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TheSmall Diamond Crown of Queen Victoria is a miniatureimperial andstate crown made at the request ofQueen Victoria in 1870 to wear over herwidow's cap following the death of her husband,Prince Albert. It was perhaps the crown most associated with the queen and is one of theCrown Jewels on public display in theJewel House at theTower of London.
Following the death ofPrince Albert of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha, Victoria's husband, in 1861, Queen Victoria withdrew from public life and wore a black and white ensemble colloquially known aswidow's weeds, which she continued to wear until her death in 1901. Under government pressure she came back into public view in 1870. However, she declined to wear herImperial State Crown again, partly because she found it heavy and uncomfortable to wear, and partly because it would have been impossible to wear on top of her widow's cap. The new small crown was created as a substitute, meeting both the ceremonial duties of a monarch and her own desired form of dress as awidow.[1] It was manufactured in March 1870 by the Crown Jewellers,Garrard & Co.[2]
Although diminutive, the silver crown follows the standard design for British crowns. It is made up of two arches joining at amonde surmounted by a cross. Each of the arches runs from across pattée along the rim of the base. Between each cross pattée is afleur-de-lis. Because of its small size – 9 cm (3+1⁄2 in) across and 10 cm (4 in) high – the crown possesses no internalcap.[3] It contains 1,162 brilliant and 138 rose-cut diamonds weighing 132 carats (26.4 g) that were taken from a large necklace belonging to the queen.[2] Unlike colouredgemstones, diamonds were seen as acceptable to wear in mourning.[1] The crown weighs160 g (5+3⁄4 oz) in total.[3]
Queen Victoria first used her new crown at theState Opening of Parliament on 9 February 1871. She often wore it minus the arches as a circlet or open crown.[3] FollowingVictoria's death, the crown was placed on her coffin atOsborne House.[3]
The crown had belonged to Queen Victoria personally, rather than tothe Crown, and thus was not a part of theCrown Jewels. Victoria left it to the Crown in herwill. It was subsequently worn on occasions by thequeen consort,Alexandra of Denmark (1901–1910), and after her by the next queen consort,Mary of Teck (1910–1936). After the death of Mary's husband,George V, she stopped wearing the crown. When the new queen consort,Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon (1936–1952), decided not to wear the Small Diamond Crown, it was deposited by Queen Victoria's great-grandson,George VI, in theJewel House at theTower of London, where it remains on public display.[3]