According to Buckingham Palace, the revered St. Edward’s Crown which has served as the focal point of more than 350 years of royal coronations in England has been taken out of the Tower of London so it can be altered in time for King Charles III’s coronation in May.
The crown, generally a component of the Crown Jewels on display in the Tower, has been in use ever since Oliver Cromwell’s 10-year republic was overthrown and King Charles II was crowned in 1661.
The St. Edward’s Crown replaced a medieval model that was melted down in 1649 and, is believed to have originated during Edward the Confessor’s rule in the eleventh century.
In a solemn ceremony to be held at London’s Westminster Abbey on May 6, King Charles III will be crowned with St. Edward’s Crown. Exactly as his late mother, Queen Elizabeth II was in 1953. Throughout the service, he will also wear the Imperial State Crown.
The St. Edward’s Crown has four crosses-pattée and four fleurs-de-lis, just like its original medieval forebear. It is made of a solid gold frame adorned with rubies, amethysts, sapphires, garnets, topazes, and tourmalines. A velvet cap with an ermine band is also attached to it.
