Crown Jewels of the United Kingdom
Encyclopedia
The collective term Crown Jewels denotes the regalia and vestments worn by the sovereign of the United Kingdom
during the coronation
ceremony and at other state functions. The term refers to the following objects: the crown
s, sceptre
s (with either the cross or the dove), orb
s, sword
s, ring
s, spur
s, colobium sindonis
, dalmatic
, armill
, and the royal robe or pall, as well as several other objects connected with the ceremony itself.
Many of these descend directly from the pre-Reformation
period and have a religious and sacral connotation. The vestures donned by the sovereign following the unction
, for instance, closely resemble the alb
and dalmatic worn by bishop
s, although the contention that they are meant to confer upon the sovereign an ecclesiastical character is in disrepute among Christian
scholars.
near The Wash
in 1216. According to Matthew Paris
, young King Henry the Third
was crowned at Gloucester
in 1216 with a golden circlet. The "Great Crown of England," i.e. that of King Alfred (see below) which had not been lost, was kept in London but it was unavailable to Henry III for his coronation because the capital was under the control of Prince Louis
at the time.
New items replacing those lost were made and were joined by the addition of Welsh
Prince Llywelyn
's coronet
in 1284. In 1303, this replacement set was stolen from Westminster Abbey
, although most of the jewels, if not all, were recovered days later from a City of London
jeweller's shop, with dire consequences for the owner. Since 1303, the Crown Jewels have been stored in the Tower of London
.
During the English Civil War
on 3 June 1643, Henry Marten
had forced open the chest containing the ancient coronation regalia and took out the crown, sceptres, robes, et cetera of Edward the Confessor
. It is recorded by J. R. Planché in his book A Chronicle of the Coronations of the Queens Regnant of England (1838) that he proceeded to invest the puritan poet and satirist George Withers with them, who, "being crowned and royally arrayed, did march about the room with a stately garb, and afterwards with a thousand apish and ridiculous actions exposed those sacred ornaments to contempt and laughter."
They were a second time dragged out by some soldiers of Westbourne's company in July the same year, and finally sold or destroyed in 1649.
Oliver Cromwell
melted down most of the Crown Jewels of his time after the establishment of the Commonwealth of England
in 1649. Upon the Restoration
of Charles II of England
and Scotland
in 1660, most of the lost regalia were replaced. Despite efforts to find the pre-Civil War
Crown Jewels, apart from gold from the melted treasures and a few gem stones, the only intact pieces to survive are three swords and one spoon. Some details of what was lost can be found in the inventory
made of the Crown Jewels by order of Parliament in 1649.
In the upper jewel house of the Tower:
£1,110 is £ as of .
Some more ancient treasures were uncovered in the Palace of Whitehall
:
In the diary of Sir Henry Spelman, a parliamentarian at the time, he says of this crown, "It was of very ancient work, with flowers adorned with stones of somewhat plain setting." He added that the cabinet in which this last named crown was kept was inscribed:
The crown attributed to King Alfred is usually considered to be synonymous with the relic referred to as "Saint Edward's Crown" which may have been attributed to Alfred at a later date, possibly at the Reformation
. It is the metal recovered from this crown that is considered to be incorporated into the recreated crown (1661) of the same name used in modern coronation ceremonies.
An inventory from 1649 survives which details the ancient vestments used during coronation ceremonies. These robes were removed from where they were kept in an iron chest Westminster Abbey
and sold off for a sum total of around 30 shillings later that year. Some of the items are thought to have dated back to the reign of Edward the Confessor and were over 600 years old. The inventory detailed the following items:
Curiously, of Llywelyn's coronet
- known to have become part of the English crown jewels in 1285 - there is no mention. It is possible that the "small crowne found in an iron chest" may have been this artifact, but the people at the time clearly thought this more likely to have been the crown of the boy king Edward VI.
Coronation Crown—The crown with which she was actually crowned. Now in the Museum of London.
State Crown—Worn for the procession out of the Abbey and put to other uses subsequently.
The Sceptre with the Cross
was made in 1661, and is so called because it is surmounted by a cross. In 1910, it was redesigned to incorporate the Cullinan I
, also known as the Great Star of Africa, which at over 530 carats (106 g) is the second largest cut diamond in the world after The Golden Jubilee
. During the coronation, the monarch bears the Sceptre with the Cross in the right hand.
The Sceptre with the Dove
was also made in 1661, and atop it is a dove symbolizing the Holy Spirit
. While the Sceptre with the Cross is borne in the right hand, the Sceptre with the Dove is borne in the left. At the same time as the Sovereign holds both Sceptres, he or she is crowned with St Edward's Crown.
The Sovereign's Orb
, a type of globus cruciger
, is a hollow golden sphere made in 1661. There is a band of jewels running along the centre, and a half-band on the top hemisphere. Surmounting the orb is a jeweled Cross representing the Sovereign's role as Defender of the Faith
. For a part of the coronation, it is borne in the Sovereign's left hand.
The Small Orb, a smaller globus cruciger
made in 1689 for Mary II
due to her joint coronation with William III
. Both the Small Orb and its larger counterpart rested on Queen Victoria's coffin in 1901.
The Jewelled Sword of Offering was made for the Coronation of King George IV
. It is the only sword actually presented to the Sovereign during the Coronation (by the Archbishop of Canterbury, to signify that the royal power is at the service of the church); the others are merely borne in front of the Sovereign. It was described by Lawrence Tanner as the most beautiful and valuable sword in the world; the hilt and the scabbard are both encrusted with jewels (which include diamonds, rubies and sapphires) and the blade is of the finest Damascus steel. During the procession in the abbey it replaces the Great Sword of State because that is too heavy to be easily carried.
The Great Sword of State is the largest sword in the collection, and is borne in front of the Monarch by the Lord Great Chamberlain
both at the coronation and at the State Opening of Parliament
. The gilt handle has crosspieces representing the lion and unicorn and the scabbard is decorated with jewels in the shapes of the floral symbols of the United Kingdom: the rose for England, the thistle for Scotland, and the shamrock for Ireland.
The other three swords used are the Sword of Spiritual Justice, the Sword of Temporal Justice, and the Sword of Mercy
. The first two symbolize the sovereign's relationship with church and state and the latter represents Curtana, the short sword of Ogier the Dane
which he was warned to draw in mercy not in vengeance.
's coronation in 1831. Previously, each Sovereign received a new ring to symbolize their "marriage" to the nation, though no new rings have been used since 1831.
When the Sovereign is anointed by the Archbishop of Canterbury
, the anointing oil is poured from the Ampulla into the Anointing Spoon. The Ampulla is a hollow gold vessel shaped like an eagle, and the Spoon is a silver-gilt
spoon set with pearls. The ampulla is believed to be the one first used in the coronation of Henry IV in 1399. According to legend it was made to contain the oil presented by the Virgin Mary in a vision seen by St Thomas of Canterbury. It is accompanied by a golden spoon which is certainly of the 13th century. It is likely though not certain that the ampulla, an eagle crafted in pure gold, escaped destruction in 1643 when most of the regalia were destroyed or sold. The Spoon was bought by Clement Kynnersley, Yeoman of the Removing Wardrobe, for sixteen shilling
s when Cromwell ordered the destruction of the new regalia; the Spoon, probably dating from the thirteenth century, is thus the oldest element of the Regalia. The ceremony of the anointing derives from the coronation ceremony of France (see Holy Ampulla
for further details).
The Armills are gold bracelets said to symbolize sincerity and wisdom. Upon Queen Elizabeth II's coronation, a new set of gold armills were produced and presented on the behalf of various Commonwealth
governments, namely: the United Kingdom, Canada
, Australia
, New Zealand
, South Africa
, Pakistan
, Ceylon, and Southern Rhodesia
.
The Crown Jewels have been kept at the Tower of London
since 1303 after they were stolen from Westminster Abbey
. It is thought that most, if not all, were recovered shortly afterwards. After the coronation of Charles II, they were locked away and shown for a viewing fee paid to a custodian. However, this arrangement ended when Colonel Thomas Blood
attempted to steal the Crown Jewels after having bound and gagged the custodian. Thereafter, the Crown Jewels were kept in a part of the Tower known as Jewel House, where armed guards defend them.
appointed Garrard & Co
to the position of Crown Jewellers, leading to the production of numerous pieces of silverware and jewellery for the Royal Family, as well as the upkeep of the Crown Jewels. Garrard dealt with a number of famous jewels, such as the Cullinan diamond
s (including Cullinan I, "The Great Star of Africa"), and created such pieces as the Imperial Crown of India
in 1911, the crown of Queen Mary
for her coronation
, and the Crown of Queen Elizabeth
in 1937. In 1852, Garrard were given the responsibility of re-cutting the famous Koh-i-Noor diamond
into a brilliant
.
On 15 July 2007 an announcement was made in the Court Circular, under Buckingham Palace, that Garrard & Co's services as crown jeweller were no longer required, with the reason cited being that it was simply 'time for a change.' G. Collins and Sons were appointed the new Crown Jewellers.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
during the coronation
Coronation
A coronation is a ceremony marking the formal investiture of a monarch and/or their consort with regal power, usually involving the placement of a crown upon their head and the presentation of other items of regalia...
ceremony and at other state functions. The term refers to the following objects: the crown
Crown (headgear)
A crown is the traditional symbolic form of headgear worn by a monarch or by a deity, for whom the crown traditionally represents power, legitimacy, immortality, righteousness, victory, triumph, resurrection, honour and glory of life after death. In art, the crown may be shown being offered to...
s, sceptre
Sceptre
A sceptre is a symbolic ornamental rod or wand borne in the hand by a ruling monarch as an item of royal or imperial insignia.-Antiquity:...
s (with either the cross or the dove), orb
Globus cruciger
The globus cruciger is an orb topped with a cross , a Christian symbol of authority used throughout the Middle Ages and even today on coins, iconography and royal regalia...
s, sword
Sword
A sword is a bladed weapon used primarily for cutting or thrusting. The precise definition of the term varies with the historical epoch or the geographical region under consideration...
s, ring
Ring (jewellery)
A finger ring is a circular band worn as a type of ornamental jewelry around a finger; it is the most common current meaning of the word ring. Other types of metal bands worn as ornaments are also called rings, such as arm rings and neck rings....
s, spur
Spur
A spur is a metal tool designed to be worn in pairs on the heels of riding boots for the purpose of directing a horse to move forward or laterally while riding. It is usually used to refine the riding aids and to back up the natural aids . The spur is used in every equestrian discipline...
s, colobium sindonis
Colobium sindonis
The Colobium sindonis is a simple sleeveless white linen shift worn by monarchs of the United Kingdom during part of the coronation ritual. It symbolizes divesting oneself of all the world's vanity and standing bare before God....
, dalmatic
Dalmatic
The dalmatic is a long wide-sleeved tunic, which serves as a liturgical vestment in the Roman Catholic, Lutheran, Anglican, and United Methodist Churches, which is sometimes worn by a deacon at the Mass or other services. Although infrequent, it may also be worn by bishops above the alb and below...
, armill
Armill
The Armills are a type of bracelet, one of the garments that are included in a regalia, symbolically known as the bracelets of wisdom and sincerity. Armills have been used in many coronations...
, and the royal robe or pall, as well as several other objects connected with the ceremony itself.
Many of these descend directly from the pre-Reformation
Protestant Reformation
The Protestant Reformation was a 16th-century split within Western Christianity initiated by Martin Luther, John Calvin and other early Protestants. The efforts of the self-described "reformers", who objected to the doctrines, rituals and ecclesiastical structure of the Roman Catholic Church, led...
period and have a religious and sacral connotation. The vestures donned by the sovereign following the unction
Anointing
To anoint is to pour or smear with perfumed oil, milk, water, melted butter or other substances, a process employed ritually by many religions. People and things are anointed to symbolize the introduction of a sacramental or divine influence, a holy emanation, spirit, power or God...
, for instance, closely resemble the alb
Alb
The alb , one of the liturgical vestments of the Roman Catholic, Anglican and many Protestant churches, is an ample white garment coming down to the ankles and usually girdled with a cincture. It is simply the long linen tunic used by the Romans...
and dalmatic worn by bishop
Bishop
A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...
s, although the contention that they are meant to confer upon the sovereign an ecclesiastical character is in disrepute among Christian
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
scholars.
History
Many of the Crown Jewels dating from the Anglo-Saxon period were probably lost by John of EnglandJohn of England
John , also known as John Lackland , was King of England from 6 April 1199 until his death...
near The Wash
The Wash
The Wash is the square-mouthed bay and estuary on the northwest margin of East Anglia on the east coast of England, where Norfolk meets Lincolnshire. It is among the largest estuaries in the United Kingdom...
in 1216. According to Matthew Paris
Matthew Paris
Matthew Paris was a Benedictine monk, English chronicler, artist in illuminated manuscripts and cartographer, based at St Albans Abbey in Hertfordshire...
, young King Henry the Third
Henry III of England
Henry III was the son and successor of John as King of England, reigning for 56 years from 1216 until his death. His contemporaries knew him as Henry of Winchester. He was the first child king in England since the reign of Æthelred the Unready...
was crowned at Gloucester
Gloucester
Gloucester is a city, district and county town of Gloucestershire in the South West region of England. Gloucester lies close to the Welsh border, and on the River Severn, approximately north-east of Bristol, and south-southwest of Birmingham....
in 1216 with a golden circlet. The "Great Crown of England," i.e. that of King Alfred (see below) which had not been lost, was kept in London but it was unavailable to Henry III for his coronation because the capital was under the control of Prince Louis
Louis VIII of France
Louis VIII the Lion reigned as King of France from 1223 to 1226. He was a member of the House of Capet. Louis VIII was born in Paris, France, the son of Philip II Augustus and Isabelle of Hainaut. He was also Count of Artois, inheriting the county from his mother, from 1190–1226...
at the time.
New items replacing those lost were made and were joined by the addition of Welsh
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
Prince Llywelyn
Llywelyn the Last
Llywelyn ap Gruffydd or Llywelyn Ein Llyw Olaf , sometimes rendered as Llywelyn II, was the last prince of an independent Wales before its conquest by Edward I of England....
's coronet
Llywelyn's coronet
Llywelyn's coronet is a lost treasure of Welsh history. It is recorded that Llywelyn ap Gruffudd, Prince of Wales and Lord of Aberffraw had deposited this crown and other items with the monks at Cymer Abbey for safekeeping at the start of his final campaign in 1282. He was killed later that year...
in 1284. In 1303, this replacement set was stolen from Westminster Abbey
Westminster Abbey
The Collegiate Church of St Peter at Westminster, popularly known as Westminster Abbey, is a large, mainly Gothic church, in the City of Westminster, London, United Kingdom, located just to the west of the Palace of Westminster. It is the traditional place of coronation and burial site for English,...
, although most of the jewels, if not all, were recovered days later from a City of London
City of London
The City of London is a small area within Greater London, England. It is the historic core of London around which the modern conurbation grew and has held city status since time immemorial. The City’s boundaries have remained almost unchanged since the Middle Ages, and it is now only a tiny part of...
jeweller's shop, with dire consequences for the owner. Since 1303, the Crown Jewels have been stored in the Tower of London
Tower of London
Her Majesty's Royal Palace and Fortress, more commonly known as the Tower of London, is a historic castle on the north bank of the River Thames in central London, England. It lies within the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, separated from the eastern edge of the City of London by the open space...
.
During the English Civil War
English Civil War
The English Civil War was a series of armed conflicts and political machinations between Parliamentarians and Royalists...
on 3 June 1643, Henry Marten
Henry Marten (regicide)
Sir Henry Marten was an English lawyer and politician who sat in the House of Commons in two periods between 1640 and 1653...
had forced open the chest containing the ancient coronation regalia and took out the crown, sceptres, robes, et cetera of Edward the Confessor
Edward the Confessor
Edward the Confessor also known as St. Edward the Confessor , son of Æthelred the Unready and Emma of Normandy, was one of the last Anglo-Saxon kings of England and is usually regarded as the last king of the House of Wessex, ruling from 1042 to 1066....
. It is recorded by J. R. Planché in his book A Chronicle of the Coronations of the Queens Regnant of England (1838) that he proceeded to invest the puritan poet and satirist George Withers with them, who, "being crowned and royally arrayed, did march about the room with a stately garb, and afterwards with a thousand apish and ridiculous actions exposed those sacred ornaments to contempt and laughter."
They were a second time dragged out by some soldiers of Westbourne's company in July the same year, and finally sold or destroyed in 1649.
Oliver Cromwell
Oliver Cromwell
Oliver Cromwell was an English military and political leader who overthrew the English monarchy and temporarily turned England into a republican Commonwealth, and served as Lord Protector of England, Scotland, and Ireland....
melted down most of the Crown Jewels of his time after the establishment of the Commonwealth of England
Commonwealth of England
The Commonwealth of England was the republic which ruled first England, and then Ireland and Scotland from 1649 to 1660. Between 1653–1659 it was known as the Commonwealth of England, Scotland and Ireland...
in 1649. Upon the Restoration
English Restoration
The Restoration of the English monarchy began in 1660 when the English, Scottish and Irish monarchies were all restored under Charles II after the Interregnum that followed the Wars of the Three Kingdoms...
of Charles II of England
Charles II of England
Charles II was monarch of the three kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ireland.Charles II's father, King Charles I, was executed at Whitehall on 30 January 1649, at the climax of the English Civil War...
and Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
in 1660, most of the lost regalia were replaced. Despite efforts to find the pre-Civil War
English Civil War
The English Civil War was a series of armed conflicts and political machinations between Parliamentarians and Royalists...
Crown Jewels, apart from gold from the melted treasures and a few gem stones, the only intact pieces to survive are three swords and one spoon. Some details of what was lost can be found in the inventory
Inventory
Inventory means a list compiled for some formal purpose, such as the details of an estate going to probate, or the contents of a house let furnished. This remains the prime meaning in British English...
made of the Crown Jewels by order of Parliament in 1649.
In the upper jewel house of the Tower:
- The Imperial Crown of massy gold, weighing 7 pounds, 6 ounces, valued at £1110. The Queen's Crown of massy gold, weighing 3 pounds, 10 ounces, £338, 3s 4d. A small crowne found in an iron chest, the gold, £78, 16s 8d. The diamonds, rubies, saphires, &c £355. The forementioned crownes since the inventorie was taken, are, according to order of Parliament, totally broken and defaced.
£1,110 is £ as of .
Some more ancient treasures were uncovered in the Palace of Whitehall
Palace of Whitehall
The Palace of Whitehall was the main residence of the English monarchs in London from 1530 until 1698 when all except Inigo Jones's 1622 Banqueting House was destroyed by fire...
:
- Queen Edith's Crown, formerly thought to be of massy gold, but upon trial found to be of silver gilt, enriched with garnetts, foule pearle, sapphires and some odd stones, 50½ ounces, valued at £16.
- King Alfred's Crown of gould wyerworke, sett with slight stones, and 2 little bells, 79½ ounces at £3 per ounce, £248 10s.
In the diary of Sir Henry Spelman, a parliamentarian at the time, he says of this crown, "It was of very ancient work, with flowers adorned with stones of somewhat plain setting." He added that the cabinet in which this last named crown was kept was inscribed:
The crown attributed to King Alfred is usually considered to be synonymous with the relic referred to as "Saint Edward's Crown" which may have been attributed to Alfred at a later date, possibly at the Reformation
English Reformation
The English Reformation was the series of events in 16th-century England by which the Church of England broke away from the authority of the Pope and the Roman Catholic Church....
. It is the metal recovered from this crown that is considered to be incorporated into the recreated crown (1661) of the same name used in modern coronation ceremonies.
An inventory from 1649 survives which details the ancient vestments used during coronation ceremonies. These robes were removed from where they were kept in an iron chest Westminster Abbey
Westminster Abbey
The Collegiate Church of St Peter at Westminster, popularly known as Westminster Abbey, is a large, mainly Gothic church, in the City of Westminster, London, United Kingdom, located just to the west of the Palace of Westminster. It is the traditional place of coronation and burial site for English,...
and sold off for a sum total of around 30 shillings later that year. Some of the items are thought to have dated back to the reign of Edward the Confessor and were over 600 years old. The inventory detailed the following items:
- One crimson taffety robe, very old, valued at 10 shillingShillingThe shilling is a unit of currency used in some current and former British Commonwealth countries. The word shilling comes from scilling, an accounting term that dates back to Anglo-Saxon times where it was deemed to be the value of a cow in Kent or a sheep elsewhere. The word is thought to derive...
s - One robe, laced with gold lace, valued at 10 shillings
- One liver coloured silkSilkSilk is a natural protein fiber, some forms of which can be woven into textiles. The best-known type of silk is obtained from the cocoons of the larvae of the mulberry silkworm Bombyx mori reared in captivity...
robe, very old, and worth nothing - One robe of crimson taffety sarcenet, valued at 5 shillings
- One pair of buskinBuskinA buskin is a knee- or calf-length boot made of leather or cloth which laces closed, but is open across the toes. It was worn by Athenian tragic actors, hunters and soldiers in Ancient Greek, Etruscan, and Roman societies....
s, cloth of silver, and silver stockings, very old, valued at 2 shillings and six pence - One pair of shoes of cloth of gold, at 1 shilling
- One pair of gloves, embroidered with gold, at 10 shillings
Curiously, of Llywelyn's coronet
Llywelyn's coronet
Llywelyn's coronet is a lost treasure of Welsh history. It is recorded that Llywelyn ap Gruffudd, Prince of Wales and Lord of Aberffraw had deposited this crown and other items with the monks at Cymer Abbey for safekeeping at the start of his final campaign in 1282. He was killed later that year...
- known to have become part of the English crown jewels in 1285 - there is no mention. It is possible that the "small crowne found in an iron chest" may have been this artifact, but the people at the time clearly thought this more likely to have been the crown of the boy king Edward VI.
Crowns
The collection of Crown Jewels contains various crowns, some of which are used by every Sovereign, others being made personally for Sovereigns or for the Queen's Consort. Typically the crown of a King has a slightly pointed arched top, while that of a Queen has a slightly bowed top.- St Edward's Crown was made in 1661. Made of gold, its design consists of four crosses pattéeCross pattéeA cross pattée is a type of cross which has arms narrow at the centre, and broader at the perimeter. An early English example from the start of the age of heraldry proper A cross pattée (or "cross patty", known also as "cross formée/formy") is a type of cross which has arms narrow at the...
and four fleurs-de-lisFleur-de-lisThe fleur-de-lis or fleur-de-lys is a stylized lily or iris that is used as a decorative design or symbol. It may be "at one and the same time, political, dynastic, artistic, emblematic, and symbolic", especially in heraldry...
, with two arches on top. Surmounting the arches is a jeweled cross pattée. The Crown includes 444 precious stones. It is used through most of the coronation ceremony and is said to be made of the melted gold from King Alfred's Crown. It is noted by a number of British monarchs to be extremely heavy and difficult to wear. Queen Elizabeth IIElizabeth II of the United KingdomElizabeth II is the constitutional monarch of 16 sovereign states known as the Commonwealth realms: the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Jamaica, Barbados, the Bahamas, Grenada, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Belize,...
opted to use a stylised representation of this crown in images of the Royal Coat of Arms of the United KingdomRoyal coat of arms of the United KingdomThe Royal coat of arms of the United Kingdom is the official coat of arms of the British monarch, currently Queen Elizabeth II. These arms are used by the Queen in her official capacity as monarch of the United Kingdom, and are officially known as her Arms of Dominion...
.
- The Imperial State CrownImperial State CrownThe Imperial State Crown is one of the Crown Jewels of the United Kingdom.- Design :The Crown is of a design similar to St Edward's Crown: it includes a base of four crosses pattée alternating with four fleurs-de-lis, above which are four half-arches surmounted by a cross. Inside is a velvet cap...
was made in 1937 for King George VIGeorge VI of the United KingdomGeorge VI was King of the United Kingdom and the Dominions of the British Commonwealth from 11 December 1936 until his death...
, and was similar to the diamond crownSmall diamond crown of Queen VictoriaThe Small Diamond Crown of Queen Victoria is a miniature crown created at the request of Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom in 1870. It was perhaps the crown most associated with Queen Victoria. Such was the association that it, and not either the traditional St...
made in 1838 for Queen VictoriaVictoria of the United KingdomVictoria was the monarch of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837 until her death. From 1 May 1876, she used the additional title of Empress of India....
. The present Crown is made of gold and includes four crosses pattée and four fleurs-de-lis, with two arches on top, surmounted by a cross pattée. The Crown includes many jewels: 2,868 diamondDiamondIn mineralogy, diamond is an allotrope of carbon, where the carbon atoms are arranged in a variation of the face-centered cubic crystal structure called a diamond lattice. Diamond is less stable than graphite, but the conversion rate from diamond to graphite is negligible at ambient conditions...
s, 273 pearlPearlA pearl is a hard object produced within the soft tissue of a living shelled mollusk. Just like the shell of a mollusk, a pearl is made up of calcium carbonate in minute crystalline form, which has been deposited in concentric layers. The ideal pearl is perfectly round and smooth, but many other...
s, 17 sapphireSapphireSapphire is a gemstone variety of the mineral corundum, an aluminium oxide , when it is a color other than red or dark pink; in which case the gem would instead be called a ruby, considered to be a different gemstone. Trace amounts of other elements such as iron, titanium, or chromium can give...
s, 11 emeraldEmeraldEmerald is a variety of the mineral beryl colored green by trace amounts of chromium and sometimes vanadium. Beryl has a hardness of 7.5–8 on the 10 point Mohs scale of mineral hardness...
s, and five rubiesRubyA ruby is a pink to blood-red colored gemstone, a variety of the mineral corundum . The red color is caused mainly by the presence of the element chromium. Its name comes from ruber, Latin for red. Other varieties of gem-quality corundum are called sapphires...
. Among the stones are several famous ones, including the Black Prince's RubyBlack Prince's RubyThe Black Prince's Ruby is a bead-shaped spinel weighing roughly , approximately the size of a chicken egg. It is currently set in the cross pattée above the Cullinan II in the front of the Imperial State Crown...
(actually a spinelSpinelSpinel is the magnesium aluminium member of the larger spinel group of minerals. It has the formula MgAl2O4. Balas ruby is an old name for a rose-tinted variety.-Spinel group:...
) and the Cullinan IICullinan DiamondThe Cullinan diamond is the largest rough gem-quality diamond ever found, at .The largest polished gem from the stone is named Cullinan I or the Great Star of Africa, and at was the largest polished diamond in the world until the 1985 discovery of the Golden Jubilee Diamond, , also from the...
diamond, also known as the Lesser Star of Africa. Two of the three pearls dangling from the crown were once worn by Queen Elizabeth IElizabeth I of EnglandElizabeth I was queen regnant of England and Ireland from 17 November 1558 until her death. Sometimes called The Virgin Queen, Gloriana, or Good Queen Bess, Elizabeth was the fifth and last monarch of the Tudor dynasty...
. It is worn after the conclusion of the Coronation ceremony when the monarch leaves Westminster AbbeyWestminster AbbeyThe Collegiate Church of St Peter at Westminster, popularly known as Westminster Abbey, is a large, mainly Gothic church, in the City of Westminster, London, United Kingdom, located just to the west of the Palace of Westminster. It is the traditional place of coronation and burial site for English,...
and at the annual State Opening of ParliamentState Opening of ParliamentIn the United Kingdom, the State Opening of Parliament is an annual event that marks the commencement of a session of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It is held in the House of Lords Chamber, usually in November or December or, in a general election year, when the new Parliament first assembles...
.
- The Imperial Crown of IndiaImperial Crown of IndiaThe Imperial Crown of India was the crown of the Sovereign as Emperor of India during the time of the British Raj. The crown is housed with, but is not part of, the Crown Jewels of the United Kingdom.-History:...
was created when King George VGeorge V of the United KingdomGeorge V was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Emperor of India, from 6 May 1910 through the First World War until his death in 1936....
visited DelhiDelhiDelhi , officially National Capital Territory of Delhi , is the largest metropolis by area and the second-largest by population in India, next to Mumbai. It is the eighth largest metropolis in the world by population with 16,753,265 inhabitants in the Territory at the 2011 Census...
as Emperor of IndiaEmperor of IndiaEmperor/Empress of India was used as a title by the last Mughal emperor Bahadur Shah II, and revived by the colonial British monarchs during the British Raj in India....
. To prevent the pawning of the Crown Jewels, British law prohibited the removal of a Crown Jewel from the country. For this reason, a new crown was made. It has not been used since. The Imperial Crown of India is not a part of the British Crown Jewels, though it is stored with them.
- The George IV State DiademGeorge IV State DiademPart of the British Crown Jewels, the George IV State Diadem or Diamond Diadem was made in 1820 by the firm Rundell, Bridge and Rundell for the coronation of King George IV. It was designed to encircle the King's velvet Cap of Estate that he wore in the procession to Westminster Abbey. The diadem...
was made in 1820 for the coronation of King George IVGeorge IV of the United KingdomGeorge IV was the King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and also of Hanover from the death of his father, George III, on 29 January 1820 until his own death ten years later...
, and was worn during the coronation processions of Queen Victoria and Elizabeth II.
- Queens consort, the wives of Kings, traditionally wore the Crown of Mary of ModenaCrown of Mary of ModenaThe Crown of Mary of Modena was the consort crown of Mary of Modena, queen consort of England, Scotland and Ireland, wife of King King James VII and II.-Origins:...
, Queen of King James IIJames II of EnglandJames II & VII was King of England and King of Ireland as James II and King of Scotland as James VII, from 6 February 1685. He was the last Catholic monarch to reign over the Kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ireland...
. By the beginning of the 20th century, that small crown was in a decrepit state. A new European-style crownCrown of Queen AlexandraThe Crown of Queen Alexandra was the consort crown of Alexandra of Denmark, the queen consort of King Edward VII of the United Kingdom. It was manufactured for the 1902 coronation.-Background:...
, flatter and with more arches than was traditional in British crowns, was manufactured for Queen AlexandraAlexandra of DenmarkAlexandra of Denmark was the wife of Edward VII of the United Kingdom...
, consort of King Edward VIIEdward VII of the United KingdomEdward VII was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions and Emperor of India from 22 January 1901 until his death in 1910...
. A new crownCrown of Queen MaryThe Crown of Queen Mary was the consort crown of Mary of Teck, Queen Consort of King George V of the United Kingdom. It was manufactured for the coronation of George and Mary in 1911....
, more akin to traditional British crowns, was manufactured for Queen MaryMary of TeckMary of Teck was the queen consort of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Empress of India, as the wife of King-Emperor George V....
, consort of King George VGeorge V of the United KingdomGeorge V was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Emperor of India, from 6 May 1910 through the First World War until his death in 1936....
, who was crowned in 1911. The final new consort's crown in the 20th century was manufactured for Queen ElizabethElizabeth Bowes-LyonElizabeth Angela Marguerite Bowes-Lyon was the queen consort of King George VI from 1936 until her husband's death in 1952, after which she was known as Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother, to avoid confusion with her daughter, Queen Elizabeth II...
, consort of King George VIGeorge VI of the United KingdomGeorge VI was King of the United Kingdom and the Dominions of the British Commonwealth from 11 December 1936 until his death...
, who along with her husband was crowned in 1937. All three consorts' crowns in turn included the famous Koh-i-Noor diamond. This latter Crown of Queen ElizabethCrown of Queen ElizabethThe Crown of the Queen Mother is the platinum crown manufactured for, and worn by, Queen Elizabeth, the former Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon, the queen consort of King George VI of the United Kingdom at their coronation in Westminster Abbey in 1937...
was also worn, minus its arches, by the by-then Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother during Elizabeth II's coronation. It rested on top of the Queen Mother's coffin during her funeral in 2002.
- The Crown of the Queen MotherCrown of Queen ElizabethThe Crown of the Queen Mother is the platinum crown manufactured for, and worn by, Queen Elizabeth, the former Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon, the queen consort of King George VI of the United Kingdom at their coronation in Westminster Abbey in 1937...
is the platinum crown manufactured for, and worn by, Queen Elizabeth, the former Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon, the queen consort of King George VIGeorge VI of the United KingdomGeorge VI was King of the United Kingdom and the Dominions of the British Commonwealth from 11 December 1936 until his death...
of the United Kingdom at their coronation in Westminster Abbey in 1937. It is the first crown for a British consort to be made of platinum. The crown was made by Garrard & Co in London, the long term manufacturer of British royal crowns, and modelled partially on the design of the Crown of Queen Mary, the crown of Mary of Teck, wife of King George V. It consists of four half-arches, in contrast to the eight half-arches of Queen Mary's crown. As with Queen Mary's crown, its arches were detachable at the cross-pattee, allowing Elizabeth to wear the crown as a circlet. The crown is decorated with precious stones, most notably the 105-carat (21 g) Koh-i-Noor diamond in the middle of the front cross. It also contains a 17-carat (3.4 g) diamond given to Queen Victoria by the Sultan of the Ottoman Empire in 1856. After the death of her husband, Queen Elizabeth (known thereafter as Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother) ceased to wear the full crown, but wore it minus the arches as a circlet at the coronation of her daughter, Queen Elizabeth II in 1953. The crown is now on display along with the other British Crown Jewels in the Tower of London.
Mary of Modena's crowns
State Diadem—Worn by her on the way to her coronation and worn in such a way by Queens Consort down to the nineteenth century.Coronation Crown—The crown with which she was actually crowned. Now in the Museum of London.
State Crown—Worn for the procession out of the Abbey and put to other uses subsequently.
The orbs and sceptres
Two sceptres used by the Sovereign form a part of the regalia:The Sceptre with the Cross
Sceptre with the Cross
The Sceptre with the Cross, also known as the St Edward's Sceptre, the Sovereign's Sceptre or the Royal Sceptre, is a sceptre of the British Crown Jewels. It was originally made for the coronation of King Charles II in 1661. In 1905, it was redesigned after the discovery of the Cullinan Diamond...
was made in 1661, and is so called because it is surmounted by a cross. In 1910, it was redesigned to incorporate the Cullinan I
Cullinan Diamond
The Cullinan diamond is the largest rough gem-quality diamond ever found, at .The largest polished gem from the stone is named Cullinan I or the Great Star of Africa, and at was the largest polished diamond in the world until the 1985 discovery of the Golden Jubilee Diamond, , also from the...
, also known as the Great Star of Africa, which at over 530 carats (106 g) is the second largest cut diamond in the world after The Golden Jubilee
The Golden Jubilee
The Golden Jubilee is currently the largest faceted diamond in the world. Since 1908, Cullinan I, also known as the Great Star of Africa, had held the title, which changed following the 1985 discovery of a large brown diamond of 755.5 carats in the prolific blue ground of the Premier mine in South...
. During the coronation, the monarch bears the Sceptre with the Cross in the right hand.
The Sceptre with the Dove
Sceptre with the Dove
The Sceptre with the Dove, also known as the Rod with the Dove or the Rod of Equity and Mercy, is a sceptre of the British Crown Jewels. It was originally made for the coronation of King Charles II in 1661...
was also made in 1661, and atop it is a dove symbolizing the Holy Spirit
Holy Spirit
Holy Spirit is a term introduced in English translations of the Hebrew Bible, but understood differently in the main Abrahamic religions.While the general concept of a "Spirit" that permeates the cosmos has been used in various religions Holy Spirit is a term introduced in English translations of...
. While the Sceptre with the Cross is borne in the right hand, the Sceptre with the Dove is borne in the left. At the same time as the Sovereign holds both Sceptres, he or she is crowned with St Edward's Crown.
The Sovereign's Orb
Sovereign's Orb
The Sovereign's Orb is a type of regalia known as a globus cruciger and is one of the British Crown Jewels.- History :It was created for the coronation of King Charles II in 1661 along with the Sceptre with the Cross and Ampulla....
, a type of globus cruciger
Globus cruciger
The globus cruciger is an orb topped with a cross , a Christian symbol of authority used throughout the Middle Ages and even today on coins, iconography and royal regalia...
, is a hollow golden sphere made in 1661. There is a band of jewels running along the centre, and a half-band on the top hemisphere. Surmounting the orb is a jeweled Cross representing the Sovereign's role as Defender of the Faith
Fidei defensor
Fidei defensor is a Latin title which translates to Defender of the Faith in English and Défenseur de la Foi in French...
. For a part of the coronation, it is borne in the Sovereign's left hand.
The Small Orb, a smaller globus cruciger
Globus cruciger
The globus cruciger is an orb topped with a cross , a Christian symbol of authority used throughout the Middle Ages and even today on coins, iconography and royal regalia...
made in 1689 for Mary II
Mary II of England
Mary II was joint Sovereign of England, Scotland, and Ireland with her husband and first cousin, William III and II, from 1689 until her death. William and Mary, both Protestants, became king and queen regnant, respectively, following the Glorious Revolution, which resulted in the deposition of...
due to her joint coronation with William III
William III of England
William III & II was a sovereign Prince of Orange of the House of Orange-Nassau by birth. From 1672 he governed as Stadtholder William III of Orange over Holland, Zeeland, Utrecht, Guelders, and Overijssel of the Dutch Republic. From 1689 he reigned as William III over England and Ireland...
. Both the Small Orb and its larger counterpart rested on Queen Victoria's coffin in 1901.
Swords
Five swords are used during the coronation.The Jewelled Sword of Offering was made for the Coronation of King George IV
George IV of the United Kingdom
George IV was the King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and also of Hanover from the death of his father, George III, on 29 January 1820 until his own death ten years later...
. It is the only sword actually presented to the Sovereign during the Coronation (by the Archbishop of Canterbury, to signify that the royal power is at the service of the church); the others are merely borne in front of the Sovereign. It was described by Lawrence Tanner as the most beautiful and valuable sword in the world; the hilt and the scabbard are both encrusted with jewels (which include diamonds, rubies and sapphires) and the blade is of the finest Damascus steel. During the procession in the abbey it replaces the Great Sword of State because that is too heavy to be easily carried.
The Great Sword of State is the largest sword in the collection, and is borne in front of the Monarch by the Lord Great Chamberlain
Lord Great Chamberlain
The Lord Great Chamberlain of England is the sixth of the Great Officers of State, ranking beneath the Lord Privy Seal and above the Lord High Constable...
both at the coronation and at the State Opening of Parliament
State Opening of Parliament
In the United Kingdom, the State Opening of Parliament is an annual event that marks the commencement of a session of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It is held in the House of Lords Chamber, usually in November or December or, in a general election year, when the new Parliament first assembles...
. The gilt handle has crosspieces representing the lion and unicorn and the scabbard is decorated with jewels in the shapes of the floral symbols of the United Kingdom: the rose for England, the thistle for Scotland, and the shamrock for Ireland.
The other three swords used are the Sword of Spiritual Justice, the Sword of Temporal Justice, and the Sword of Mercy
Sword of Mercy
The Sword of Mercy, or Edward the Confessor's Sword, is a symbolically broken sword that is part of the Crown Jewels of the United Kingdom...
. The first two symbolize the sovereign's relationship with church and state and the latter represents Curtana, the short sword of Ogier the Dane
Ogier the Dane
Ogier the Dane is a legendary character who first appears in an Old French chanson de geste, in the cycle of poems Geste de Doon de Mayence....
which he was warned to draw in mercy not in vengeance.
Other items
The Ring was made for William IVWilliam IV of the United Kingdom
William IV was King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and of Hanover from 26 June 1830 until his death...
's coronation in 1831. Previously, each Sovereign received a new ring to symbolize their "marriage" to the nation, though no new rings have been used since 1831.
When the Sovereign is anointed by the Archbishop of Canterbury
Archbishop of Canterbury
The Archbishop of Canterbury is the senior bishop and principal leader of the Church of England, the symbolic head of the worldwide Anglican Communion, and the diocesan bishop of the Diocese of Canterbury. In his role as head of the Anglican Communion, the archbishop leads the third largest group...
, the anointing oil is poured from the Ampulla into the Anointing Spoon. The Ampulla is a hollow gold vessel shaped like an eagle, and the Spoon is a silver-gilt
Silver-gilt
Silver-gilt or gilded/gilt silver, sometimes known in American English by the French term vermeil, is silver gilded with gold. Most large objects made in goldsmithing that appear to be gold are actually silver-gilt; for example most sporting trophies, medals , and many crown jewels...
spoon set with pearls. The ampulla is believed to be the one first used in the coronation of Henry IV in 1399. According to legend it was made to contain the oil presented by the Virgin Mary in a vision seen by St Thomas of Canterbury. It is accompanied by a golden spoon which is certainly of the 13th century. It is likely though not certain that the ampulla, an eagle crafted in pure gold, escaped destruction in 1643 when most of the regalia were destroyed or sold. The Spoon was bought by Clement Kynnersley, Yeoman of the Removing Wardrobe, for sixteen shilling
Shilling
The shilling is a unit of currency used in some current and former British Commonwealth countries. The word shilling comes from scilling, an accounting term that dates back to Anglo-Saxon times where it was deemed to be the value of a cow in Kent or a sheep elsewhere. The word is thought to derive...
s when Cromwell ordered the destruction of the new regalia; the Spoon, probably dating from the thirteenth century, is thus the oldest element of the Regalia. The ceremony of the anointing derives from the coronation ceremony of France (see Holy Ampulla
Holy Ampulla
The Holy Ampulla or Holy Ampoule was a glass vial which, from its first recorded use, by Pope Innocent II for the anointing of Louis VII in 1131 to the coronation of Louis XVI in 1774, held the chrism or anointing oil for the coronation of the kings of France.The role played by the Sainte Ampoule...
for further details).
The Armills are gold bracelets said to symbolize sincerity and wisdom. Upon Queen Elizabeth II's coronation, a new set of gold armills were produced and presented on the behalf of various Commonwealth
Commonwealth of Nations
The Commonwealth of Nations, normally referred to as the Commonwealth and formerly known as the British Commonwealth, is an intergovernmental organisation of fifty-four independent member states...
governments, namely: the United Kingdom, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
, South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
, Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
, Ceylon, and Southern Rhodesia
Southern Rhodesia
Southern Rhodesia was the name of the British colony situated north of the Limpopo River and the Union of South Africa. From its independence in 1965 until its extinction in 1980, it was known as Rhodesia...
.
The Tower of London
The Crown Jewels have been kept at the Tower of London
Tower of London
Her Majesty's Royal Palace and Fortress, more commonly known as the Tower of London, is a historic castle on the north bank of the River Thames in central London, England. It lies within the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, separated from the eastern edge of the City of London by the open space...
since 1303 after they were stolen from Westminster Abbey
Westminster Abbey
The Collegiate Church of St Peter at Westminster, popularly known as Westminster Abbey, is a large, mainly Gothic church, in the City of Westminster, London, United Kingdom, located just to the west of the Palace of Westminster. It is the traditional place of coronation and burial site for English,...
. It is thought that most, if not all, were recovered shortly afterwards. After the coronation of Charles II, they were locked away and shown for a viewing fee paid to a custodian. However, this arrangement ended when Colonel Thomas Blood
Thomas Blood
Colonel Thomas Blood was an Irish colonel best known for attempting to steal the Crown Jewels of England from the Tower of London in 1671...
attempted to steal the Crown Jewels after having bound and gagged the custodian. Thereafter, the Crown Jewels were kept in a part of the Tower known as Jewel House, where armed guards defend them.
Crown Jeweller
In 1843, Queen VictoriaVictoria of the United Kingdom
Victoria was the monarch of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837 until her death. From 1 May 1876, she used the additional title of Empress of India....
appointed Garrard & Co
Garrard & Co
Garrard & Co is a luxury jewellery and silver company founded by George Wickesin London in 1735. Its current base is at Albemarle Street in Mayfair, London, its USA flagship store is in New York. The company also has a presence in Tokyo, New York, Dubai, Moscow and Hong Kong...
to the position of Crown Jewellers, leading to the production of numerous pieces of silverware and jewellery for the Royal Family, as well as the upkeep of the Crown Jewels. Garrard dealt with a number of famous jewels, such as the Cullinan diamond
Cullinan Diamond
The Cullinan diamond is the largest rough gem-quality diamond ever found, at .The largest polished gem from the stone is named Cullinan I or the Great Star of Africa, and at was the largest polished diamond in the world until the 1985 discovery of the Golden Jubilee Diamond, , also from the...
s (including Cullinan I, "The Great Star of Africa"), and created such pieces as the Imperial Crown of India
Imperial Crown of India
The Imperial Crown of India was the crown of the Sovereign as Emperor of India during the time of the British Raj. The crown is housed with, but is not part of, the Crown Jewels of the United Kingdom.-History:...
in 1911, the crown of Queen Mary
Crown of Queen Mary
The Crown of Queen Mary was the consort crown of Mary of Teck, Queen Consort of King George V of the United Kingdom. It was manufactured for the coronation of George and Mary in 1911....
for her coronation
Coronation of the British monarch
The coronation of the British monarch is a ceremony in which the monarch of the United Kingdom is formally crowned and invested with regalia...
, and the Crown of Queen Elizabeth
Crown of Queen Elizabeth
The Crown of the Queen Mother is the platinum crown manufactured for, and worn by, Queen Elizabeth, the former Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon, the queen consort of King George VI of the United Kingdom at their coronation in Westminster Abbey in 1937...
in 1937. In 1852, Garrard were given the responsibility of re-cutting the famous Koh-i-Noor diamond
Koh-i-Noor
The Kōh-i Nūr which means "Mountain of Light" in Persian, also spelled Koh-i-noor, Koh-e Noor or Koh-i-Nur, is a 105 carat diamond that was once the largest known diamond in the world. The Kōh-i Nūr originated in the state of Andhra Pradesh in India along with its double, the Darya-ye Noor...
into a brilliant
Brilliant (diamond cut)
A brilliant is a diamond or other gemstone, cut in a particular form with numerous facets so as to have exceptional brilliance. The shape resembles that of a cone and provides maximized light return through the top of the diamond....
.
On 15 July 2007 an announcement was made in the Court Circular, under Buckingham Palace, that Garrard & Co's services as crown jeweller were no longer required, with the reason cited being that it was simply 'time for a change.' G. Collins and Sons were appointed the new Crown Jewellers.
See also
- Crown JewelsCrown jewelsCrown jewels are jewels or artifacts of the reigning royal family of their respective country. They belong to monarchs and are passed to the next sovereign to symbolize the right to rule. They may include crowns, sceptres, orbs, swords, rings, and other objects...
- The Theft of the Crown Jewels
- Crown Jewels of Ireland
- Honours of ScotlandHonours of ScotlandThe Honours of Scotland, also known as the Scottish regalia and the Scottish Crown Jewels, dating from the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, are the oldest set of crown jewels in the British Isles. The existing set were used for the coronation of Scottish monarchs from 1543 to 1651...
- Honours of the Principality of WalesHonours of the Principality of WalesThe Honours of the Principality of Wales are the Crown Jewels used at the investiture of Princes of Wales. They include a coronet, a ring, a rod, a sword, a girdle, and a mantle....
- The Personal Jewel Collection of Elizabeth IIThe Personal Jewel Collection of Elizabeth IIThe Queen's Jewels are a historic collection of jewels owned personally by the monarch of the Commonwealth realms; currently Elizabeth II. The jewels are separate from the British Crown Jewels...