The St. Edward Crown King Charles III Will Wear at His Coronation Wasn’t Used for 200 Years
The official coronation of King Charles III will not occur until 2023. However, that doesn’t mean that wheels aren’t already in motion for one of the most extravagant events in modern-day royal history. Along with the day’s pageantry comes a display of enormous wealth, including $3.8B worth of jewels, including a crown that wasn’t used at a coronation for over 200 years.
Plans for King Charles III’s coronation are already underway
The official mourning period for the late Queen Elizabeth II ended on Sept. 27. Therefore, the royal family is back to undertaking official public events.
Reflected on the royal family’s official Twitter, Anne, Princess Royal, The Prince and Princess of Wales, William and Catherine, and Sophie, the Countess of Wessex, have all represented the royal family at recent events.
Along with a busy calendar of events for all working senior royals, Buckingham Palace is also planning King Charles III’s coronation. According to the royal family’s official website, the event must follow a strict protocol.
“The coronation of the new sovereign follows some months after their accession. Thus follows a period of mourning. And an enormous amount of preparation is required to organize the ceremony,” says the site.
The St. Edwards crown, a vital component of the ceremony, wasn’t worn for over 200 years
For over 200 years, monarchs didn’t wear the St. Edwards Crown in coronation ceremonies because it was too heavy, said Crisscut.
Queen Elizabeth once told the BBC in 2018 about the difficulties of wearing the heavy symbol of the monarchy in public. She explained how you couldn’t look down to read a speech while wearing the crown, as the weight of the diamonds can put excess strain on your neck.
“Unwieldy. There are some disadvantages to crowns. But otherwise, they’re quite important things,” Queen Elizabeth said as she looked at the crown during the interview.
“Fortunately, my father and I had the same sort of shaped head. Once you put it on, it stays,” the late monarch quipped.
King Charles III’s coronation includes $3.8B worth of jewels
King Charles III’s coronation will feature an enormous display of the royal family’s wealth. Nowhere is this more apparent than the Crown Jewels. These items include the St. Edwards Crown, the Imperial State Crown, the Sovereign’s Sceptre with Cross, the Sovereign’s Orb, and the Coronation Spoon. These items remain guarded in the Jewel House at the Tower of London, reported Historic Royal Palaces.
The BBC reported that the St. Edward’s crown has nearly 3,000 stones. This stunning symbol of the monarchy includes 2,868 diamonds, 273 pearls, 17 sapphires, 11 emeralds, and five rubies.
The Imperial State Crown was designed to be lighter than the crown it replaced. Made in 1937 for the coronation of the Queen’s father, King George VI, it sat upon Queen Elizabeth’s casket during her funeral.
