King Charles: Major Royal Artifact to Be Altered for Coronation

By Allison Schonter

King Charles III's coronation is just months away, but there are some changes being made ahead of the historic day. When the newly-appointed monarch is officially crowned sovereign on May 6, he will don the St. Edward's Crown, a royal artifact that is currently undergoing some slight alterations ahead of the big day.

Buckingham Palace confirmed on Saturday, Dec. 3 that the crown, which is the centerpiece of the Crown Jewels and was last worn by Charles' own mother, the late Queen Elizabeth II, at her own coronation in 1953, was "removed from the Tower of London." The current location of the royal artifact was not divulged, and the movement of St. Edward's Crown was not announced until after it was safely delivered to its new location. The palace explained that the crown was moved "to allow for modification work to begin ahead of the Coronation on Saturday 6 May 2023." Details of those modifications were not shared.

Created in 1661 as a replacement for the original – which is believed to have dated back to Edward the Confessor, who reigned in 1042-1066, and was melted down in 1649 after the House of Commons abolished the monarchy and declared a commonwealth during the English Civil War – St. Edward's Crown was commissioned from the Royal Goldsmith, Robert Vyner. It features four crosses-pattée and four fleurs-de-lis, as well as two arches, and is made of a solid gold frame set with rubies, amethysts, sapphires, garnet, topazes, and tourmalines. The crown also features a velvet cap with an ermine band.

St. Edward's Crown is the crown historically used at the moment of Coronation. It was last worn by the late Elizabeth on her coronation day in 1953. Following her death in September at the age of 96 after having served as monarch for 70 years, making her Britain's longest-reigning monarch, her eldest son will be the next royal to wear the crown when he is coronated on May 6. The coronation ceremony will take place in Westminster Abbey and will be conducted by the Archbishop of Canterbury. While the ceremony will contain the traditional elements of a coronation, it is believed that it will be on a much smaller scale and be shorter than his mother's three-hour ceremony. After his coronation, Charles will not wear the St. Edward's Crown and will instead wear the Imperial State Crown, created in 1937 for the coronation of King George VI.

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