Everything You Need to Know about the Coronation Regalia

The Coronation Regalia. Image from The Royal Collection Trust

The coronation of King Charles III and Queen Camilla on May 6, 2023 at Westminster Abbey will see the United Kingdom stage the much-awaited but seldom-witnessed spectacle filled with pomp and circumstance, the first of its kind in almost seven decades. Aside from witnessing the parade of royals, heads of state, and celebrities, the coronation will also highlight the appearance of the precious coronation regalia, the  precious objects which symbolise the temporal and sacred service and responsibilities of the monarch. Playing a central role in this very important ceremony are these centuries-old treasures originally kept at the Tower of London. Read on to find out the rich history of the Coronation Regalia.

St. Edward’s Crown

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The St. Edward's Crown, the centrepiece of the Coronation Regalia and the entire British Crown Jewels. Named in honour of Edward the Confessor, versions of it have traditionally been used to crown English and British monarchs at their coronations since the 13th century. The original crown was a sacred item relic kept at Westminster Abbey, where Edward was buried. At the height of the English Civil War, the crown, together with the much of the Crown Jewels, was confiscated, sold or melted down.

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With the Restoration and ascension of Charles II in 1661, Royal Goldsmith, Robert Vyner was commissioned to make a new crown.  While not an exact replica of the medieval design, the new crown with its Baroque arches, was made with the original four crosses-pattée, four fleurs-de-lis, and two arches. The frame is cast in a solid gold frame, decorated with 444 precious stones, including rubies, amethysts, sapphires, garnet, topazes and tourmalines. The crown has a velvet cap with an ermine band.

The crown, however, fell into disuse after William III's coronation in 1689. King George V eventually revived using the crown in his own coronation in 1911. For her coronation, Queen Elizabeth II opted for a stylised image of this crown to be used on coats of arms and other insignia in Commonwealth realms to symbolise her royal authority.

St. Edward's Crown is kept in Jewel House at the Tower of London. It was removed from the Tower  in December 2022 for resizing for King Charles III’s coronation.

Imperial State Crown

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The Imperial State Crown symbolises the sovereignty of the British monarch. Existing in various forms since the 15th century, the Imperial State Crown is the crown the monarch exchanges for St. Edward's Crown, at the end of the coronation ceremony. The term imperial state crown dates back to the fifteenth century when English monarchs chose a crown design closed by arches, to demonstrate that England was not subject to any other earthly power. The current version was made in 1937 for King George VI and is worn by a new monarch for the first time in the royal procession following their coronation (having been crowned with St Edward's Crown during the ceremony). It is subsequently used state occasions, such as the State Openings of Parliament. The crown is adorned with 2,901 precious stones, including the Cullinan II diamond, St. Edward's Sapphire, the Stuart Sapphire, and the Black Prince's Ruby (a spinel). It Consists of 2,868 diamonds, 17 sapphires, 11 emeralds, and 269 pearls.

St. Edward's Sapphire is an octagonal, rose-cut sapphire that forms part of the British Crown Jewels. It is believed to have been taken from the ring (or coronet) of Edward the Confessor in 1042. Queen Victoria later added the jewel to the Imperial State Crown, giving it a leading role in the centre of the cross at the top of the crown, where it remains today in the similar crown last worn by Queen Elizabeth II.

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The Black Prince's Ruby is a large, irregular cabochon red spinel weighing 170 carats (34 g) set in the cross pattée above the Cullinan II diamond at the front of the Imperial State Crown of the United Kingdom. The spinel is one of the oldest parts of the Crown Jewels of the United Kingdom, with a history dating back to the middle of the 14th century. It has been in the possession of England's rulers since it was given in 1367 to its namesake, Edward of Woodstock (the "Black Prince").  The stone is believed to have originated from the Badakhshan mines in present day Afghanistan and Tajikistan, the principal source of large spinel gems in the Middle Ages.

King Charles III will swap St. Edward’s crown for the Imperial State Crown after he is crowned as king.

Sovereign’s Sceptres

The sovereigns sceptre with cross  is a symbol of the monarch's authority and good governance. It is presented during the coronation ceremony along with other chivalric ornaments. The ceremony begins with the anointing of the new sovereign, followed by the presentation of robes and ornaments, culminating in the investiture of the sceptre and the crowning of the monarch.

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Two sceptres are presented, one surmounted by a cross and the other by a dove. The sceptre with cross was originally made for Charles II, but has undergone several alterations over time. In 1910, it was modified to accommodate the great Cullinan diamond, which weighs over 530 carats and is set in an enamelled heart-shaped structure atop the sceptre. The structure is mounted with step-cut emeralds and a faceted amethyst monde, adorned with diamonds, rubies, spinels, and emeralds. The sceptre also features enamelled brackets representing a crown, as well as rubies, emeralds, sapphires, and diamonds.

The Sovereign's sceptre with dove  is a symbol of the spiritual role of the sovereign, and the dove represents the Holy Ghost. It has historically been referred to as the 'Rod of Equity and Mercy'. At the coronation of William I in 1066, the sceptre's importance in controlling uprisings in the kingdom and confining those who stray was emphasized. Thus, the monarch's care for their people is closely linked to this sceptre or rod.

The sceptre is made up of a plain gold rod with three sections, adorned with enameled and gem-set collars at the intersections. It has a gold monde at the top, with a silver zone and arc set with rose diamonds, and a gold cross that supports an enameled dove with outspread wings. The collars are decorated with various precious stones, such as rose- and table-cut diamonds, rubies, emeralds, sapphires, and spinels. At the base of the sceptre is a compressed spherical pommel set with additional rose-cut diamonds.

 Sovereign’s Orb

The Orb is a symbol of the ruler's authority, representing the Christian world with a cross on a globe, and the three sections divided by bands of precious stones signify the three continents known during medieval times. The Orb is adorned with clusters of emeralds, rubies, and sapphires, surrounded by rose-cut diamonds and pearls. At the top, there is a cross with a sapphire on one side and an emerald on the other, and pearls at each arm's end. It was created for the coronation of Charles II in 1661 from the royal goldsmith Robert Viner.

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At the coronation,  the Archbishop of Canterbury places the orb into the Monarch's right hand, which is later returned to the altar before the crowning. After the coronation, the Monarch exits the ceremony wearing the Imperial State  Crown, holding the Scepter, and grasping the Orb.

Coronation Spoon

The Coronation Spoon is the oldest object in the British Crown Jewels. Dating back to the 12th century. The spoon was first recorded in 1349 as among  Edward the Confessor's Regalia kept Westminster Abbey and was already described as a spoon of "antique forme", the style of which could be attributed to the twelfth century and may have been originally owned by Henry II or Richard I. According to the Royal Collection’s website, the spoon is " the only piece of royal goldsmiths' work to survive from that century."

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The spoon was certainly made not for eating or stirring but, presumably for  mixing wine and water in a chalice. During the coronation of James I,  the spoon was already used for anointing the sovereign, a tradition that has since been followed  in  subsequent coronations.

The spoon was sold off during the English Civil War, escaping the fate of other items in the coronation regalia, which were  melted down like the other items. It was purchased by a Mr. Kynnersley, Yeoman of Charles I's Wardrobe, for 16 shillings. Kynnersley returned the spoon when King Charles II. It was embellished with small pearls and was used at his coronation in 1661. It has remained in use ever since.

The Coronation Ampulla

The Coronation Ampulla serves the purpose of holding the consecrated chrism or oil in anointing the sovereign during the coronation ceremony. Also known as the vessel,  the ampulla has the shape of an eagle with wings spread out, positioned on a rounded and leafy base. Its foot is intricately decorated with curved scrolls and masks. The eagle's head can be unscrewed, revealing a spout in the beak for pouring oil. Embed from Getty Images The Ampulla’s design is inspired by an earlier and smaller vessel, originates from a legend dating back to the fourteenth century. Legend has it that the Virgin Mary appeared to St. Thomas  Becket and presented him with a golden eagle and a vial of oil, which were to be used for anointing future kings of England. The customary practice involves filling the Ampulla with oil and then pouring it into the Anointing Spoon, a twelfth-century artifact, during the most sacred moment of the coronation. The act of anointing, where the Archbishop applies holy oil to the head, breast, and hands of the sovereign, traces its roots back to the Old Testament Book of Kings, which describes the anointing of King Solomon. The Ampulla itself has a noteworthy history and was provided by the Crown Jeweller, Robert Vyner, for the coronation of Charles II in 1661.

The Coronation Sword

The Sword of State symbolises the sovereign's authority. It features a steel blade with a silver-gilt hilt, enclosed in a wooden scabbard and covered in velvet.  During the reign of King Charles II two swords were made, the first in 1660, the second in 1678. Embed from Getty Images The first, however, did not survive, the second one has been used in coronations succeeding Charles II's , as well as during the Prince of Wales Investiture in 1969. 

Queen Mary's Crown

In 1911, Queen Mary was to be crowned alongside her husband, King George V. For this grand occasion, she bought the Art Deco-inspired crown from Garrard & Co. herself, and wanted future queens consort to wear it too. It is, however, extraordinary for a British crown due to having eight half-arches instead of the traditional two arches.

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The State crown of Queen Mary is a beautiful and light diamond crown. In the center  of the circlet is one of the lesser portions of the Star of Africa weighing 96 carats. In a cross-pate above this is the Koh—Noor the most renowned diamond in the world. It weights in its present  condition 106 1/16 carats  (having originally weighed  800carats).

After  a tragic history of many centuries , the diamond  was captured by the British and presented  by the Army of  the Punjab to Queen  Victoria after the  Sikh  Wars. The cross that surmounts the mound at the top of the crown is set with yet another lesser portion of the Star of Africa weighing 64 carats.

Not worn since the death of Queen Mary in 1953, it has been  displayed with the other Crown Jewels at the Tower of London. It was removed from the Tower and modified for Queen Camilla’s use on her coronation.   The much-contested Indian Koh-i-Noor diamond was removed and in a tribute to Queen Elizabeth II, the crown will be reset with the Cullinan III, IV and V diamonds, part of the late queen’s personal jewellery collection and often worn by her as brooches.

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