Order of Service for the Coronation of the British Monarch

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2023

St. Dunstan, Archbishop of Canterbury crowns Edgar the Peaceful, King of the English Stained glass at Bath Abbey; Credit – By Jules & Jenny from Lincoln, UK https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=71397822

The coronation of the British monarch has its roots in the Kings of Wessex and the early Anglo-Saxon Kings of the English being installed on the Kings’ Stone or Coronation Stone which can still be seen in Kingston-upon-Thames, Surrey, England.

Coronation Stone in Kingston-upon-Thames, England; Credit – By Hellodavey1902 Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=94084918

For the coronation of Edgar the Peaceful, King of the English in 973, Saint Dunstan, Archbishop of Canterbury felt there was a need for a major ceremony similar to the coronations of the King of the Franks and the German Emperor. Although Edgar probably had a ceremony at Kingston-on-Thames, a coronation using Dunstan’s order of service was held for Edgar at Bath Abbey in Bath, England on May 11, 973. Since then, the main elements of the British coronation service and the form of the oath taken by the sovereign can be traced to the order of service devised by Saint Dunstan, Archbishop of Canterbury.

Although the coronation service, which takes place within the service for Holy Communion, has had translations, revisions, and modifications over the centuries, the sequence of taking an oath, anointing, investing of regalia, crowning, and enthronement found in the Anglo-Saxon original text has remained constant. The coronation involves six basic stages based on the coronation service written by Saint Dunstan, Archbishop of Canterbury used in 973 for King Edgar: The recognition, the oath, the anointing, the investiture/the crowning, the enthronement, and the homage.

What follows below is the basic order of service based upon past coronations. For more information, see the complete Orders of Service and the Unofficial Royaly articles for the last two coronations, linked below. In addition, after the sections dealing with the stages of the Coronation, there are short YouTube videos showing that stage from Queen Elizabeth II’s Coronation.

The Order of Service released by the Church of England on April 29, 2023, for coronation of King Charles III and Queen Camilla follows the six basic stages listed above but the text of the service is quite different from the text of past coronations. There have also been some changes in the Order of Service for King Charles III and Queen Consort Camilla’s coronation. For instance, Prince William, The Prince of Wales will be the only Prince of Blood Royal to do the Homage. You can see the order of service for the coronation of King Charles III and Queen Camilla at the following link:

Coronation of a King and Queen Consort

Coronation of a Monarch

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The Recognition

The Recognition of King George VI, 1937

The Recognition involves the presentation of the monarch to the people and dates back to ancient practices of the Witan, the king’s council of England during the Anglo-Saxon period. The Garter Principal King of Arms, the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Lord Chancellor, the Lord Great Chamberlain, the Lord High Constable, and the Earl Marshal all go to the east, south, west, and north of the coronation theatre. On each side of the coronation theatre, the Archbishop of Canterbury calls for the recognition of the monarch, with the words:

“Sirs, I here present unto you [name], your undoubted King/Queen. Wherefore all you who are come this day to do your homage and service, are you willing to do the same?” The People reply each time, “God Save King/Queen [name].”

The Oath

King Edward VII swearing the Oath, 1902

The monarch sits in the Chair of Estate. The Chairs of Estate for the monarch and queen consort, if there is one, are placed on the south side of the coronation theatre. These chairs are used during the first part of the service, before the monarch’s anointing and crowning. In the Oath, the monarch makes a series of promises: to reign according to the law, to exercise justice with mercy, and to maintain the Church of England. The Oath is administered by the Archbishop of Canterbury. The monarch proceeds to the altar and solemnly swears the Oath with his/her right hand on the Bible. Afterward, he/she kisses the Bible and signs the Oath.

Below is the Oath King Edgar took in 973, followed by the Oath Queen Elizabeth II took in 1953. Although Queen Elizabeth II’s Oath is longer, similar themes are obvious.

King Edgar’s 973 Oath

In the name of the Holy Trinity, I promise three things to the Christian people subject to me:

  • Firstly, that God’s church and all the Christian people of my dominions will be held in true peace
  • Secondly, I forbid robbery and all unlawful deeds by all ranks of men.
  • Thirdly, I promise and command justice and mercy in all judgments, in order that the gracious and merciful lord, who liveth and reigneth, may thereby forgive us all through his everlasting mercy.

Queen Elizabeth II’s 1953  Oath

The Archbishop of Canterbury asked The Queen these questions to which she responded, “I will.”

  • Will you solemnly promise and swear to govern the Peoples of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, the Union of South Africa, Pakistan and Ceylon, and of your Possessions and other Territories to any of them belonging or pertaining, according to their respective laws and customs?
  • Will you to your power cause Law and Justice, in Mercy, to be executed in all your judgments?
  • Will you to the utmost of your power maintain the Laws of God and the true profession of the Gospel?
  • Will you to the utmost of your power maintain in the United Kingdom the Protestant Reformed Religion established by law?
  • Will you maintain and preserve inviolably the settlement of the Church of England, and the doctrine, worship, discipline, and government thereof, as by law established in England?
  • And will you preserve unto the Bishops and Clergy of England, and to the Churches there committed to their charge, all such rights and privileges, as by law do or shall appertain to them or any of them?

The Anointing

The canopy is placed over Queen Elizabeth II for the anointing, 1953

During the most sacred part of the coronation, the monarch is anointed, blessed, and consecrated by the Archbishop of Canterbury. The choir sings Veni, Creator Spiritus (Come, Holy Spirit).

After some prayers, the choir sings one of the Coronation Anthems by George Frideric Handel, the rousing Zadok the Priest. Written for and first performed at the coronation of King George II, it has been sung at every coronation ever since. The words, taken from the Old Testament, are: “Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet anointed Solomon king; and all the people rejoiced and said: God save the king, Long live the king, May the king live forever. Amen. Hallelujah.”

During the singing of Zadok the Priest, the monarch is disrobed of his/her crimson robe, and as the anthem ends, the monarch is seated on the Coronation Chair, also called St. Edward’s Chair and King Edward’s Chair.

You can see a concert performance of Zadok the Priest with orchestra and choir at the link below.

Four Knights of the Garter hold a canopy over the monarch for privacy. There is no video or photographs of the anointing. The Dean of Westminster pours Holy Oil from the Ampulla into the Spoon. The Archbishop of Canterbury then anoints the monarch in the form of a cross on the palms of both hands, the breast, and the crown of the head.

The Investiture and The Crowning

The Crowning of Queen Elizabeth II, 1953

After being sanctified with Holy Oil and the Archbishop of Canterbury’s blessing, the monarch is dressed in the Colobium Sindonis, a sleeveless white garment, and the Supertunica, a robe of cloth of gold a long coat of gold that reaches to the ankles and has wide-flowing sleeves. While the monarch is sitting in the Coronation Chair, the Lord Great Chamberlain presents the Golden Spurs, a symbol of chivalry, and the Archbishop of Canterbury, assisted by the Archbishop of York, the Bishop of London, and the Bishop of Winchester, presents the monarch with the Sword of Offering. The monarch then goes to the altar, returns the sword to its scabbard, and sits down in the Coronation Chair.

The Dean of Westminster gives the Armills to the Archbishop of Canterbury, who says a prayer while putting the Armills on the monarch’s wrists. The monarch stands and the Robe Royal and Stole Royal are placed on top of the Supertunica. After the monarch sits back down in the Coronation Chair, the Sovereign’s Orb is brought from the altar by the Dean of Westminster and is delivered into the monarch’s right hand by the Archbishop of Canterbury. The monarch then gives the Orb to the Dean of Westminster who returns it to the altar.

The Archbishop of Canterbury places the Coronation Ring on the fourth finger of the monarch’s right hand. The Dean of Westminster brings the Sceptre with the Cross and the Sceptre with the Dove to the Archbishop of Canterbury, who puts it in the monarch’s hands.

The video below is titled The Holy Anointing but as noted above, there was no video or photographs of the anointing so little is seen. The video does show Queen Elizabeth II being clothed with Colobium Sindonis and the Supertunica, and receiving the Sword of Offering.

The congregation stands up and the Archbishop of Canterbury takes St. Edward’s Crown from the altar, then lays it back on the altar, and says a prayer. The Archbishop of Canterbury proceeds to the monarch who is sitting in the Coronation Chair. The Dean of Westminster brings the St. Edward’s Crown to the Archbishop of Canterbury who reverently puts the crown on the monarch’s head. The congregation repeatedly shouts, “God Save The King/Queen.” The princes and princesses, the peers and peeresses put on their coronets and caps. Trumpets sound and the great guns at the Tower of London are fired.

The Enthronement

After a blessing, the monarch goes to the throne and is lifted up into it by the archbishops and bishops, and other peers of the kingdom. The monarch will receive the Homage while seated in the throne.

The Homage

The Homage at the Coronation of King Edward VII, 1902

The Archbishop of Canterbury kneels down before the monarch while the rest of the Bishops kneel in their places and do their Homage together. As the Archbishop of Canterbury says the following, each Bishop also says it: “I <name>, Archbishop of Canterbury [Bishops say, I <name> Bishop of <place>] will be faithful and true, and faith and truth will bear unto you, our Sovereign Lord/ Lady, King/Queen of this Realm and Defender of the Faith, and unto your heirs and successors according to law. So help me God.”

The Royal Dukes and Princes of the Blood take off their coronets, kneel down before the monarch (this has been done individually or in a group with the senior Royal Duke of Prince of the Blood kneeling directly before the monarch), and pronounce the words of the Homage, “I <name> Prince, or Duke of <place> do become your Liege man of Life and Limb, and of earthly worship; and Faith and Truth I will bear unto you, to live and die, against all manner of Folks. So help me God.”

The most senior peer of each of the five ranks of peerage – Duke, Marquess, Earl, Viscount, and Baron – individually kneels before the monarch. The other peers who are in seats, in turn, kneel down, take off their coronets, and do their homage: the Dukes first by themselves, then the Marquesses, the Earls, the Viscounts, and the Barons. Each rank of the peerage, saying together, “I, <name> Duke, or Marquess, Earl, Viscount, Baron of <place> do become your liege man of Life and Limb, and of earthly worship; and Faith and Truth I will bear unto you, to live and die, against all manner of Folks. So help me God.

The Queen Consort’s Coronation

The Archbishop of Canterbury crowns Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Consort of King George VI, 1937

If there is a Queen Consort, her anointing and crowning happen after the Homage.

The queen consort goes to the steps of the altar, and supported by two bishops, kneels down on the faldstool (kneeler) placed before the High Altar. The Archbishop of Canterbury says a prayer asking God’s blessing upon the queen consort. Four peeresses hold a canopy over her for privacy. The Archbishop of Canterbury anoints the crown of the queen consort’s head and placed the Queen Consort’s Ring on her fourth finger on her right hand. The Archbishop of Canterbury then takes the Queen’s Crown – Queen Consort Camilla used Queen Mary’s Crown – from the high altar and reverently sets it upon the queen’s head, at which time, the princesses and peeresses put their coronets on their heads. The queen consort is then handed her Sceptre with the Cross and the Ivory Rod with the Dove, and walks over to her own throne beside the King, where she sits.

The Communion

Queen Victoria receiving Holy Communion at her Coronation, 1838 by Charles Robert Leslie

The monarch (and queen consort) kneels and takes Holy Communion during a service that includes a general confession and absolution, and, along with the people, the reciting of the Lord’s Prayer.

The Recess

Queen Elizabeth II wearing the Imperial State Crown and carrying the Orb and Sceptre with Cross leaves Westminster Abbey at the end of the Coronation Ceremony

The monarch (and queen consort) proceeds to St. Edward’s Chapel, directly behind the High Altar, and gives St. Edward’s Crown, the Sceptre, and the Rod to the Archbishop of Canterbury who lays them on the altar in the chapel. The monarch is disrobed of the Robe Royal and clothed in a Robe of purple velvet and the Imperial State Crown. The Archbishop of Canterbury puts the Sceptre with the Cross into his/her right hand and the Orb in his/her left hand. The monarch (and the queen consort still carrying her Sceptre with the Cross in her right hand and the Ivory Rod with the Dove in her left hand) leaves St. Edward’s Chapel to the singing of the National Anthem and then proceeds up the aisle.

This article is the intellectual property of Unofficial Royalty and is NOT TO BE COPIED, EDITED, OR POSTED IN ANY FORM ON ANOTHER WEBSITE under any circumstances. It is permissible to use a link that directs to Unofficial Royalty.

Works Cited

  • A Guide to Coronations (no date) Westminster Abbey. Available at: https://www.westminster-abbey.org/about-the-abbey/history/coronations-at-the-abbey/a-guide-to-coronations (Accessed: March 31, 2023).
  • A History of Coronations (no date) Westminster Abbey. Available at: https://www.westminster-abbey.org/about-the-abbey/history/coronations-at-the-abbey/a-history-of-coronations (Accessed: March 31, 2023).
  • Flantzer, Susan. (2023) Coronation of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth, Unofficial Royalty. Available at: https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/coronation-of-king-george-vi-and-queen-elizabeth/ (Accessed: March 31, 2023).
  • Flantzer, Susan. (2017) Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II, Unofficial Royalty. Available at: https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/june-2-1953-coronation-of-queen-elizabeth-ii-at-westminster-abbey/ (Accessed: March 31, 2023).
  • Keay, Anna. (2012) The Crown Jewels. London: Thames and Hudson, Historic Royal Palace.
  • Order of Service (no date) Westminster Abbey. Available at: https://www.westminster-abbey.org/about-the-abbey/history/coronations-at-the-abbey/spotlight-on-coronations/order-of-service (Accessed: March 31, 2023).
  • Strong, Roy. (2005, 2022) Coronation – A History of the British Monarchy. London: William Collins.
  • The Coronation of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth in 1937 (no date) Oremus. Available at: https://www.oremus.org/coronation/1937/ (Accessed: March 31, 2023).
  • The Form and Order of Service that is to be performed and the Ceremonies that are to be observed in the Coronation of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II (no date). Available at: http://www.oremus.org/liturgy/coronation/cor1953b.html (Accessed: March 31, 2023).

British Coronation Music

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2023

Beginning with the coronation of King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra in 1902, a music edition of the Order of Service was published. It is difficult to determine coronation music from the past. For most coronations before 1902, no detailed description of the music used has survived.

Below are two examples of music for two 17th-century coronations. Over the years, the texts of the coronation music became traditional and remained the same but were often set to music by different composers.

For the 1603 coronation of King James I and his wife Queen Anne, the music included the following, although it is unclear who wrote the music except for The King Shall Rejoice which is generally attributed to Thomas Tomkins:

  • Processional: Behold, Our Lord and Protector
  • After the Recognition: Let Thy Hand Be Strengthened
  • During the Anointing: Veni Creator Spiritus and Zadok the Priest
  • After the Crowning: Be Strong and of Good Courage and The King Shall Rejoice

The following music was played at the 1685 Coronation of King James II and his second wife Maria Beatrice of Modena, sometimes known as Queen Mary:

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I Was Glad

Composer Sir Hubert Parry whose setting of I Was Glad has been used at the coronations of King Edward VII, King George V, King George VI, and Queen Elizabeth II; Credit – Wikipedia

I Was Glad, with text from Psalm 122, has been sung at the entrance of the monarch at every coronation since that of King Charles I in 1626.

Psalm 122 from the Book of Common Prayer:

I was glad when they said unto me: We will go into the house of the Lord.
Our feet shall stand in thy gates: O Jerusalem.
Jerusalem is built as a city: that is at unity in itself.
For thither the tribes go up, even the tribes of the Lord: to testify unto Israel, to give thanks unto the Name of the Lord.
For there is the seat of judgement: even the seat of the house of David.
O pray for the peace of Jerusalem: they shall prosper that love thee.
Peace be within thy walls: and plenteousness within thy palaces.
For my brethren and companions’ sakes: I will wish thee prosperity.
Yea, because of the house of the Lord our God: I will seek to do thee good.

Several composers have set Psalm 122 to music:

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Vivat Rex / Vivat Regina

The Queen’s Scholars from Westminster School who participated in the 1953 coronation of Queen Elizabeth II; Credit – Vivat! Westminster Scholars’ Role in the Coronation

At the coronation of every monarch since the coronation of King James II in 1685, the King’s (or Queen’s) Scholars of the Westminster School have had the privilege of acclaiming the monarch by shouting “Vivat” during the monarch’s procession from the Quire of Westminster Abbey towards the Coronation Theatre in front of the High Altar. The forty-eight King’s (or Queen’s) Scholars are the recipients of scholarships at Westminster School. In 2017, the first girls became (then) Queen’s Scholars, now King’s Scholars.

The Latin version of the monarch’s name is used so at the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II, she was greeted with “Vivat, Regina! / Vivat, Regina Elizabetha! / Vivat! Vivat! Vivat!” The Vivat Regina was incorporated into Sir Hubert Parry’s anthem I Was Glad.

The last three Queen Consorts were also acclaimed with their husbands: in 1902 King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra with “Vivat Regina Alexandra” and “Vivat Rex Edwardus”, in 1911 King George V and Queen Mary with “Vivat Regina Maria” and “Vivat Rex Georgius” and in 1937 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth with “Vivat Regina Elizabetha” and “Vivat Rex Georgius”.

In the 1990 YouTube video below, Sir Charles Groves conducts the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra and Choir, and Choristers of Liverpool Cathedral, in I Was Glad by Sir Hubert Parry followed by the Vivat Regina. The concert is from the 150th birthday celebrations of the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Society, in the presence of Queen Elizabeth II.

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Coronation Anthems of George Frederic Handel

George Frederic Handel; Credit – Wikipedia

Although many composers have written coronation anthems, the best known are the four coronation anthems composed by George Frederic Handel for the coronation of King George II and his wife Queen Caroline on October 11, 1727: Zadok the Priest, Let Thy Hand Be Strengthened, The King Shall Rejoice and My Heart Is Inditing.

George Frederic Handel was born in 1685 in Halle, Duchy of Magdeburg, then part of Brandenburg-Prussia, now in the German state of Saxony-Anhalt. Handel, a Baroque composer, is well known for his operas, oratorios, anthems, concerti grossi, and organ concertos. He received his musical training in Halle and worked as a composer in Hamburg and Italy before settling in London in 1712, where he spent the majority of his career. In 1723, Handel was appointed as Composer of Music for the Chapel Royal by King George I.

In February 1727, King George I arranged for Handel to become a British subject via the passing of Handel’s Naturalisation Act 1727. Five months later, King George I died and his son succeeded him as King George II. In 1727, Handel was commissioned to write four anthems for the coronation of King George II. One of the anthems, Zadok the Priest, has been played at every British coronation ceremony since the coronation of King George II in 1727.

Handel’s memorial in Poets’ Corner, Westminster Abbey by Louis Francois Roubiliac – a life-size statue of Handel with musical scores and instruments close to his grave in the Abbey floor

George Frederic Handel died on April 14, 1759, aged 74, at his home at 25 Brook Street in Mayfair, London, England. His funeral at Westminster Abbey was attended by more than three thousand people. Handel was given full state honors and was interred at Westminster Abbey in the south transept known as the Poets’ Corner.

The grave of George Frederic Handel; Credit – By JRennocks – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=106364496

Handel picked the texts for the four coronation anthems from the texts of music used at the coronation of King James II in 1685. His four coronation anthems were immediately popular and were regularly played in concerts during Handel’s life.

Zadok the Priest

The Anointing of Solomon by Cornelis de Vos, circa 1630; Credit – Wikipedia

Zadok the Priest is the most famous of the anthems and is every bit as rousing as Handel’s Hallelujah Chorus from the oratorio The Messiah. The text of Zadok the Priest comes from the biblical account of the anointing of King Solomon of ancient Israel by Zadok, the High Priest of Israel, and the prophet Nathan, and the rejoicing of the Israelites. These words have been used in every English coronation since that of King Edgar the Peaceful at Bath Abbey in 973, and Handel’s setting has been used at every British coronation since 1727, traditionally performed just prior to the sovereign’s anointing.

From 1 Kings 1:34-45:

Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet anointed Solomon king.
And all the people rejoiced and said:
God save the King! Long live the King! God save the King!
May the King live forever. Amen. Hallelujah.

Let Thy Hand Be Strengthened

The text of Let Thy Hand Be Strengthened is from Psalm 89. It is divided into three parts: a cheerful light beginning, a melancholy, slow middle section, and a closing Alleluia part.

Let thy hand be strengthened and thy right hand be exalted.
Let justice and judgment be the preparation of thy seat!
Let mercy and truth go before thy face.
Let justice, judgment, mercy and truth go before thy face.
Alleluia.

The King Shall Rejoice

The text of The King Shall Rejoice is from Psalm 21. The first part is full of festive pomp and fanfares and uses the full force of the choir and orchestra. The second part is gentler, with no trumpets and drums. The third part opens radiantly, tells of the king’s coronation with a crown of pure gold, and ends in a fugue. The fourth part is a fugue with the instruments being added one by one. The fifth part is a double fugue, two melodies simultaneously played against each other right from the start, ending in a closing ‘Alleluia’ that was to be played at the precise moment the king was crowned.

The King shall rejoice in thy strength, O Lord.
Exceeding glad shall he be of thy salvation.
Glory and great worship hast thou laid upon him.
Thou hast prevented him with the blessings of goodness
and hast set a crown of pure gold upon his head.
Alleluia.

My Heart is Inditing

My Heart is Inditing uses a text developed by Henry Purcell for the 1685 coronation of King James II, consisting of verses from Psalm 45 and the Book of Isaiah (chapter 49, verse 23). It was originally sung at the end of the coronation of Queen Caroline, with adaptations to the text by Handel to make the words more appropriate for a queen.

My heart is inditing of a good matter:
I speak of the things which I have made unto the King.
Kings’ daughters were among thy honourable women
Upon thy right hand did stand the Queen in vesture of gold
and the King shall have pleasure in thy beauty.
Kings shall be thy nursing fathers
and queens thy nursing mothers.

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Music at the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II

May 1953: The choirboys of Westminster Abbey rehearsing for the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II

* indicates first performance

Orchestral music played before the service:

Music during the coronation:

Orchestral music after the service:

  • March: Pomp and Circumstance Number 1 by Edward Elgar
  • *Coronation March by Sir Arnold Bax
  • March: Pomp and Circumstance Number 4 by Edward Elgar

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Music at the Coronation of King Charles III

Andrew Lloyd Webber, Baron Lloyd-Webber composed a new coronation anthem for the coronation of King Charles III; Credit – Wikipedia

The music at the coronation of King Charles III, who was very much involved in the music selection, will feature twelve new orchestral, choral, and organ pieces commissioned for the coronation including a coronation anthem based on Psalm 98 by Andrew Lloyd Webber, Baron Lloyd Webber.

One of the liturgical sections of the ceremony will be performed in Welsh in tribute to King Charles III’s long tenure as Prince of Wales. At King Charles III’s request, Greek Orthodox music will be included in tribute to his late father Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, born a Greek prince.

Other contemporary composers who wrote new music for King Charles III’s coronation include:

Tradition requires that the music of the following past composers be included:

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This article is the intellectual property of Unofficial Royalty and is NOT TO BE COPIED, EDITED, OR POSTED IN ANY FORM ON ANOTHER WEBSITE under any circumstances. It is permissible to use a link that directs to Unofficial Royalty.

Works Cited

  • Coronation Anthem (2023) Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation. Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coronation_anthem (Accessed: April 9, 2023).
  • Coronation Anthem – Handel’s Coronation Anthems (2023) Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation. Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coronation_anthem#Handel’s_coronation_anthems (Accessed: April 9, 2023).
  • Coronation of Charles III and Camilla (2023) Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation. Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coronation_of_Charles_III_and_Camilla (Accessed: April 9, 2023).
  • Dunn, Charlotte. (2023) Coronation Music at Westminster Abbey, The Royal Family. Available at: https://www.royal.uk/coronation-music-westminster-abbey (Accessed: April 9, 2023).
  • George Frideric Handel (2023) Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation. Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Frideric_Handel (Accessed: April 9, 2023).
  • I Was Glad (2022) Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation. Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I_was_glad (Accessed: April 9, 2023).
  • (no date) Music at the Coronation of English and British Kings and Queens. Available at: https://www.oremus.org/coronation/music/ (Accessed: April 9, 2023).
  • Music Played at the Coronation of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II (no date). Available at: https://www.westminster-abbey.org/media/5250/elizabeth-ii-coronation-1953-music-full-list.pdf (Accessed: April 10, 2023).
  • Strong, Roy. (2005, 2022) Coronation – A History of the British Monarchy. London: William Collins.
  • Vivat! Westminster Scholars’ Role in the Coronation (no date) Westminster School Archive. Available at: http://archiveblog.westminster.org.uk/?p=504 (Accessed: April 9, 2023).

Westminster Abbey – The Coronation Church

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2023

Westminster Abbey; Photo Credit – By Σπάρτακος – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=26334184

Check out all our British coronation articles at the link below:

History of Westminster Abbey

First known as St. Peter’s Abbey, Westminster Abbey in London, England was founded by Benedictine monks in 960 under the patronage of King Edgar the Peaceful (reigned 943 – 975) and St. Dunstan, Archbishop of Canterbury. In the 1040s, King Edward, better known as St. Edward the Confessor (reigned 1042 – 1066), built his royal palace nearby St. Peter’s Abbey on the banks of the River Thames on land known as Thorney Island. Later the medieval Palace of Westminster sat upon the site and today the Houses of Parliament (the formal name is still the  Palace of Westminster) is there.

A scene from the Bayeux Tapestry showing the funeral procession of Edward the Confessor with the church Edward built on the left. This is the only contemporary depiction of Edward’s church; Credit – Wikipedia

Edward the Confessor began rebuilding St. Peter’s Abbey to provide himself with a royal burial church. This church became known as the “west minster” to distinguish it from (old) St. Paul’s Cathedral (the east minster) in the City of London. See Wikipedia: Minster. The new church was consecrated on December 28, 1065. Too ill to attend the consecration, Edward the Confessor died on January 5, 1066, and was buried before the high altar of his new church the day after his death.

The Shrine of St. Edward the Confessor

In 1245, King Henry III started the construction of the second and present Westminster Abbey in the new Gothic style of architecture. The second church was designed to be not only a place of worship and a monastery but also a place for the coronation and burial of monarchs. This church was consecrated on October 13, 1269, and on that day, King Henry III oversaw a grand ceremony to rebury Edward the Confessor in a magnificent new shrine, directly behind the high altar, and he personally helped to carry the body to its new resting place. Edward the Confessor’s shrine survives and around his shrine were interred five kings and four queens, including King Henry III.

Westminster Abbey has been Britain’s coronation church since 1066. From King William I (the Conqueror) to King Charles III, all monarchs except for two have been crowned in Westminster Abbey. Twelve-year-old King Edward V was presumed murdered in the Tower of London before he could be crowned. King Edward VIII abdicated eleven months after succeeding his father, before his scheduled coronation date.

For more information see Unofficial Royalty: Westminster Abbey in London, England

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The Coronation Theatre; Credit – Westminster Abbey

The Coronation Theatre

Like many other Christian churches, Westminster Abbey is built in the shape of a cross. This space where coronations happen is at the point in which the two parts of the cross meet, at the very center of Westminster Abbey, in front of the High Altar

The Cosmati Pavement in front of the High Altar; Credit – By amanderson2 – https://www.flickr.com/photos/49399018@N00/52639897002/, CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=128111089

The Cosmati Pavement in front of the High Altar was laid down in 1268 during King Henry III’s rebuilding of Westminster Abbey. The mosaic workers came from Rome, with a man called Odoricus as the foreman. The pavement is an inlaid mosaic stone decoration known as Cosmati work, named after one of the Italian families of craftsmen who specialized in it. It is abstract in design and differs from ancient Roman and earlier medieval mosaic work that consisted of square stones of equal size. It is here that the 700-year-old Coronation Chair, also called St. Edward’s Chair and King Edward’s Chair, is placed, facing the High Altar, on which the monarch sits for the majority of the service. Photos from recent coronations show the Cosmati Pavement covered.

The Coronation Theatre at the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II; Credit – By BiblioArchives / LibraryArchives from Canada – Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II / uronnement de la Reine Elizabeth IIUploaded by oaktree_b, CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=19783528

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The Coronation Chair

The Coronation Chair with Stone of Scone in Westminster Abbey, 1885

King Edward I’s relentless, but unsuccessful campaign to assert his overlordship over Scotland was resisted by William Wallace and Robert the Bruce, (later King Robert I of Scotland) but it gave him one of his nicknames, “Hammer of the Scots.” In 1296, Edward I captured the Stone of Scone, an oblong block of red sandstone that was used for centuries in the coronation of the monarchs of Scotland. It was kept at the now-ruined Scone Abbey in Scone, near Perth, Scotland. Edward took the Stone of Scone back to England and placed it in the care of the Abbot of Westminster Abbey.

An oaken chair, called the Coronation Chair, King Edward’s Chair, or St. Edward’s Chair, was made by order of King Edward I to enclose the Stone of Scone. Originally the chair had images of birds, foliage, and animals on a gilt ground. The figure of a king, either Edward the Confessor or King Edward I, his feet resting on a lion, was painted on the back. The four gilt lions on the legs were made in 1727 to replace the original lions which were not added to the chair until the early 16th century. The chair has been in use at coronations since 1308 although opinion is divided as to when it was actually used for the crowning. However, since the coronation of King Henry IV in 1399, the monarch has been crowned in the chair. Originally the Coronation Chair was kept in St. Edward’s Chapel at Westminster Abbey, the site of the shrine of St. Edward the Confessor directly behind the High Altar. The Coronation Chair is now kept in a specially-built enclosure in St. George’s Chapel at the west end of the nave, near the main doors of Westminster Abbey.

The Coronation Chair in its usual home, St. George’s Chapel in Westminster Abbey; Credit – By Darkmaterial – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=127657004

In 1996, 700 years after it was taken, the Stone of Scone was returned to Scotland. It is kept at Edinburgh Castle in the Crown Room alongside the crown jewels of Scotland (the Honours of Scotland). An agreement was made that the Stone of Scone will be returned to Westminster Abbey and placed in the Coronation Chair for future coronations, and then it will be returned to Edinburgh Castle.

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Seating Capacity

Some of the tiered seating during the 1821 coronation of King George IV

Westminster Abbey has a seating capacity of 2,200. At the 1953 coronation of Queen Elizabeth II, there were approximately 8,000 guests. Besides the British royal family and other family members, all peers and their wives, all members of the British parliament, representatives from the many nations of the Commonwealth of Nations, heads of state or their representatives, foreign royalty, and members of Parliament from the Queen’s various legislatures, among others, were invited to attend Queen Elizabeth II’s coronation.

A view of some of the tiered seating at the 1953 coronation of Queen Elizabeth II

Westminster Abbey was closed for five months prior to Queen Elizabeth II’s coronation so that the construction needed for 8,000 guests could be completed. Tiered seating, similar to stadium seating, had to be constructed to accommodate all the guests. The coronation of King Charles II in 1661 was the first time that tiered seating was constructed in the transepts so that the congregation could see the ceremony.

The use of tiered seating is no longer possible. Safety regulations at Westminster Abbey now restrict the seating capacity to 2,000 so the guest list was severely limited. Peers were in uproar as only a minority were invited to King Charles III’s coronation.

Before the coronation of King Charles III, Westminster Abbey was closed to visitors from April 25, 2023 – May 7, 2023 for preparations and rehearsals.

This article is the intellectual property of Unofficial Royalty and is NOT TO BE COPIED, EDITED, OR POSTED IN ANY FORM ON ANOTHER WEBSITE under any circumstances. It is permissible to use a link that directs to Unofficial Royalty.

Works Cited

  • The Coronation Chair (no date) Westminster Abbey. Available at: https://www.westminster-abbey.org/about-the-abbey/history/the-coronation-chair (Accessed: March 29, 2023).
  • Coronation Theatre (no date) Westminster Abbey. Available at: https://www.westminster-abbey.org/about-the-abbey/history/coronations-at-the-abbey/spotlight-on-coronations/coronation-theatre (Accessed: March 29, 2023).
  • Cosmati Pavement (no date) Westminster Abbey. Available at: https://www.westminster-abbey.org/about-the-abbey/history/cosmati-pavement (Accessed: March 29, 2023).
  • En.wikipedia.org. 2021. List of British coronations – Wikipedia. [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_British_coronations> (Accessed: March 29, 2023).
  • En.wikipedia.org. 2021. Westminster Abbey – Wikipedia. [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Westminster_Abbey> (Accessed: March 29, 2023).
  • Flantzer, Susan. (2021) Westminster Abbey in London, England, Unofficial Royalty. Available at: https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/westminster-abbey-in-london-england/ (Accessed: March 29, 2023).
  • Fox, Adam, 1984. Westminster Abbey. Andover: Pitkin Pictorials.
  • Jenkyns, Richard, 2005. Westminster Abbey. Cambridge: Harvard University Press.
  • Westminster Abbey. 2021. A royal church | Westminster Abbey. [online] Available at: <https://www.westminster-abbey.org/> (Accessed: March 29, 2023).

The Laird o’ Thistle (Special Edition) – A Scottish Dedication

© Unofficial Royalty 2023

St. Giles’ Cathedral; Credit – By Carlos Delgado – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=35465527

As we prepare this week for the Coronation of King Charles III and Queen Camilla, I cannot help but take a quick look ahead to another upcoming event. It has been announced by Scottish First Minister Humza Yousaf that there will be a special “service of dedication and thanksgiving” held at Edinburgh’s High Kirk (St. Giles Cathedral) later this year, which will include the ceremonial presentation to the King of the Honours of Scotland – Scotland’s historic Crown, Scepter, and Sword of State dating to the 16th century. The Stone of Scone, sans the Westminster Coronation Chair, will also be featured after having been repatriated from its brief journey down to London for the ceremonies on 6 May. I am guessing that the service will take place during the annual Scotland Week at the beginning of July when the King and Queen take up residence at Holyrood Palace at the foot of Edinburgh’s Royal Mile.

Queen Elizabeth II returning the crown of the Honours of Scotland to the care of the Duke of Hamilton, in St. Giles’ Cathedral, Edinburgh, during the Scottish National Service of Thanksgiving and Dedication in 1953

This summer’s service will be modeled on the service of Thanksgiving  Service held for the late Queen Elizabeth II during her post-Coronation visit in 1953. As with the Service of Thanksgiving for the Queen’s life held in Edinburgh in last September, the dedication service will be under the direction of Church of Scotland (Presbyterian) leaders and traditional Scottish royal officers (the Lord Lyon, etc.). It will doubtless include other Christian and Interfaith leaders. The preliminary plan is for the Honours to be escorted on their short journey down the hill from Edinburgh Castle by a “People’s Procession” of about one hundred representatives chosen from around the country.

It is key to note, for all concerned, that this Scottish ceremony will not be a SECOND Coronation. The Honours themselves were last used in a Coronation in 1651, interestingly enough for the crowning of King Charles II at Scone. (Cromwell and his English Parliamentarian forces chased the young King off to Europe shortly thereafter.) King Charles III will neither wear nor bear the Honours. He will merely receive them. He will not be re-anointed, but he and Camilla will be blessed. If the model of 1953 is followed, Charles and Camilla will wear formal day dress, not formal robes and regalia.

I admit that I have rather mixed feelings about the Coronation on 6 May. The late Queen’s 1953 Coronation took place in a still-imperial context, though the Empire was already transitioning into the Commonwealth. The House of Lords was actually still the House of LORDS back then. The established Church of England involved a far greater proportion of the English people at the time. (And, the Moderator of the Kirk was at least accorded a brief walk-on role, to present a Bible to H.M.) Even so, the 1953 pageantry seemed rather archaic… and that was 70 years ago.
Since World War II, the United Kingdom has been the only European monarchy that has continued to anoint and crown its sovereigns. The last non-British coronation in Europe was for the young King Michael of Romania in 1940. Other European monarchies now use simpler ceremonies of enthronement and blessing, at most. The upcoming Scottish service will be more in that mode.

Back in September, I commented to various friends that the Thanksgiving Service for the Queen’s life in Edinburgh was “the “real funeral” as far as I was concerned. The formal State Funeral in London was historically interesting; but, for me, it was the Edinburgh service that best combined simple dignity with sincere heartfelt affection in honoring Her Majesty. I have a suspicion that may prove similarly true in a few weeks when King Charles and Queen Camilla come again to the High Kirk. The old Kings of Scots were ne’er sae pompous and grand as those down in England, and traditionally – whether they liked it, or not – they were closer to their people. After many years of observing him, I suspect that is rather more what King Charles ultimately wants for the future of the Crown, and I hope he succeeds in bringing it to pass. I wish the King and Queen well.

Yours Aye,
Ken Cuthbertson – the Laird o’ Thistle

This article is the intellectual property of Unofficial Royalty and is NOT TO BE COPIED, EDITED, OR POSTED IN ANY FORM ON ANOTHER WEBSITE under any circumstances. It is permissible to use a link that directs to Unofficial Royalty.

British Coronation Regalia

by Scott Mehl
© Unofficial Royalty 2023

photo: Royal Collection Trust / © His Majesty King Charles III 2023

The British Coronation Regalia includes the most treasured and sacred items in the royal collection, most of it only used as part of the Coronation ceremony. The majority of the items date back to the 1661 Coronation of King Charles II, with at least one item going back much further in history. This article will give some information about each of the items used in the ceremony – as well as links to some more detailed articles about some of them. We hope you enjoy learning about these magnificent pieces which so greatly define the history of the British monarchy.

The actual crowning of the Sovereign is the most sacred and important part of the Coronation service, and remains largely unchanged for hundreds of years. You can read more about the Coronation and order of service in our Royal Ceremonies section.

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The Coronation Chair and Stone of Scone

The Coronation Chair (without the Stone of Scone). photo: By Darkmaterial – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=127657004

The Coronation Chair (also known as St. Edward’s Chair or King Edward’s Chair) was commissioned by King Edward I in 1296 to hold the Stone of Scone, which he had seized from Scotland during the First Scottish War of Independence. It was first used for the Coronation of King Edward II in 1308, and has been used for every coronation since.

The Stone of Scone (also known as the Stone of Destiny or the Coronation Stone) is traditionally believed to have been part of the coronation ceremony for Scottish monarchs for centuries. Originally, the Coronation Chair simply surrounded the Stone, on which the Sovereign sat. In the 17th century, a wooden seat was added above the stone.

Read more about the Coronation Chair and Stone of Scone HERE!

The Ampulla and Coronation Spoon

photo: Royal Collection Trust / © His Majesty King Charles III 2023

The formal crowning starts with the Sovereign being anointed by the Archbishop of Canterbury. The coronation oil, which was made and consecrated in Jerusalem. is kept in the Ampulla, and poured into the Coronation Spoon at the time of the Sovereign’s anointing. Both pieces are also used for the anointing of the Queen Consort.

The Ampulla takes the shape of a golden eagle, with its wings outspread. The head of the eagle screws off to allow the oil to be poured in. It then pours out through the eagle’s beak. Dating from the 1661 coronation of Charles II, the Ampulla is based on an earlier version, which was based upon a legend in which the Virgin Mary appeared to St. Thomas a Becket, presenting him with a golden eagle and a vial of oil to be used for the anointing of future Sovereigns.

The Coronation Spoon is perhaps the oldest item in the Coronation Regalia. Dating from at least 1349, it was recorded among St. Edward’s Regalia in the Abbey. While it is unknown when its use in the Coronation ceremony actually began, it has been used for every English and British Coronation since King James I in 1603. Unlike much of the old regalia which was melted down in 1649, the Spoon was sold off. Following the restoration, it was returned to King Charles II in 1661.

The Spurs

photo: Royal Collection Trust / © His Majesty King Charles III 2023

The Sovereign is first presented with the spurs, which symbolize knighthood. The use of spurs dates back to the coronation of Richard I in 1189. The current spurs were made in 1661, and altered slightly in 1820. Originally the spurs would have been attached to the Sovereign’s feet, but since 1661, they are simply presented and touched by the Sovereign, and then placed on the altar. The golden spurs have velvet-covered straps attached by buckles, with gold embroidery adorning them.

The Swords

(l-r) The Sword of Offering, The Sword of State, The Sword of Mercy. photo: Wikipedia

There are several swords carried in the Coronation procession, each representing a different aspect of the Sovereign’s role.

  • The Sword of Temporal Justice – symbolizing the Sovereign’s role as head of the Armed Forces
  • The Sword of Spiritual Justice – symbolizing the Sovereign’s role as Defender of the Faith
  • The Sword of Mercy (also known as the Curtana) – symbolizing the Sovereign’s mercy
  • The Sword of State – symbolizing the Sovereign’s Royal Authority
  • The Sword of Offering (also known as the Coronation sword)

During the ceremony, the Sword of State is presented to the Lord Chamberlain, and then placed in St. Edward’s Chapel (behind the Altar). In exchange, the Sword of Offering is brought forward and presented the sword to the Sovereign.

The Sword of Offering, 1821.  photo: Royal Collection Trust / © His Majesty King Charles III 2023

The Sword of Offering was made for the 1821 coronation of King George IV. It features a blade of gilt steel, adorned with 2,141 diamonds, 12 emeralds and 4 rubies arranged for form roses, thistles and shamrocks. Each end of the cross-piece features a lion’s head, set in diamonds, with rubies for the eyes. Additional jewels form oak leaves and acorns.

The scabbard is leather encased in gold, lined with red silk velvet. It features roses, thistles and shamrocks – set in diamonds, rubies and emeralds – along with additional designs of oak leaves and acorns.

The Sword of Offering typically became the personal property of the Sovereign, and a new one made for each new reign. However, in 1902, George IV’s sword was used for the coronation of King Edward VII and became part of the Crown Jewels. It has been used for each coronation since.

The Armills

photo: Royal Collection Trust / © His Majesty King Charles III 2023

The Armills are wide gold bracelets which were traditionally placed on the Sovereign’s wrists. They are thought to represent the “bracelets of sincerity and wisdom” referenced in the wording of the coronation ceremony (although their original role and purpose in the coronation ceremony has long been unknown). The pair on the left in the photo above date back to 1661 are decorated in enamel, featuring the national emblems – roses, thistles, fleurs-de-lis and harps – and are lined in red velvet. This pair was used at every coronation through George VI in 1937. A new pair (on the right) were made for the 1953 coronation of Elizabeth II, as a gift from the Commonwealth. This pair is made of 22-carat gold, decorated with foliated scrolls, and hinged by a gold Tudor rose.  For the 2023 Coronation of King Charles III, the 1661 Armills were used, and were simply presented and touched by the King.

The Sovereign’s Orb

photo: Royal Collection Trust / © His Majesty King Charles III 2023

The Sovereign’s Orb, made in 1661, represents the Sovereign’s power and symbolizes the Christian world. The hollow gold sphere has several bands of pearls surrounding clusters of emeralds, rubies and sapphires, surrounded by diamonds. These bands divide the Orb into three sections – representing the three continents known in the medieval days. Atop the sphere is an octagonal amethyst, topped by a cross adorned with diamonds. The cross features an emerald in the center on one side, and a sapphire on the other, with pearls at the angles and points. It is placed in the Sovereign’s right hand by the Archbishop of Canterbury, before being returned to the altar.

The Sovereign’s Ring

The Sovereign’s Ring (left) and Queen Consort’s Ring (right) 1831.  photo: Royal Collection Trust / © His Majesty King Charles III 2023

The Sovereign’s Ring (above, left) was placed on the fourth finger of the right hand. For the 2023 Coronation of King Charles III, the ring was merely presented and touched by the King.  The current Sovereign’s Ring dates back to the Coronation of King William IV in 1831. Previously, a new ring was made for each Sovereign, and remained in their personal collection. However, upon the death of Queen Adelaide (King William IV’s consort) in 1849, she left William IV’s ring, as well as her own Consort’s Ring, to Queen Victoria. Queen Victoria then left both rings, along with her own Coronation Ring (a slightly smaller version of King William IV’s) to the Crown upon her death in 1901. The Sovereign’s Ring has been used at the coronations of every British sovereign since Edward VII in 1902.

The Sovereign’s Ring, set in gold, features an octagonal sapphire overlaid with a cross of rubies, banded in gold. This is surrounded by 14 cushion-shaped diamonds, with two additional diamonds at the top of the band.

Read more about the Queen Consort’s Ring HERE!

The Sovereign’s Sceptre with Cross and Sovereign’s Sceptre with Dove

photo: Royal Collection Trust / © His Majesty King Charles III 2023

The Sovereign’s Sceptre with Cross symbolizes the Sovereign’s temporal role. Made for the 1661 Coronation of King Charles II, it is placed in the Sovereign’s right hand. At just over 3 feet in length and weighing about 2.6 pounds, the Sceptre with Cross is adorned with 333 diamonds, 31 rubies, 15 emeralds, 7 sapphires and 1 amethyst. It has been altered several times since its creation, most recently for the 1911 Coronation of King George V and Queen Mary, to include the Cullinan I diamond (also known as the Great Star of Africa). Weighing over 530 carats, the Cullinan I is the largest clear-cut diamond in the world. The Cullinan I features near the top of the sceptre, topped by the large amethyst surmounted by a cross pattée encrusted with an emerald and small diamonds.

Read more about the Cullinan diamond HERE!

photo: Royal Collection Trust / © His Majesty King Charles III 2023

The Sovereign’s Sceptre with Dove – also known as the Rod of Equity and Mercy – symbolizes the Sovereign’s spiritual role. Also made for the 1661 Coronation, it is placed in the Sovereign’s left hand. It is over 3-½ feet in length and weighs about 2.6 pounds, and is decorated with 285 gemstones, including 94 diamonds, 53 rubies, 10 emeralds, 4 sapphires, 3 spinels and bands of precious stones circling the rod. The top features a gold monde set with diamonds, topped by a plain cross with a white enameled dove with outspread wings – representing the Holy Ghost.

St. Edward’s Crown

photo: Royal Collection Trust / © His Majesty King Charles III 2023

The most sacred item in the Coronation Regalia is St. Edward’s Crown, used for the physical crowning of the British Sovereign. It takes its name from the original medieval crown, claimed to have belonged to King Edward the Confessor (St. Edward) in the 11th century.

The current crown was made for the 1661 coronation of King Charles II, following the Restoration. It has been worn for the coronations of seven English and British Sovereigns:

  • King Charles II (1661)
  • King James II (1685)
  • King William III (1689)
  • King George V (1911)
  • King George VI (1937)
  • Queen Elizabeth II (1953)
  • King Charles III (2023)

In the most defining moment of the Coronation ceremony, St. Edward’s Crown is placed upon the head of the Sovereign by the Archbishop of Canterbury.  This is the only time that the crown is worn by the Sovereign.

Read more about St. Edward’s Crown HERE.

The Imperial State Crown

The Imperial State Crown, 1937.  photo: Royal Collection Trust / © His Majesty King Charles III 2023

The Imperial State Crown is worn by the Sovereign during the procession out of Westminster Abbey after the Coronation service. There have been several versions of the crown made through the years, including Queen Victoria’s Crown which was made for her coronation in 1838, and used for the coronations of her two successors – King Edward VII in 1902, and KIng George V in 1911. The current Imperial State Crown was made for the 1937 Coronation of King George VI, and used for the coronations of Queen Elizabeth II in 1953, and King Charles III in 2023.

Unlike St. Edward’s Crown, which is only worn by the Sovereign at the coronation, the Imperial State Crown is traditionally used for two ceremonial events. It is traditionally worn by the Sovereign at the State Opening of Parliament, and it is traditionally placed upon a late Sovereign’s coffin during their lying-in-state and funeral (along with the Sovereign’s Orb and Sceptre.

Read more about The Imperial State Crown HERE!

The Queen Consort’s Regalia

Queen Mary’s Crown, 1911.  photo: Royal Collection Trust / © His Majesty King Charles III 2023

Following the crowning of the Sovereign, the Queen Consort is also crowned in a similar, but simpler, ceremony. Following her anointing – also using the Ampulla and Coronation Spoon – the Queen Consort is presented with the Queen Consort’s Ring.  She is then crowned with the Queen Consort’s Crown and presented with the Queen Consort’s Sceptre with Cross, and the Queen Consort’s Rod with Dove.

Read all about the Queen Consort’s Regalia HERE!

 

This article is the intellectual property of Unofficial Royalty and is NOT TO BE COPIED, EDITED, OR POSTED IN ANY FORM ON ANOTHER WEBSITE under any circumstances. It is permissible to use a link that directs to Unofficial Royalty.

The Queen Consort’s Regalia

by Scott Mehl
© Unofficial Royalty 2023

Following the Homage paid to the King, the Queen Consort is also crowned in a similar, yet simpler, ceremony.  The Queen Consort is first anointed, using the same Ampulla and Coronation Spoon used for the King.  Following the anointing, the Queen Consort’s Ring is presented.  Traditionally, it is place on the 4th finger of the Queen Consort’s right hand.  However, for the 2023 Coronation of King Charles III and Queen Camilla, the ring was merely presented and touched by the Queen Consort.  The Consort’s Crown is then placed on her head, followed by the presentation of the Queen Consort’s Sceptre with Cross and the Queen Consort’s Ivory Rod with Dove.  She then takes her place in the Throne Chair beside that of the Sovereign.

Queen Consort’s Ring

Sovereign’s Ring and Queen Consort’s Ring, 1831.  photo: Royal Collection Trust / © His Majesty King Charles III 2023

Traditionally, the Queen Consort is given a ring during her crowning ceremony.  The last Consort’s ring (pictured above on the right) was made in 1831 for the Coronation of King William IV and Queen Adelaide.  The ring consists of a large ruby, surrounded by 14 brilliant-cut diamonds, and an additional 14-rubies around the band.  This design mirrored the traditional design for a Consort’s ring.  Historically, the Sovereign’s and Consort’s rings remained in their personal collection, thus new rings would be made for each Coronation.  Following his death in 1837, King William IV left his coronation ring to his widow, Queen Adelaide, who in turn bequeathed both rings to Queen Victoria in 1849.  Upon her own death in 1901, Queen Victoria left both rings, as well as her own Coronation Ring, to the Crown.  Queen Adelaide’s Ring has been used by every subsequent Queen Consort – Queen Alexandra (1902), Queen Mary (1911), Queen Elizabeth (1937) and Queen Camilla (2023).

Queen Consort’s Crown

From 1685 through 1761, Queen Consorts were crowned with the State Crown of Mary of Modena, which was made for the Coronation of King James II and Mary of Modena.  In addition, it was also used by two Queens Regnant – Queen Mary II in 1689, and Queen Anne in 1702.  It was last used for the Coronation of King George II and Queen Caroline in 1727.  (Queen Charlotte used her own nuptial crown in 1761.)  Since then, a new crown has been made for each new Queen Consort – Queen Adelaide in 1831, Queen Alexandra in 1902, Queen Mary in 1911, and Queen Elizabeth in 1937.  However, Queen Camilla has chosen to be crowned using Queen Mary’s Crown, with some slight modifications.

The Crowns of Mary of Modena, Queen Adelaide, Queen Alexandra, Queen Mary and Queen Elizabeth are all displayed with the Crown Jewels at the Tower of London.

The State Crown of Mary of Modena

State Crown of Mary of Modena, 1685.  photo: Royal Collection Trust / © His Majesty King Charles III 2023

Mary of Modena was the first Consort crowned following the Restoration, along with her husband, King James II, in 1685.  For the occasion, the Court Jewelers made this State Crown, a Coronation Crown (used for Mary’s actual crowning ceremony), and a Diadem which Mary wore in her procession into Westminster Abbey.  Mary’s State Crown and Coronation Crown were both used by Queen Mary II (1689) and Queen Anne (1702).

Mary’s State Crown, pictured above, was originally set with diamonds which were rented for the occasion.  The band supports four fleurs-de-lis and four crosses pattée atop a smaller band of diamonds.  It is set with four half-arches – each adorned with a central row of pearls, blanked on both sides by a row of rose-cut diamonds.  Atop the arches is a pavé-set monde and a cross pattée, with pearls on each of the top three points.  It is fitted with a purple cap of velvet and ermine band.

Following the coronation, the jewels were replaced with quartzes.  They were temporarily replaced again with real diamonds for the later coronations of Queen Mary II (1689), Queen Anne (1702), and Queen Caroline (1727).

Mary’s Coronation Crown (seen in the photo below) is not part of the Crown Jewels, but is owned by the Museum of London.

Embed from Getty Images

 

Queen Adelaide’s Crown

Queen Adelaide’s Crown, 1831, lithograph. source: Wikipedia

After King WIlliam IV came to the throne in 1830, it was decided that Mary of Modena’s State Crown was too fragile and theatrical.  Thus, a new crown was made for Queen Adelaide. The Queen, who disliked the practice of renting jewels for the various crowns, instead had diamonds from her own collection used to adorn the new crown made for her.  The new crown kept with the British tradition of having four half-arches, surmounted by a monde and a cross pattée.  It was fitted with a purple cap of velvet and ermine band.  Following the coronation, the jewels were removed, and it was never used again.  The empty frame is displayed at the Tower of London.

Adelaide’s decision to have a new crown made became a precedent in the British Royal Family. For the next 106 years, a new crown was created for each Queen Consort – Alexandra (1902), Mary (1911) and Elizabeth (1937).

Queen Alexandra’s Crown

Queen Alexandra’s Crown, 1902. photo: Royal Collection Trust / © His Majesty King Charles III 2023

With the last Queen Consort crowned 71 years earlier, when King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra came to the throne in 1901, it was decided that a new crown would be created for the crowning of Queen Alexandra.  The new crown was more in the style of European royal crowns (perhaps a nod to Alexandra’s Danish background), less upright and with an unprecedented 8 half-arches, which were detachable.  But it retained much of the traditional elements – the band supporting four fleurs-de-lis and four crosses pattée, with the arches supporting a jeweled monde and another cross pattée.  Queen Alexandra’s Crown was the first to include the Koh-i-Noor Diamond, sent prominently on the front of the crown.  The Koh-i-Noor had been presented to Queen Victoria in 1856, and was later used in the Crowns of Queen Mary (1911) and Queen Elizabeth (1937).  Today, the diamond is controversial, with several countries laying claim to its ownership.  The Crown is fitted with a purple cap of velvet and ermine band.

Queen Mary’s Crown

Queen Mary’s Crown, 1911. photo: Royal Collection Trust / © His Majesty King Charles III 2023

Queen Mary’s Crown was created for the 1911 Coronation of King George V and Queen Mary.  Queen Mary had the crown designed by Garrard & Co., paying for it with her own money, and the hope/intent that it would become the crown used by all future Queen Consorts.  Its design varied from the traditional style, with 8 half-arches instead of four (just as Queen Alexandra’s Crown was designed).  At 25cm (9.8 inches) tall, and weighing 590g (1.30 lbs), the crown featured about 2,200 diamonds, including the Koh-i-Noor Diamond, the Cullinan III and Cullinan IV.  In 1914, the Cullinan jewels – the personal property of Queen Mary – were removed and replaced with glass, and the arches were made detachable, allowing the Crown to be worn as a circlet.  Queen Mary wore the circlet often, including for the 1937 Coronation of her son, King George VI and Queen Elizabeth.  For this occasion, the Cullinan V was added to the crown, set on the back of the band.  The Crown is fitted with a purple cap of velvet and ermine band.  (Read more about the various Cullinan diamonds HERE.)

In the photo above, the large stone on the front is the Koh-i-Noor, with the Cullinan IV set just below it.  The Cullinan III is set at the top of the crown.

Queen Elizabeth’s Crown

Queen Elizabeth’s Crown, 1937. photo: Royal Collection Trust / © His Majesty King Charles III 2023

Queen Elizabeth’s Crown was created by Garrard & Co. for the 1937 Coronation of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth (later The Queen Mother).  It was modeled on the Crown of Queen Mary, however it reverted to the more traditional 4 half-arches instead of 8.  Like the previous crowns of Queen Alexandra and Queen Mary, the arches are detachable, allowing for the crown to be worn as a circlet.  Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother wore the crown in its circlet form at the coronation of her daughter, Queen Elizabeth II, in 1953.  The Crown was adorned with about 2,800 diamonds, including the Koh-i-Noor Diamond, and a replica of the Lahore Diamond.  The Crown is fitted with a purple cap of velvet and ermine band.  Most recently, in 2002, the Crown – in its full form – was placed upon the Queen Mother’s coffin during her lying-in-state and funeral.

Queen Camilla’s Crown

Queen Camilla has chosen to use Queen Mary’s Crown, created for the 1911 Coronation of King George V and Queen Mary.  In February 2023, the Crown was removed from the Tower of London, to undergo some minor modifications for the upcoming Coronation.  The original eight half-arches have been reduced to four, and the Koh-i-Noor Diamond is not featured.

The crown features several jewels from the personal collection of the late Queen Elizabeth II, which had also been used by Queen Mary.  The Cullinan III, Cullinan IV and Cullinan V  will be prominently featured on the crown.  Originally part of Queen Mary’s private collection, she left them to Queen Elizabeth II upon her death in 1953.  They are now in the personal collection of King Charles III.

The Queen Consort’s Sceptre with Cross and Ivory Rod with Dove

During the crowning of the Queen Consort, she is also handed two sceptres – smaller versions of those presented to the Sovereign.  Both of these were made for the 1685 Coronation of King James II and Mary of Modena.

Queen Consort’s Sceptre with Cross, 1685. photo: Royal Collection Trust / © His Majesty King Charles III 2023

The Queen Consort’s Sceptre with Cross – traditionally placed in the right hand after she is crowned – is made of gold adorned with table- and rose-cut quartzes.  The top features a monde sitting in a base of quartz-set petals representing a fleur-de-lis, and is topped with a jeweled cross.

Queen Consort’s Ivory Rod with Dove, 1685. photo: Royal Collection Trust / © His Majesty King Charles III 2023

The Ivory Rod with Dove – traditionally placed in the left hand after she is crowned – is made of ivory, topped by a gold monde which features the national emblems (rose, thistle, harp and fleur-de-lis) in enamel.  Atop the monde is a cross with an enameled dove with its wings folded.

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Imperial State Crown

by Scott Mehl
© Unofficial Royalty 2023

photo: Royal Collection Trust / © His Majesty King Charles III 2023

The Imperial State Crown is worn by the Sovereign to depart Westminster Abbey after the Coronation service. It is also traditionally worn for the State Opening of Parliament, and placed atop a late Sovereign’s coffin at their lying-in-state and funeral (along with the Orb and Sceptre).

The empty frame of Queen Victoria’s Imperial State Crown, 1838. photo: Royal Collection Trust / © His Majesty King Charles III 2023

Following the Restoration, a new Imperial State Crown had to be made for King Charles II. Since then, there have been numerous versions of the crown. Queen Victoria’s Crown, made for her coronation in 1838, was also used for the coronations of King Edward VII (1902) and King George V (1911). The photo above shows the frame of Queen Victoria’s Crown, with the jewels removed, as well as the monde and cross which would have sat atop the arches. The current Imperial State Crown was made for the 1937 coronation of King George VI, and was modified slightly for the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II (1953), with the arches lowered to give a more feminine appearance. It was modified once again for the coronation of King Charles III (2023).

The back of the Imperial State Crown. photo: Royal Collection Trust / © His Majesty King Charles III 2023

Designed by Garrard & Co., the Imperial State Crown contains over 3,100 jewels and precious stones, including 2,868 diamonds, 273 pearls, 17 sapphires, 11 emeralds and 5 rubies. Some of the notable jewels in the crown are:

Cullinan II and Black Prince’s Ruby

close-up view of the Cullinan II and Black Prince’s Ruby on the front of the Imperial State Crown.  photo: Royal Collection Trust / © His Majesty King Charles III 2023

The Cullinan II – often called the Second Star of Africa – is mounted on the front of the crown’s band, beneath the Black Prince’s Ruby. At 317.4 carats, it is one of the largest clear-cut diamonds in the world. It is cut from the famed Cullinan Diamond, which originally weighed 3,105 carats and was given to King Edward VII in 1907. (Read more about the Cullinan Diamond and it’s various stones HERE)

The 170 carat Black Prince’s Ruby (actually a spinel) is mounted on a cross patté on the front of the crown, just above the Cullinan II. According to legend, the stone was given to Edward, Prince of Wales (known as the Black Prince) in 1367 by King Pedro of Castile. It was later worn by King Henry V in his helmet at the Battle of Agincourt. A hole was drilled into the stone at some point, probably to allow the stone to be worn as a pendant. It was later filled with a small ruby. The stone was set in Queen Victoria’s Imperial State Crown (1838) and then in the same place on the current Imperial State Crown.

The Stuart Sapphire

close-up view of the Stuart Sapphire on the back of the Imperial State Crown. photo: Royal Collection Trust / © His Majesty King Charles III 2023

The 104 carat Stuart Sapphire is mounted on the back of the crown’s band. It most likely belonged to King Charles II, and left England with James II fled to France after the Glorious Revolution. James II passed the stone to his son, James Stuart, who in turn bequeathed it to his own son, Henry Benedict – later Cardinal York. The sapphire, along with other Stuart relics, were sold, and later purchased by King George III in 1807, and returned to Britain.

It was set in the front of Queen Victoria’s Imperial State Crown (1838), just beneath the Black Prince’s Ruby. However, it was later moved to the back of the crown, to make way for the newly acquired Cullinan II in 1909. It maintains the same position in the current Imperial State Crown.

St. Edward’s Sapphire

close-up view of St. Edward’s Sapphire, mounted in the cross at the top of the Imperial State Crown. photo: Royal Collection Trust / © His Majesty King Charles III 2023

St. Edward’s Sapphire, an octagonal rose-cut sapphire, is mounted in the center of the cross patté at the top of the crown. It is alleged to have originally been in the coronation ring of Edward the Confessor (later St. Edward), and taken from the ring when Edward’s remains were reinterred in Westminster Abbey in 1163. Since at least 1838, the Sapphire has been set in the Imperial State Crown – first in Queen Victoria’s 1838 crown, and then in the current crown.

Queen Elizabeth I’s Pearls

Queen Elizabeth’s Pearls, beneath the monde on the Imperial State Crown. photo: Royal Collection Trust / © His Majesty King Charles III 2023

The four large pearls, suspended just beneath the monde, are often referred to as Queen Elizabeth’s earrings. Catherine de Medici received several pearls from Pope Clement VII upon her marriage to King Henri II of France in 1553. They were left to her daughter-in-law, Mary, Queen of Scots, and then sold to, or acquired, by Queen Elizabeth I. Despite the legend, it is most likely that the pearls are from a later period, as at least two of them did not enter the Royal Collection until the 19th century.

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St. Edward’s Crown

by Scott Mehl
© Unofficial Royalty 2023

photo: Royal Collection Trust / © His Majesty King Charles III 2023

St. Edward’s Crown is considered to be the most important piece of the British regalia, used only for the crowning of the Sovereign. The original medieval crown, claimed to have belonged to King Edward the Confessor (St. Edward) from the 11th century, had been destroyed or melted down in 1649 following the overthrow of the monarchy. After the Restoration, a new crown – designed very similarly to the original relic – was made in 1661 for the coronation of King Charles II.

The band, bordered in gold beads, is adorned with sixteen clusters, each set with a rectangular or octagonal stone, surrounded by topazes and aquamarines. Supported by the band are four crosses pattée and four fleurs-de-lis, all bejeweled. Four half-arches form the top of the crown, topped with a jeweled gold monde supporting a cross pattée.

Until 1911, the jewels used in the crown were rented or borrowed for the ceremony and then returned to the jewelers. However, for the coronation of King George V in 1911, the crown was permanently set with jewels which remain to this day.

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Prior to the 2023 Coronation of King Charles III, the last time St. Edward’s Crown was seen publicly was at a service at Westminster Abbey in June 2013, celebrating the 60th anniversary of the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II. This was the first time the Crown had left the Tower of London since The Queen’s Coronation in 1953.

Despite the intent that it be the coronation crown for all future sovereigns, it was only used three times – King Charles II (1661), King James II (1685) and King William III (1689) before it was deemed too heavy. Beginning with Queen Anne (1702), St. Edward’s Crown was instead included in the procession into Westminster Abbey and placed on the altar (with the exception of Queen Victoria’s Coronation in 1838, when St. Edward’s Crown was not used at all). It would be 209 years before it returned to use, at the coronation of King George V in 1911.

Crown of George I, 1714. photo: Royal Collection Trust / © His Majesty King Charles III 2023

In the interim, several other crowns were used. Both Queen Mary II and Queen Anne chose smaller diamond crowns of their own. Kings George I (1714), George II (1727), George III (1761), and William IV (1831) all used the State Crown of George I, made for his coronation in 1714. King George IV (1821) had a new crown made for his Coronation. Queen Victoria (1838) chose to be crowned with her new Imperial State Crown, which was also used by her son, King Edward VII in 1902. It was King George V (1911) who brought St. Edward’s Crown back to the Coronation ceremony, and it has been used ever since.

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The Cullinan Diamond

by Scott Mehl
© Unofficial Royalty 2023

The nine primary stones cut from the Cullinan Diamond.  (top – II, I, III; bottom – VIII, VI, IV, V, VII, IX)
photo: Royal Collection Trust / © His Majesty King Charles III 2023

The Cullinan Diamond, found in 1905, was the largest gem-quality rough diamond ever discovered, weighing 3,106 carats. It was found on January 26, 1905 at the Premier No. 2 mine in Cullinan, South Africa (then the Transvaal Colony).

The large stone went on display in Johannesburg shortly after it was found, and then in April 1905, it was sent to the company’s London sales agent to be put up for sale. Despite much interest, the stone was never sold.

The Transvaal Prime Minister, Louis Botha, brought up the idea of buying the stone and gifting it to King Edward VII. At first, the King was advised to decline the offer, but later was persuaded by Winston Churchill – then the Colonial Under-Secretary – to accept it. The Transvaal government purchased the stone in October 1907 for £150,000.

The rough diamond was presented to King Edward VII at Sandringham House on November 9, 1907 – the king’s 66th birthday. It was promptly announced that the King was accepting the gift “for myself and my successors”, and that “this great and unique diamond be kept and preserved among the historic jewels which form the heirlooms of the Crown”.

Mr. Asscher using the hammer for the first operation on the Cullinan Diamond, February 1908. photo: Royal Collection Trust / © His Majesty King Charles III 2023

Joseph Asscher & Co. in Amsterdam, was chosen to cut the large stone into the brilliant diamond we see today. After several weeks of planning, the first cut was made on February 10, 1908. However, it would be another eight months before the process was completed. The result was nine larger stones – totally 1,055.89 carats – as well as 96 brilliants and some unpolished fragments. Each of the nine larger stones were assigned a number – I through IX.

Cullinan I and II were given back to King Edward VII, and they became part of the Crown Jewels. Cullinan I was set in the Sceptre, and Cullinan II set in the Imperial State Crown. The remaining 7 stones (along with the brilliants and fragments) remained with Mr. Asscher as payment for his services. However, King Edward personally purchased the Cullinan VI as a gift for his wife, Queen Alexandra, that same year.

In 1910, after Edward VII died, the South African government purchased the remaining stones and presented them to Queen Mary, who quickly had them put in various settings which she used for the rest of her life. Unlike Cullinan I and II, the rest of the jewels were part of the Queen’s personal collection. Upon her death in 1953, she left them to her granddaughter, Queen Elizabeth II. They were then inherited by King Charles III in 2022.

CULLINAN I

Cullinan I, set in the sceptre.  photo: Royal Collection Trust / © His Majesty King Charles III 2023

Cullinan I – known as the Great Star of Africa – is part of the Crown Jewels, set in the top of the Sovereign’s Sceptre with Cross. At 530.2 carats, this pear-shaped diamond is the largest clear cut diamond in the world. It was set in the sceptre in 1910, and first used for the 1911 coronation of King George V and Queen Mary. The stone is removable, and Queen Mary often wore the Cullinan I suspended from the Cullinan II as a brooch.

CULLINAN II

Cullinan II, set in the Imperial State Crown.  photo: Royal Collection Trust / © His Majesty King Charles III 2023

Cullinan II – known as the Second Star of Africa – is part of the Crown Jewels, set in the front of the Imperial State Crown. It weighs 317.4 carats, and is a cushion cut. As with most of the jewels, it can be removed from the crown, and was worn often by Queen Mary as a brooch, with the Cullinan I suspended from it.

CULLINAN III and CULLINAN IV

Cullinan III suspended from Cullinan IV.  photo: Royal Collection Trust / © His Majesty King Charles III 2023

The Cullinan III and Cullinan IV were first used in Queen Mary’s Crown for the 1911 coronation. Cullinan III is a 94.4 carat pear-shaped diamond, and was set in the cross pattée at the top of the crown. Cullinan IV is a 63.6 carat square-cut diamond, and was set in the front band of the crown, just beneath the Koh-i-Noor Diamond.

In 1914, both were removed from Queen Mary’s Crown and replaced with glass replicas. From that time until her death in 1953, Queen Mary often wore them paired together as a brooch, as seen in the photo above.

Queen Elizabeth II first wore the brooch in 1958 for a visit to the Asscher Diamond Company while on a State Visit to the Netherlands. In a touching gesture – and understanding the magnificence of the jewels – The Queen even removed the brooch to allow Louis Asscher (the 84-year old nephew of Joseph Asscher) to see and touch the stones 51 years after they’d first been cut.

The late Queen continued to wear the brooch, especially at important events and occasions, such as her Diamond Jubilee in 2012.

CULLINAN V

Cullinan V. photo: Royal Collection Trust / © His Majesty King Charles III 2023

The Cullinan V is an 18.8 carat heart-shaped diamond, set in a platinum brooch. It formed part of the stomacher that Queen Mary had made to wear at the Delhi Durbar in 1911. Although typically worn alone, it can also be combined with Cullinan VII or Cullinan VIII. For the 1937 coronation of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth, Queen Mary had the Cullinan V added to her crown, which she wore without the arches or velvet cap. As a nod toward both Queen Mary and the late Queen Elizabeth II, the Cullinan V is again being added to Queen Mary’s Crown which is being used by Queen Camilla for the 2023 coronation.

CULLINAN VI

Cullinan VI suspended from Cullinan VIII.  photo: Royal Collection Trust / © His Majesty King Charles III 2023

The Cullinan VI is an 11.5 carat marquise-cut diamond which was purchased by King Edward VII in 1908, as a gift for his wife, Queen Alexandra. Queen Mary inherited the stone in 1925, and since then it is typically worn suspended from the Cullinan VIII brooch, as seen above.

CULLINAN VII

Cullinan VII, as part of the Delhi Durbar Neclace. photo: Royal Collection Trust / © His Majesty King Charles III 2023

The Cullinan VII is an 8.8 carat marquise-cut stone which is part of the Delhi Durbar Necklace, created in 1911. The stone is set as a pendant on the necklace, on a detachable chain of ten graduated brilliants.

CULLINAN VIII

The Cullinan VIII is a 6.8 carat emerald-cut stone set in a platinum brooch, very similar to the Cullinan V. Like the Cullinan V, the Cullinan VIII brooch was part of Queen Mary’s stomacher for the 1911 Delhi Durbar. Today it is typically worn with Cullinan VI suspended as a pendant (as seen in the photo above with Cullinan VI).

CULLINAN IX

The Cullinan IX Ring. photo: Royal Collection Trust / © His Majesty King Charles III 2023

The smallest of the nine stones from the Cullinan Diamond, the Cullinan IX is 4.39 carats. In a stepped pear-shape cut, the stone is set in a platinum ring – known as the Cullinan IX Ring. Along with the Cullinan VII, this stone appears to have remained in its original setting and use since 1910.

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The Coronation Chair and Stone of Scone

by Scott Mehl
© Unofficial Royalty 2023

The Coronation Chair (without the Stone of Scone), 2023. photo: By Darkmaterial – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=127657004

The Coronation Chair

The Coronation Chair (also known as St. Edward’s Chair) was commissioned by King Edward I in 1296 to hold the Stone of Scone, which he had seized from Scotland during the First Scottish War of Independence. It was first used for the Coronation of King Edward II and 1308, and has been used for the coronation of every English and British Sovereign since, with one exception. At the joint Coronation of King William III and Queen Mary II in 1689, King William was crowned in the Coronation Chair, while Queen Mary was crowned in a copy of the chair, made specifically for the occasion. (Queen Mary II’s Chair is also displayed at the Abbey, in the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Galleries.)

Traditionally, the Sovereign only uses the chair once – during their Coronation. However, there has been at least one exception. At a service celebrating her Golden Jubilee in 1887, Queen Victoria was once again seated in the Coronation Chair. For the occasion, the chair was given a dark coat of varnish, which was later painstakingly removed.

Originally, the Chair was gilded, painted and inlaid with glass mosaics, but today only small traces of those details remain. For many years, the Chair was kept in St. Edward’s Shrine in Westminster Abbey, where people were able to see and touch it. Through the years, tourists have tried to take small pieces of the chair, and choirboys from the Abbey often carved their initials and other graffiti into it. Much of that graffiti remains. Today, the Coronation Chair sits on a plinth – behind glass – in St. George’s Chapel, located in the nave of Westminster Abbey, where it is highly protected from being touched or damaged by the thousands of tourists who see it each year.

Through the years, it has undergone much preservation and restoration. A June 1914 bombing broke off part of the chair, which was quickly restored. From 2010-2012, the Chair underwent an extensive restoration, while in full-view of the public. And in 2023, it once again underwent an extensive restoration and conservation program in preparation for the Coronation of King Charles III.

The Coronation Chair has only left Westminster Abbey twice in its long history. The first time – in December 1653 – it was taken to Westminster Hall for the ceremony inducting Oliver Cromwell as Lord Protector. The second time – in August 1939 – it was taken to Gloucester Cathedral for the duration of World War II. (Queen Mary II’s Coronation Chair was taken to Winchester Cathedral.)

The Stone of Scone in the Coronation Chair, c1875-1885. photo: Wikipedia

The Stone of Scone

The Stone of Scone – also known as the Scone of Destiny – is a large block of red sandstone, weighing about 335 pounds, which was used for centuries in the coronation ceremonies of the Sovereigns of Scotland. Its history is steeped in legend. One claims the stone is Stone of Jacob – on which Jacob rested his head (Genesis 28:10-22). Another has its origins in Ireland, from where it was brought to Scotland by Fergus I – the first King of the Scots. However, geological studies have proven the stone was quarried in the area of Scone, challenging many of the legends. What is known is that the Stone was brought to Scone Abbey in 841 and was used for Scottish coronations for hundreds of years.

During the First War of Independence in 1296, the Stone was seized by King Edward I of England, who brought the stone to Westminster Abbey. He then had the Coronation Chair made to house the stone. It has been used for every English and British coronation since at 1308.

During World War II, the Stone was hidden away in a buried vault beneath the Abbey, while the Coronation Chair was moved to Gloucester Cathedral. On Christmas Day 1950, a group of Scottish Nationalists stole the Stone from its display in the Abbey. It was recovered 4 months later, and returned to the Abbey, being locked away in the WWII vault. It returned to the Coronation Chair in February 1952, after extensive security measures had been put in place to ensure its safety.

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In 1996, British Prime Minister John Major announced that the Stone of Scone would be returned to Scotland to be displayed at Edinburgh Castle, with the provision that it would return to the Abbey for future coronations. On November 13, 1996, the Stone was removed from the Coronation Chair and placed in the Lantern of the Abbey. The following morning – under heavy police escort – the Stone of Scone made its journey back to Scotland. An official handover ceremony was held at Edinburgh Castle on November 30, 1996. The Duke of York represented Queen Elizabeth II at the ceremony, personally handing over the Royal Warrant which transferred the stone to the Commissioners for the Regalia. In 2020, it was announced that the Stone of Scone will be moved to the new Perth Museum, set in the former Perth City Hall, which is slated to open in 2024.

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