| Imperial State Crown | |
|---|---|
 Hand-coloured photograph, published in 1919, digitally altered to resemble the crown's current shorter appearance | |
| Details | |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Made | 1937 |
| Owner | KingCharles III in right ofthe Crown[1] |
| Weight | 1.06 kg (2.3 lb) |
| Arches | 2 (four half-arches) |
| Material | Gold, silver, platinum |
| Cap | Velvet trimmed with ermine |
| Notable stones | Cullinan II,St Edward's Sapphire,Black Prince's Ruby,Stuart Sapphire |
| Predecessors | Coronation Crown of George IV |
TheImperial State Crown is thestate crown of theBritish monarch. Based on the design ofQueen Victoria's Crown of 1838, which had fallen into disrepair, it was made in 1937 for thecoronation of King George VI. The crown remains in use today at coronations andState Openings of Parliament. It is adorned with 3,170 precious stones, including the 317-carat (63 g)Cullinan II diamond,St Edward's Sapphire, theStuart Sapphire, and theBlack Prince's Ruby (a large redspinel).
St Edward's Crown, used to crown English monarchs, was considered to be aholy relic,[2] kept in the saint's shrine atWestminster Abbey and therefore not worn by monarchs at any other time. Instead, a "great crown" with crosses andfleurs-de-lis, but without arches (an open crown), was a king's usual headgear at state occasions until the time ofHenry V, who is depicted wearing animperial crown of state with gold arches (a closed crown).[3] Arches were a symbol of sovereignty, and by this point in history, the king of England was being celebrated asrex in regno suo est imperator – an emperor of his own domain – subservient to no one but God, unlike some continental rulers, who owedfealty to more powerful kings or to theHoly Roman Emperor.[4]
Henry VII or his son and successorHenry VIII commissioned an elaborate crown, now known as theTudor Crown, which is first described in detail in an inventory of royal jewels in 1521.[5] Henry VIII wore the crown duringcourt ceremonies, in particular at Christmas when he would process to chapel in his coronation regalia.[6] BothEdward VI andMary I were crowned with three crowns in succession: first St Edward's Crown, second the Tudor Crown (termed the 'Imperiall crowne' in contemporary accounts) and finally in 'very rich' crowns made specifically for each of their coronations.[7] Three crowns were also present at the coronation ofElizabeth I, and she was probably crowned in the same fashion as her predecessors.[7]James I reverted to the tradition of being crowned with St Edward's Crown only before donninghis own crown to depart Westminster Abbey.[8]
Following the abolition of the monarchy and theexecution of Charles I in 1649, all royal crowns were broken up by order of parliament.[9][10] Upon theRestoration of the monarchy in 1660, anew state crown was made forCharles II bySir Robert Vyner. About 10 versions of the state crown have existed since the Restoration,[11] including theState Crown of George I, made in 1714.[12] George IV had wishedhis own coronation crown of 1821 to be purchased by parliament and used for state occasions but it was judged too expensive.[13]
For theCoronation of Queen Victoria in 1838, a new and lighter imperial state crown was created, and this is the basis for today's crown. Made byRundell and Bridge using old and new jewels, it had a crimson velvet cap with ermine border and a lining of white silk. It weighed 39.25 troy ounces (43.06 oz; 1,221 g) and was decorated with 1,363 brilliant-cut, 1,273 rose-cut and 147 table-cut diamonds, 277 pearls, 17 sapphires (includingSt Edward's Sapphire, thought to have been taken from the Confessor's ring when his body was reinterred at Westminster Abbey in 1163), 11 emeralds, 4 rubies, and theBlack Prince's Ruby (a cabochon redspinel).[14]
At the State Opening of Parliament in 1845, theDuke of Argyll was carrying the crown before Queen Victoria when it fell off the cushion and broke. Victoria wrote in her diary, "it was all crushed and squashed like a pudding that had sat down".[15] Victoria hada small crown made in 1870, which resembled the Tudor Crown,[16] declining to wear the 1838 crown which she found heavy and uncomfortable.[17] In 1909, the larger crown was altered to accommodate the 317-carat (63 g)Cullinan II diamond, also known as the Second Star of Africa.[18]
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A faithful copy of the 1838 crown, which had fallen into a poor state of repair, was made in 1937 by the jewellersGarrard & Co. forGeorge VI.[19] The crown's inner headband was adjusted and its arches lowered by 1 in (2.5 cm) in 1953 for QueenElizabeth II.[20] The empty frame of Victoria's crown survives in the Royal Collection, and is now on display in the Tower Jewel House,[21] minus its monde and cross which now sit on the current crown.[22]
| External videos | |
|---|---|
 Newsreel of the 1953 alteration work (black and white) | |
| Clip fromMonarchy: The Royal Family at Work (2007) | |
| Clip fromThe Coronation (2018) | |
| Short HD video of the crown by Royal Collection Trust (2023) |
The Imperial State Crown is 31.5 cm (12.4 in) tall and weighs 1.06 kg (2.3 lb), and has fourfleurs-de-lis alternating with fourcrosses pattée, supporting two arches topped by amonde and cross pattée. Its purplevelvet cap is trimmed withermine. The frame is made of gold, silver and platinum, and decorated with 2,868 diamonds, 269 pearls, 17 sapphires, 11 emeralds, and 5 rubies.[23]
Notable stones areSt Edward's Sapphire on the top cross, reputedly taken from the ring ofEdward the Confessor when he was re-interred atWestminster Abbey in 1163, and theBlack Prince's Ruby (a largespinel) on the front cross. In 1909, the 104-carat (21 g)Stuart Sapphire, set in the front of the crown, was moved to the back and replaced by the 317-carat (63 g)Cullinan II.[24] Below the monde hang four pearls, three of which are often said to have belonged to QueenElizabeth I, but this association is almost certainly erroneous.[25]
The crown is worn by the monarch on leaving Westminster Abbey at the end of his or hercoronation.[26] It is usually also worn atState Openings of Parliament, althoughElizabeth II wore a hat in March 1974, June 2017 and December 2019 after snap general elections, and in May 2021; and, in October 2019 she wore theState Diadem, while the Imperial State Crown was carried beside her.[27] Usually, it is taken to thePalace of Westminster under armed guard in its own carriage and placed in the Robing Room, where the monarch dons theRobe of State and puts on the crown before giving the speech to Parliament. If a State Opening occurs before a coronation, the crown is placed on a cushion beside the monarch. In 1689, one week after being proclaimed king,William III wore his crown in Parliament to pass theCrown and Parliament Recognition Act 1689.[28] When not in use, the Imperial State Crown is on public display in theJewel House at theTower of London.
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