All of Queen Camilla’s Coronation Regalia

Buckingham Palace has revealed details of the regalia for the coronation, and it’s not just King Charles who will be adorned with various Crown Jewels. As well as the crown that it has already been announced she will wear, Queen Camilla will have her own set of regalia. Here is a look at the details of her ceremonial apparel.

Queen Mary’s Crown

The choice of Queen Mary’s Crown to crown Camilla with was announced back in February. It represented a shrewd move by the Palace to avoid the controversy of the crown worn by the last Queen Consort, Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother. Her crown from 1937 contains the Koh-i-noor diamond, the ownership of which is much-contested. It was presented to Queen Victoria by the East India company in 1849 and claims to it have since been made from India, Pakistan and Afghanistan.

The less-controversial Queen Mary’s Crown was made for the 1911 coronation of King George V and Queen Mary and contains 2,200 diamonds (although in another twist it actually used to contain the Koh-i-noor until that stone was moved for the 1937 coronation). It is currently being refashioned for Camilla to include the Cullinan III, IV and V diamonds, which is widely seen as a tribute to the late Queen Elizabeth as they were in her personal jewelry collection.

These jewels come from the Cullinan diamond, which is the largest diamond ever found and is not without its own controversy. Discovered in a mine in Pretoria in 1905 (following the Boer war and when the area was colonized by Britain), it was presented to King Edward VII and eventually cut into nine stones. The largest stone, known as the Great Star of Africa, was set in the Sovereign’s Sceptre which King Charles will carry at the coronation. The same sceptre was on Queen Elizabeth’s coffin following her death and during her funeral, with its visibility prompting fresh calls for the gem to be returned to South Africa.

Queen Consort’s Rod With Dove

Having avoided the controversy of the Koh-i-noor with her choice of crown, Camilla has attracted it with a sceptre she will carry. The rod that she will be given to hold during coronation is made of ivory. “The sceptre is formed from an ivory rod in three sections, tapering towards the top, and is surmounted by a gold monde enamelled with the national emblems (rose, thistle, harp, and fleur-de-lis) with a cross above on which perches an enamelled dove with wings folded,” the Royal Collection explains about the item. It was made in 1685 for the coronation of Mary of Modena, consort of James II, and has been used to crown every queen consort since.

However quite a lot has changed since the 17th Century and today members of the royal family have been at the forefront of campaigning for the banning of the ivory trade. In 2014 the Independent on Sunday first reported that Prince William had called for items in the Royal Collection to be stripped from the Palace. Clearly that did not happen. Reports suggest that the Palace’s view on this item is that it reflects the time it was produced in. However, one royal expert on Twitter predicted that William will be “furious” at the inclusion of the ivory object in the modern-day coronation.

Queen Consort’s Sceptre With Cross

Just like her husband, Camilla will be given two sceptres to hold, with the second having also been made for Queen Mary of Modena in 1685. “As the first Queen Consort to participate in the coronation ceremony since the Restoration of the monarchy, Mary of Modena required a set of regalia,” the Royal Collection notes. This sceptre is made from gold sections of rod joined by rose-cut stones.

The Queen Consort’s Ring

Camilla will be given a ring to wear which will certainly be the biggest sparkler on her hand that day. Made for the coronation of King William IV and Queen Adelaide in 1831, this ring has been used by three further Queens Consort: Queen Alexandra, Queen Mary, and Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother. It is described by the Royal Collection as comprising “an extended octagonal mixed-cut ruby in a gold setting, unbacked, within a border of fourteen cushion-shaped brilliants set transparent in silver collets.” There are a further 14 rubies on the band.

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