The queen wore this crown almost every year at the inauguration of Parliament. She then she sat on a golden throne, reading aloud the government’s major legislative plans for the next year. Now this crown accompanies the monarch on his final journey.
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September 8 Queen Elizabeth II dies peacefully at Balmoral Castle surrounded by their loved ones. Subsequently, the monarch’s body was deposed special coffin and carried a hearse to the capital of Scotland, and then flown to London. During the long last journey, the late queen was accompanied by crown of the british empirelying on top of his coffin.
Coffin of Queen Elizabeth II / Photo: Associated Press
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This unique piece of jewelry does not belong to the queen personally, but is owned by the UK and represents the ruler. For decades it has been an indicator of greatness, wealth and status.
History of creation
The Crown of the British Empire was created in 1937 for the coronation of Elizabeth II’s father – King George VI – by Garrard & Co. It is designed to be much lighter and fits better on the head than St. Edward’s crown, which is used to crown British monarchs.
—-Coronation of King George VI, May 12, 1937 / Photo: Associated Press
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According to the rules, this crown is worn by the monarch after coronation at state openings of Parliament or other official ceremonial events. Despite the rather massive appearance, it weighs just over a kilogram, but for coronation of Elizabeth II it has however been modified, with the head reduced in size and lowered by 25 mm to give it a more feminine look.
—-Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II / Photo: Associated Press
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After Charles III is crowned St Edward’s, as his mother once was, he will wear that British Empire crown to leave Westminster Abbey at the end of the ceremony. It is not yet known whether he will be adapted for the new king.
precious details
It is impossible to estimate the value of this crown, since all its elements are simply priceless. It is a gold, silver and platinum headband with crosses and lilies, planted on a purple velvet cap trimmed with an ermine.
Two arcs are attached to the circle, in the viewfinder of which at the top there is a sphere with a cross, which symbolizes the globe. The crown is decorated with 2868 diamonds, 273 pearls, 17 sapphires, 11 emeralds, 5 rubies.
—-Crown of the British Empire / Photo: Associated Press
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Among the important precious elements of the crown, it is worth highlighting the following:
- Sphere and Cross – they are decorated with more than 650 brilliant cut diamonds, originally adorned Queen Victoria’s state crown in 1838 (it was damaged, so all the precious stones have been extracted from it. Now only the frame is kept in the royal museum).
- Hanging under the sphere four large pearlssaid to have belonged to Queen Elizabeth I.
- In the central cross, which crowns the crown, it is inserted large sapphire. As they say, he was once worn in the ring by the 11th century King of England Edward the Confessor. The stone is the most precious in the royal collection.
- The large red stone in the crown is known as Ruby of the Black Prince. He is believed to have been worn by Henry V during the Hundred Years War in 1415 at the Battle of Agincourt, when English troops defeated the French south of Calais. This stone was a favorite of Queen Elizabeth II. Legend has it that the king put a feather in a hole made in a ruby. Probably, a stone with a feather adorned his helmet. This stone is about the size of a chicken egg, weighs 170 carats, and although many call it ruby, it is not: it is a semi-precious spinel stone.
- Stuart sapphire – one of the central stones of the crown – is installed on the back. The stone may have belonged to King Charles I, whose son James II secretly carried the gem out of the country when it was overthrown in the Glorious Revolution of 1688. As a result, Stuart’s Sapphire returned to England and from 1838 adorned the crowns of state.
- Cullinan Diamond – This is the largest rough diamond ever found, weighing 3106.75 carats (621.35g). The diamond was found on January 26, 1905 in South Africa in the Premier Mine and is named after the owner of the mine, Thomas Cullinan. On November 9, 1907, the government of the Transvaal colony presented the diamond to King Edward VII of England as a birthday present. The stone has been divided, and at the moment there are 9 of its parts, one is inserted in the central part of the crown, the other is in the scepter, the others are kept in the royal collection and inserted in other jewels.
—-Crown of the British Empire / Photo: Associated Press
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Who can touch the crown
Only three people can touch the crown of the British Empire: the monarch, the Archbishop of Canterbury during the coronation ceremony and the jeweler responsible for the security of the crown.
When not in use, the Imperial State Crown is on public display in the Jewel House in the Tower of London.
—-Crown of the British Empire / Photo: Associated Press
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