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Fans of the Netflix series The Crown are well aware that Queen Elizabeth often wears a real crown, particularly during annual events like the State Opening of Parliament. However, there are other crowns in her collection that remain largely unseen unless you recall her 1953 coronation.
Indeed, the queen possesses multiple crowns, though they represent just a fraction of the crown jewels' vast and invaluable collection. These treasures, crafted from gold, silver, and precious gems, each carry a unique and often intriguing backstory.
10. St. Edward’s Crown
St. Edward’s Crown stands as the most significant item among the crown jewels. Crafted from pure gold, it was specifically designed for King Charles II’s coronation in 1661. This new crown was necessary after the original, used since Edward the Confessor’s era, was destroyed in 1649 during the abolition of the monarchy and England’s brief republican period.
The Restoration brought with it a fresh crown. While today it is adorned with precious gems, this wasn’t always the case. Until 1911, jewels were borrowed for each coronation and later returned to their owners once the event concluded.
St. Edward’s Crown is reserved exclusively for the coronation ceremony, where it is placed on the monarch’s head at the pivotal moment of crowning. Queen Elizabeth II wore it just once, likely grateful for its infrequent use given its considerable weight.
Only three individuals are authorized to handle St. Edward’s Crown: the monarch, the Archbishop of Canterbury, and the Crown Jeweller. During Queen Elizabeth II’s 1953 coronation, the archbishop attached a gold thread to the crown’s frame to distinguish its front from the back. However, the thread was removed before the ceremony, leaving the archbishop to rely on guesswork.
9. Imperial State Crown
The Imperial State Crown is far more frequently used, donned by the monarch annually during the State Opening of Parliament. It was also worn by Queen Elizabeth II as she departed Westminster Abbey following her coronation.
Crafted in 1937 for King George VI, this crown is a precise replica of Queen Victoria’s version, incorporating jewels from the George I State Crown. Modified to fit the head shapes of successive monarchs, it was last adjusted for Queen Elizabeth II. Made from gold, silver, and platinum, it boasts 2,868 diamonds, 17 sapphires, 11 emeralds, 269 pearls, and four rubies.
The crown’s most prominent gem is the Cullinan II diamond, weighing 317 carats and also called the Second Star of Africa. It is the second-largest piece cut from the renowned Cullinan diamond, the biggest gemstone ever discovered. The 3,106-carat original was carefully cut by Asschers of Amsterdam, and the largest resulting stone also became part of the crown jewels, as we’ll explore later.
The second-largest jewel in the crown is the Black Prince’s Ruby, a 170-carat gem believed to have been worn as a pendant and drilled during medieval times. This ruby was famously worn by Henry V during the Battle of Agincourt.
The crown features four pear-shaped pearls, once worn as earrings by Queen Elizabeth I. These pearls are believed to have been a gift from Catherine de Medici to her daughter-in-law, Mary, Queen of Scots. After Mary’s execution, the Virgin Queen reportedly claimed them.
8. Consort Crowns
Members of the royal family have also adorned ceremonial crowns. Since the 14th century, queens consort have traditionally worn diadems or circlets during their husbands’ coronations.
In 1685, Mary of Modena, wife of James II, received her custom-made diadem just one day before the coronation. Adorned with 177 diamonds on loan, these gems were later replaced with quartz crystals. This diadem was subsequently worn by several royal women.
In 1937, Queen Elizabeth, the wife of King George VI and mother of the current queen, received a newly crafted crown for her husband’s coronation. Adorned with 2,800 diamonds, it is set within a platinum framework.
The renowned Koh-i-Noor diamond was prominently placed on the front cross of the crown. This gem had previously been featured in the crowns of Queen Mary and Queen Alexandra. Additionally, Sultan Abdul Medjid gifted Queen Victoria the large diamond on the crown’s band as a token of gratitude for British military support during the Crimean War.
7. Ampulla and Coronation Spoon
Like many crown jewels destroyed by Oliver Cromwell, the gold Ampulla, made in 1661, replaced a smaller, historical version now lost. Shaped like an eagle with outstretched wings, the Ampulla features a detachable head and a small opening in its beak.
The Ampulla is deeply tied to the sacred and spiritual elements of the monarch’s coronation, as it holds the holy oil used to anoint the king or queen by God. During the ceremony, the archbishop applies the oil to the monarch’s head, chest, and hands.
The holy oil is poured into the Anointing Spoon, a silver gilt artifact and the oldest item in the crown jewels. When Cromwell established a republic, the spoon was slated for melting alongside other regalia. However, it was sold instead, purchased for 16 shillings by Mr. Kynnersley, a Yeoman of Charles I’s Wardrobe. It survived the republic and was returned to King Charles II in 1661.
At Queen Elizabeth II’s coronation, the anointing, the most sacred part of the ceremony, was kept private and not televised. A golden canopy was raised over the queen during this solemn ritual.
6. Ring
The sovereign’s ring has been a part of coronations since William IV’s in 1831. Featuring sapphires, rubies, and 14 dazzling diamonds, it symbolizes the Crosses of St. George and St. Andrew. A replica was crafted for Queen Victoria to accommodate her smaller fingers.
Following her coronation, Queen Victoria noted, “The Archbishop, quite awkwardly, placed the ring on the wrong finger, causing me immense difficulty and pain to remove it.”
5. The Sovereign’s Orb
A deeply religious symbol, the Orb represents the Christian world through a globe topped with a cross. Crafted from hollow gold, this sphere was created for Charles II’s coronation.
Adorned with 375 pearls, 365 diamonds, 18 rubies, nine emeralds, nine sapphires, one amethyst, and a piece of glass, the Orb is placed in the sovereign’s right hand during the coronation as they receive the symbols of sovereignty. It is then carried in their left hand as they exit Westminster Abbey.
4. Scepter and Rod
The Scepter and Rod are ornate items rich in religious symbolism. Designed like a shepherd’s staff, they signify the monarch’s duty to care for their people. As described during William the Conqueror’s 1066 coronation, “The scepter maintains order in the kingdom, while the rod gathers and guides those who stray.”
Notably, the Sovereign’s Scepter with Cross was enhanced in 1910 when King George V added the Cullinan I diamond (530.2 carats), a fragment of the famed Cullinan diamond, whose stones also adorn various crowns.
3. Uneasy Lies The Head
The documentary on the crown jewels achieved a rare feat by featuring a conversation with Queen Elizabeth II. Historian Alastair Bruce, the program’s host, clarified that direct questions cannot be asked of the monarch. Instead, one must present a point, to which the queen may respond, potentially sparking a dialogue. “This was a conversation with the queen,” he noted.
Regardless of its nature, Her Majesty’s remarks were insightful. While admiring the dazzling jewels, she remarked on their impracticality. “You can’t look down to read a speech while wearing the crown; you must lift the speech up. Otherwise, your neck would strain, and it might fall off.” She humorously added, “Crowns have their drawbacks, but they remain quite significant.”
2. Tarnished Gold
While the crown jewels are central to the most solemn ceremonies in the United Kingdom, they have also been part of some comical incidents.
At a 19th-century State Opening of Parliament, the Duke of Argyll was carrying the Imperial State Crown on a cushion for Queen Victoria when it slipped and fell with a loud crash. The Queen, far from amused, later described the crown in her diary as “completely crushed and squashed, resembling a collapsed pudding.”
Similarly, during James II’s coronation banquet in 1685, the scepter toppled off a table, causing two large jewels to fall out. Fortunately, they were later found on the floor of Westminster Hall.
1. Hidden Jewels
A recent television documentary disclosed that the crown jewels were almost lost forever after being moved from the Tower of London.
Amid World War II, as London faced relentless German bombing and the threat of invasion, King George VI commanded that the nation’s most treasured symbols be secretly transported from the capital and concealed to prevent them from falling into the hands of the Nazis.
The jewels were stored in a biscuit tin and hidden in a secure vault beneath Windsor Castle, accessible only through an inconspicuous trapdoor in an underground passage. Fortunately, the few individuals aware of the hiding place survived the war, and the crown jewels were safely returned to the Tower of London afterward.
