caroline ed 2007 Culture Nation and the New Scottish Parliament Bucknell University Press ISBN 978 0 8387 5547 1 Mears Kenneth J Thurley Simon Murphy Claire 1994 The Crown Jewels Historic Royal Palaces ASIN B000HHY1ZQ Morris Bob 2018 Inaugurating a New Reign Planning for Accession and Coronation University College London ISBN 978 1 903903 82 7 Nicholas David M 2014 The Evolution of the Medieval World Society Government and Thought in Europe 312 1500 Routledge ISBN 978 1 317 89543 5 Oman Charles 1974 British Rings 800 1914 Batsford ISBN 978 0 874 71449 4 Parfitt Keith 1995 Iron Age Burials from Mill Hill Deal British Museum Press ISBN 978 0 7141 2304 2 Piacenti Kirsten Aschengreen Boardman John 2008 Ancient and Modern Gems and Jewels in the Collection of Her Majesty The Queen PDF Royal Collection Trust ISBN 978 1 902163 47 5 Archived from the original PDF on 26 January 2018 Retrieved 25 January 2018 Reviewing Committee on the Export of Works of Art 1995 Export of Works of Art 1994 95 HM Stationery Office Rose Tessa 1992 The Coronation Ceremony and the Crown Jewels HM Stationery Office ISBN 978 0 117 01361 2 Shenton Caroline 2021 National Treasures Saving the Nation s Art in World War II Hardback London John Murray ISBN 978 1 529 38743 8 Steane John 2003 The Archaeology of the Medieval English Monarchy Routledge ISBN 978 1 134 64159 8 Stratford Jenny 2012 Richard II and the English Royal Treasure Boydell Press ISBN 978 1 8438 3378 9 Strong Roy 2006 Coronation From the 8th to the 21st Century Harper Perennial ISBN 978 0 00 716055 6 Twining Edward Francis 1960 A History of the Crown Jewels of Europe B T Batsford ASIN B00283LZA6 Williams Patricia 2012 Historical Texts from Medieval Wales Modern Humanities Research Association ISBN 978 1 907322 60 0 External links Edit Wikimedia Commons has media related to Crown jewels of the United Kingdom Royal Collection Trust The Crown Jewels at Historic Royal Palaces The Crown Jewels at the website of the British royal familyVideos Royal Regalia from The Coronation 2018 with commentary by Anna Keay The Crown Jewels 1967 by British Pathe The Crown Jewels 1937 by British Pathe Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Crown Jewels of the United Kingdom amp oldid 1157722038, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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