Preparations Begin for King Charles III's Coronation as Crown is Removed from the Tower of London

King Charles’s coronation will be held on Saturday, May 6 at Westminster Abbey, where he will be crowned alongside Queen Consort Camilla. And preparations have already begun— with the crown that will be the centerpiece of the ancient ceremony removed from its home in the Tower of London in readiness.

The St Edward’s Crown, which is used to crown the sovereign during the coronation, is now undergoing “modification work” ahead of the May service. The crown, which is part of the Crown Jewels, will be placed on Charles’s head by the Archbishop of Canterbury during the investiture part of the coronation ceremony. It will then be removed and replaced with the Imperial State Crown, which Charles will wear to leave the Abbey and to appear on the Buckingham Palace balcony.

Described by Historic Royal Palaces, which manages the Tower of London, as “the most important and sacred of all the crowns” it weighs 2.23 kg with a solid gold frame and 444 stones. Like many of the current Crown Jewels, it was made for the coronation of King Charles II in 1661 after the monarchy was restored in 1660. The original set of jewels were destroyed under the orders of Oliver Cromwell when the monarchy was abolished and King Charles I executed in 1649. The original St Edward’s Crown was thought to date back to the 11th Century.

“The crown was commissioned from the Royal Goldsmith, Robert Vyner, in 1661,” Buckingham Palace said in a statement today. “Although it is not an exact replica of the medieval design, it follows the original in having four crosses-pattée and four fleurs-de-lis, and two arches. It is made up of a solid gold frame set with rubies, amethysts, sapphires, garnet, topazes and tourmalines.”

The King’s coronation will include the core elements of the thousand-year-old ceremony but is also expected to reflect more modern times. Queen Consort Camilla will be crowned alongside him, but it has not yet been confirmed what crown she will wear. The crown that the last Queen Consort—the Queen Mother—wore when she was crowned in 1937 has caused controversy because it contains contains the Koh-i-Noor diamond. This was presented to Queen Victoria during the heyday of the British Empire, but its ownership is a much-contested subject, with those in India, Pakistan, and Afghanistan all laying claim to the gem.

Other insignia used in the coronation contain the Cullinan Diamond, which was found in South Africa in 1905. This features in both the Sceptre and Imperial State Crown and its ownership sparked discussions when these appeared on Queen Elizabeth’s coffin as she lay in state.

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