Composed of over 400 precious stones, it is an important symbol of the British monarchy: the Edwardian crown for the coronation of Charles III.
The Edwardian Crown is used at the coronation of Charles III. decorate the head of the new monarch. It is considered one of the most recognizable symbols of the British monarchy. Charles III will follow royal tradition by wearing the crown at the coronation ceremony before donning the Imperial State Crown to exit Westminster Abbey at the end of the event.
Like his late mother, Queen Elizabeth II, Charles will wear the Imperial State Crown at the State Opening of Parliament and on other official occasions. The Edward’s crown, which consists of over 400 precious stones, is used very rarely.
The Edwardian Crown has been used in the coronation of British monarchs since the coronation of King Charles II in 1661. The crown was designed by goldsmith Robert Viner. In addition to a solid gold frame, he used numerous precious stones, including sapphire, pearls, tourmaline, topaz, ruby, amethyst, garnet and aquamarine. The work of art with a purple velvet hood and an ermine fur border is said to be set with a total of 444 precious and semi-precious stones.
Total value of the Edward crown: more than four million euros
The crown weighs 2.23 kilograms. Above the vertex is the globe and above it is a cross-patterned cross. While the total work of art is considered invaluable due to its historical significance, analyzes have always dealt with the financial valuation of the crown. The financial expert Barbara Davidson came to the conclusion in a 2019 article that the piece must be worth the equivalent of more than four million euros.
Edward the Confessor, who was King of England in the 11th century and is venerated as a saint, is said to be the reason for the naming. In English he went down in history as “Edward the Confessor” and was reportedly crowned with a similar crown. According to the Royal Collection Trust, the iconic jewel was a “replacement for Edward the Confessor’s medieval crown,” which was melted down by supporters of Parliament in 1649 during the English Civil War. Although the Edwardian crown is based on the original, with four cross designs, four lilies and two arches, “it is not a reproduction of the medieval design”.
The meaning for the coronation
When the newly crowned monarch gets the crown, it is symbolic of his accession to the throne. The crown is then returned to the Tower of London, where it will remain until the next coronation. She is part of the Crown Jewels on display in the Tower.
Before Charles, George V., George VI. and crown Elizabeth II. However, during her 70 years as Queen, Elizabeth II only wore this crown at the coronation ceremony. To mark the 60th anniversary of the event, she appeared in a documentary in which she picked up the crown and asked, “Is it still that heavy?”
Charles III will be the seventh monarch to be crowned with the Edwardian crown. In preparation for the May 6 ceremony at Westminster Abbey, the jewel was removed from the Tower, cleaned, polished and sized to fit the new King’s head. The Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, will put it on the king.
