What is the Imperial State Crown and how often does King Charles wear it?
As King Charles prepares to deliver the first King’s speech of the new parliament, it’s only natural to be curious about the crowns he wears.
The King wore St Edward’s Crown to his coronation but will wear the Imperial State Crown when delivering the speech later today.
The Imperial State Crown will be a familiar sight to some, as it held a prominent place on the coffin of Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II during her September 2022 funeral.
The purple, gem-encrusted crown is undeniably one of the most famous pieces in the Crown Jewels, so many are fascinated by its origins.
Here’s all you need to know about the crown and its role in state affairs.
What is the Imperial State Crown?
The Imperial State Crown was originally made for the coronation of George IV in 1937.
It was made by jewellers Garrard & Company using jewels that have hundreds of years of royal history – including a sapphire belonging to Edward the Confessor in 1066.
The crown was worn by Queen Elizabeth II after her coronation in 1953.
The late monarch wore the rather heavy St Edward’s Crown – another of the Crown Jewels, dating back to 1661 – during the coronation, with the Imperial State Crown chosen for the subsequent photography and Palace balcony appearance, as it was lighter.
The Imperial State Crown is present at every State Opening of Parliament and is worn by the monarch each year.
Even on occasions when the late Queen could not wear it at the State Opening, it was still present at the event.
Her Late Majesty once said of the crown to the BBC: ‘You see, it’s much smaller isn’t it? It would have been up to about there when my father wore it’ – pointing to the top of diamond-encrusted orb on top.
The late Queen also called the crown ‘very unwieldy’, quipping: ‘Fortunately, my father and I had the same sort of shaped head, but once you put it on it stays. It just reigns itself.’
Though it is lighter than St Edward’s Crown, the Imperial State Crown is still fairly heavy – at close to 3lbs in weight.
The late Queen added that it ‘would break your neck’ if you tried to look down at a speech while wearing it.
That said, its weight is unsurprising, given that the piece is made of an openwork gold frame and velvet cap, plus thousands of precious gemstones.
What jewels are in the crown?
These precious jewels include:
- 2,868 diamonds
- The 317.4 carat Cullinan II diamond
- 269 pearls, including four large hanging pearls that belonged to Queen Elizabeth I
- 17 sapphires
- 11 emeralds
- Four rubies
Among them is the Black Prince’s Ruby, set into the cross, which is possibly a spinel (a semi-precious stone).
The stone dates to 1367, when legend would have it was given to the Edward the Black Prince, son of King Edward III, by Pedro the Cruel, the King of Castile, who took the ruby from a Muslim king of Granada.
King Henry V is said to have worn the same ruby set in his helmet at the Battle of Agincourt in 1415.
The large diamond at the front of the crown is the 371.4 carat Cullinan II Diamond.
This is the second largest stone cut from the 3,106 carat Cullinan Diamond, an extraordinarily extravagant gift given to Edward VII on his 66th birthday in 1907 by the government of Transvaal to mark the good relations between England and South Africa.
In 1910, Cullinan I, the remainder of the epic Cullinan Diamond, was put into the Sovereign’s Sceptre, which was placed along with the Orb on the late Queen’s coffin when it arrived at Westminster Hall.
The Imperial State Crown also contains St Edward’s Sapphire, said to be from the ring of King Edward the Confessor dating to 1066 – found when his coffin was moved from one part of Westminster Abbey to another shrine in the 12th century.
Pearl earrings hanging in the crown’s centre are believed to be Scottish, once worn by Mary, Queen of Scots.
The Stuart Sapphire at the back of the crown is thought to have belonged to King Charles I, brought to the country by his son James II and has been adorning state crowns since 1838.
How much is the Imperial State Crown worth?
That’s a lot of gemstones – but the Imperial State Crown doesn’t have an exact value attached to it.
Along with other Crown Jewels the Imperial Orb and Imperial Sceptre, the Imperial State Crown has never been appraised.
Some experts estimate the value of the crown at an eye-watering £3 billion to £5 billion.
If you’re interest in jewels, take a look inside the late Queen’s vast personal jewellery collection here.
How often does King Charles wear the crown?
King Charles III wears the Imperial State Crown on specific ceremonial occasions, most notably during the State Opening of Parliament and at his coronation.
The crown is a symbol of the sovereign’s authority and is part of the British Crown Jewels.
Aside from the State Opening of Parliament and the coronation, there are no other regular occasions on which King Charles III would typically wear the Imperial State Crown.
The crown is reserved for these highly significant ceremonial events due to its historical and symbolic importance.
While the crown is part of the Crown Jewels and represents the authority of the monarch, its use is strictly limited to the most formal state ceremonies. Other crowns and regalia might be used for different occasions, but the Imperial State Crown is specifically designated for the two key events.
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