the crowns of the kings and queens
St. Edward’s Crown is the coronation crown of the kings and queens of England. It is used only for the very specific moment of crowning the monarch. St. Edward’s Crown was last seen in 1953, at the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II. When not in use, it is the centrepiece of the Crown Jewels on display in the Jewel House at the Tower of London. The crown is a copy of that first used by the 11th-century royal saint, King Edward the Confessor. Made in 1661 for Charles II, it possibly includes fragments of the original. Only six monarchs have actually worn this crown at their coronations, including three from the last century. Made of solid gold, it is set with 444 precious and semi-precious stones. The crown symbolises “the sovereignty (or authority) of the monarch” and is the most important and sacred of all the royal crowns. British monarchs have seven crowns, but some have fallen out of use, are kept only for display, or are for other members of the Royal Family. They include the Small Diamond Crown of Queen Victoria, the Imperial Crown of India, the Imperial Crown and the Crown of Scotland (actually the oldest crown, dating back to 1540.) Elizabeth II wore four crowns during her reign. The crowns belong to the Royal Family and pass on to the next monarch.
