The British Crown Jewels: Scepters, Orbs and Everything Else Priceless

Aside from precious crowns, the Crown Jewels also consist of scepters, orbs, staffs, and swords.  There are five scepters:  the King’s Royal Scepter with the cross ;  the King’s Scepter with the dove;  the Queen’s Scepter with the cross;  the Queen’s Sceptre with the dove;  the Queen’s Ivory rod. At the head of the King’s royal sceptre is the greatest diamond in the world, the Star of Africa. It weighs 516 ½ carats, more than four times the weight of any other known diamond. This sceptre dates from Charles II and is carried in the kings right hand at the coronation. The Star of Africa diamond was introduced by Edward VII.

The Crown Jewel has two orbs: the King’s Orb and the Queen’s Orb. The orb is a golden ball, surmounted by a beautiful jeweled  cross. The orb and cross are held to signify the domination of the Christian religion over the world. It is placed in the king’s left hand at the coronation. The reason for there being two orbs is that William and Mary were jointly crowned king and queen of England, a second orb being made for the occasion.

St. Edward’s staff, known also as the Rod of Justice and Equity, is of gold 4 ft. 7 ½ in. in length and is supposed to guide the king’s footsteps. It was remade for Charles II after the pattern of the  old staff destroyed during the Commonwealth. The Ampulla of Golden Eagle, and the Anointing Spoon are used at the coronation for the anointing of the king. These were both overlooked and escaped destruction during the Commonwealth. They are very ancient indeed, and may well be of Byzantine origin.

There are five swords:  the sword of state; the jeweled sword of State;  the swords named Curtana of the sword of Mercy, sword of Justice, spiritual, sword of justice, temporal. The sword of State, a long two-handled sword, is carried before the king on all State occasions such as the opening of parliament. The jeweled sword of state is  used only at the coronation, when the king lays it on the altar is to demonstrate that he places his military power at the service of the church. This is very richly jeweled and is most valuable in the world. The three swords, Curtana, the Sword Spiritual, and the Sword Temporal, are alike except that the point of Curtana has been broken off as a token of mercy.

The Golden Spurs of St. George are, as in the case of the jeweled sword, placed on the altar by the king at his coronation, with like significance. The bracelets, another very ancient token of royalty, may be seen with the rest of regalia at the Tower of London. As far back as ancient Hebrew days a bracelet was one of the insignia of a king.