The St Edward’s Crown is 361 years old, and is a major part of the royal regalia
When King Charles gets all set and bedecked for his coronation on May 6, the crown he wears will also grad eyeballs. For, the St Edwards Crown, worn by British monarchs is itself seen as a historic centrepiece of the British crown jewels. But this time around, the St Edward’s Crown will undergo a bit of tweaks before King Charles is crowned.
This is because King Charles’ head is bit bigger than his mother’s – the late queen Elizabeth II. So for the crown to fit, a few alterations needed to be made The crown, which had been resting at a display podium at the Tower of London, has been removed from the spot without much fanfare.
Crown undergoing alterations
The secret removal of the crown is being explained as a measure to not give anyone any idea of how the Tower of London display case can be accessed. The crown jeweller is now reportedly working on the tweaks so that it will be ready for the day of coronation in all its elegance.
The St Edward’s Crown, when it adorns King Charles’ head on the day of the coronation, is sure to be much spoken about around the world. This is because of the uniqueness of the topmost crown jewel. The crown, in case you aren’t aware, is 361 years old, and is a major part of the royal regalia. The others in the regalia comprise the orb, sceptre, heralds, robes and religious invocations such as “God Save the King”.
Amazing facts about the crown
The crown weighs around five pounds, and is made of solid gold. Dimensions read 12 inches in height and 26 inches in circumference. The crown comes studded with as many as 444 precious and semiprecious stones, said a report.
These include 345 rose-cut aquamarines, 37 white topazes, 27 tourmalines, 12 rubies, seven amethysts, six sapphires, two jargoons, one garnet, one spinel and one carbuncle, which is not to be confused with a carbuncle, a type of abscess.
So that is what you would get to see on King Charles’s head as he is crowned king on May 6. Isn’t that amazing?