The Coronation of King Charles III took place on Saturday 6th May 2023 at Westminster Abbey, but what crown did the new monarch wear? Keep reading for everything you need to know about what crown King Charles wore, including where it is kept and how many diamonds it holds.
What crown did King Charles wear at the Coronation?
As per tradition, King Charles III wore the St Edward's Crown when he was officially declared as the King during his Coronation. This was the first and only time that Charles wore this particular crown. Made of solid gold and weighing five pounds, it contains 444 gemstones, including rubies, sapphires, garnets and tourmalines.
Take a look at the images of King Charles III wearing the St Edward's Crown at Westminster Abbey.
Did King Charles wear the Queen's crown?
According to royal.co.uk, St Edward's Crown is the crown historically used at the moment of coronation and was worn by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth at her coronation in 1953. It was originally made for the coronation of the Charles II in 1661 and is stored safely in the Tower of London.
Preserved among St Edward's Regalia in Westminster Abbey, the Crown is the oldest object in the collection and has been hailed as the "one real great survivor" of the medieval regalia, according to The Telegraph.
Key facts about St Edward's Crown include:
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- The solid gold frame weighs 2.23kg (nearly 5lbs) and is adorned with semi-precious stones. It has a velvet cap with an ermine band.
- St Edward's Crown was made for the coronation of Charles II to replace the medieval crown melted down by parliamentarians in 1649, after the execution of King Charles I.
- This lost medieval crown was said to have belonged to the 11th-century royal saint, King Edward the Confessor.
- The crown was commissioned from the Royal Goldsmith, Robert Vyner, in 1661.
- St Edward's Crown was last used for crowning Elizabeth II in 1953.
King Charles also wore the Imperial State Crown during the Coronation service. This was the crown which was recently placed on the Queen's coffin for the lying-in-state and her state funeral. Originally made for the coronation of King George VI in 1937, replacing the crown made for Queen Victoria in 1838, it was also worn by the late Queen Elizabeth II during her coronation.
According to Historic Royal Palaces, the Imperial State Crown is made of gold and set with 2,868 diamonds, 17 sapphires, 11 emeralds, 269 pearls, and four rubies. The crown contains some of the most famous jewels in the collection. These include the Black Prince's Ruby, the Stuart Sapphire, and the Cullinan II diamond.
The Crown Jewels are housed in the Tower of London, where they are kept on public display for people to visit.
Key facts about The Imperial State Crown include:
- St Edward's Sapphire, set in the centre of the topmost cross, is said to have been worn in a ring by St Edward the Confessor and discovered in his tomb in 1163.
- The Imperial State Crown was made for the Coronation of King George VI in 1937, replacing the crown made for Queen Victoria in 1838.
- As part of the Crown Jewels, the crown is kept under armed guard in the Jewel House at the Tower of London.
What crown did Camilla, Queen Consort, wear at the Coronation?
Camilla, Queen Consort, wore Queen Mary's Crown. This marks the first time in recent history a Queen Consort has used an existing crown for coronation. In a bid to be more sustainable, some minor changes and additions were made by the Crown Jeweller that reflect the Queen Consort's individual style.
The Palace explain: "The Cullinan diamonds have been set into Queen Mary's Crown on previous occasions. Cullinan III and IV were set temporarily in the Crown for the 1911 Coronation, and the Cullinan V was inserted when the Crown was worn as a regal circlet at King George VI's Coronation in 1937."
The Queen's Platinum Jubilee in pictures
Saturday 4th: Party at the Palace
Drones lit up the sky in formation during the finale of the Party at the Palace. They formed the shape of a teacup, the Queen's handbag and even a Corgi.
Saturday 4th: Party at the Palace
Impressive graphics were projected across the whole of the Buckingham Palace facade.
Saturday 4th: Party at the Palace
The Royal Box hosted senior members of the royal family and parliament, including the Cambridges, Prince Charles and Camilla, and Boris Johnson.
Saturday 4th: Party at the Palace
Prince William took to the stage for a speech about the environment and following in his grandfather's and father's proactive footsteps.
Saturday 4th: Party at the Palace
Queen were the opening act and set the party mood for the rest of the evening.
Saturday 4th: Party at the Palace
Prince Charles gave a personal tribute to his mother, Her Majesty.
Saturday 4th: Party at the Palace
Saturday 4th: Party at the Palace
Videos of celebrity tributes to the Queen also featured.
Saturday 4th: Party at the Palace
Diana Ross headlined the event.
Saturday 4th: Party at the Palace
Prince George and Princess Charlotte had a great time, waving their flags throughout.
Saturday 4th: Epsom Derby
Epsom Derby gets underway with cardboard cutouts of the Queen riding a decorated bus.
Friday 3rd: Street party in Swanage
Hundreds of people attend a street party in Swanage, just one of many events taking place up and down the country in villages, towns and cities.
Friday 3rd: Princess Anne
Princess Anne and her husband Vice Admiral Timothy Laurence visit the Penguin enclosure at Edinburgh Zoo.
Friday 3rd: St Paul's Cathedral
The National Service of Thanksgiving takes place at St Paul's Cathedral. The Queen was unable to attend.
Friday 3rd: St Paul's Cathedral
Prince Charles, Prince of Wales and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall attend a National Service of Thanksgiving.
Friday 3rd: St Paul's Cathedral
Meghan, Duchess of Sussex and Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex attend the National Service of Thanksgiving.
Thursday 2nd: Working royals on the Buckingham Palace balcony
Working members of the royal family joined the Queen on the balcony at Buckingham Palace to watch the 70 aircraft flyover that marked the end of the Trooping the Colour parade.
Thursday 2nd: Working royals on the Buckingham Palace balcony
Princess Charlotte and Prince George were in awe of the planes, which included the famous Red Arrows.
Thursday 2nd: Working royals on the Buckingham Palace balcony
While Prince Louis found it a bit too loud at some points. The Queen was smiling throughout the whole display.
Thursday 2nd: The Trooping the Colour parade begins
Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall and Catherine, the Duchess of Cambridge, officially start the Platinum Jubilee celebrations by leading the Trooping the Colour parade.
Thursday 2nd: the Princes and Princess wave to the crowds
Prince George, Prince Louis and Princess Charlotte wave to the waiting crowds in the Trooping the Colour carriage procession.
Thursday 2nd: Princess Anne rides horseback
Princess Anne, the Princess Royal, takes to horseback down The Mall for the Trooping the Colour parade.
Thursday 2nd: Prince Edward & the Countess of Wessex smile to the crowds that have gathered
Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex and Sophie, Countess of Wessex smile to the crowds, some of whom have camped overnight to catch a glimpse of the royals.
Thursday 2nd: Prince Charles rides along the procession
Prince Charles, the Prince of Wales, rides in a car during the Trooping the Colour parade.
Thursday 2nd: The red, white & blue flags are out
Members of the public show off their patriotism in style while cycling down the Mall, which will soon see processions and parades and thousands take to the streets.
Thursday 2nd: Portraits of the Queen spring up in Paris
In Paris, portraits of her Majesty The Queen are being displayed in front of the British Ambassador's Residence to celebrate the Platinum Jubilee.
Thursday 2nd: An iconic image by Andy Warhol goes on sale
Staff members at Phillips auction house show the world-famous diamond-dusted screen print of Queen Elizabeth II by artist Andy Warhol in London. The artwork, which has an auction estimate of between £100,000-150,000, goes on sale as the Queen celebrates her Platinum Jubilee.
Wednesday 1st: Yarn bombing pops up across the country
You'll find this particular knitted decoration to mark the event in Market Place, Abingdon. But keep an eye out in your hometown to see if you can spot any special decorations like this one too.
Wednesday 1st: Carnaby Street gets dressed up
A new installation has been unveiled in London's iconic Carnaby Street to celebrate the Queen's Platinum Jubilee. Including new signs with shimmer discs and a giant crown, this installation is one to get a photo of if you're in the capital over Jubilee weekend.
Wednesday 1st: Marylebone Cricket Club mark the occasion
Wednesday 1st: Staff and members of MCC along with representatives from local community groups and businesses gather to celebrate MCC Patron, HM Queen Elizabeth II on the outfield at Lord’s Cricket Ground. Starting on June 2nd, Lord’s will host the first England men’s Test Match of the season against New Zealand.
Lisa Joyner is the Deputy Daily Editor at House Beautiful UK and Country Living UK, where she's busy writing about home and interiors, gardening, dog breeds, pets, health and wellbeing, countryside news, small space inspiration, and the hottest properties on the market. Previously, she has written for Conde Nast Traveller, House & Garden and Marie Claire magazine. Lisa studied at University For The Creative Arts, where she completed a BA in Fashion Journalism.
