What crown will King Charles III wear, and what happens to the Queen’s
Preparation for the coronation of King Charles III could take a year to plan, but questions are already circulating.
The ascension of King Charles III to the throne was immediate upon the death of his mother, Queen Elizabeth II. However, his coronation, the official event which marks him being proclaimed king, may not occur for another year. While planning the historical event may take some time, it by no means indicates that King Charles will not take over his late mother’s roles as the head of state as well as responsibilities within the Church of England.
One of the main questions circling the royal coronation relates to the crown that will be worn by the new king and whether or not it will be the same worn by his mother, Queen Elizabeth II. During the event, King Charles III will wear the St Edward’s Crown, also known as the Imperial State Crown, last worn by Queen Elizabeth II in 1953.
The crown for the coronation
The crown, which has a long history, was first made for Charles II in 1661.
However, the royal family has used a similar crown, which inspired St Edward’s, since the 13th century. The crown received its name from Saint Edward the Confessor, one of the last Anglo-Saxon English kings, ruling from 1042 to 1056.
The crown holds more than 2,868 diamonds, seventeen sapphires, eleven emeralds, four rubies, and 269 pearls. Altogether, the crown weighs 2.23 kg or 4.9 pounds. When appraised for its value, experts have estimated that the crown’s value could reach between £3 billion and £5 billion.
Charles will be the seventh monarch to be coronated with the crown, following:
- Charles II (1661)
- James II (1685)
- William III (1689)
- George V (1911)
- George VI (1937)
- Elizabeth II (1953).
Between William III and George V, the ten monarchs used different crowns, and the tradition was restated in the early twentieth century. Until the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II, the crown was kept in the Jewel House at the Tower of London. The last time it was seen by the public was on 4 June 2013, when it was displayed in Westminister Abbey to celebrate the sixtieth anniversary of Queen Elizabeth’s coronation.