Which crown will King Charles wear at the coronation?

As King Charles’s coronation day approaches, royal fans are questioning which crown King Charles III will wear at his coronation ceremony.

The coronation will take place on May 6 at Westminster Abbey, and as anticipation for the big day heightens, more and more details have been announced. From the coronation concert at Windsor Castle to Prince William and Harry’s ‘scrapped’ role and the relaxed dress code, we are slowly learning what we can expect from the historic event.

Ahead of the celebrations, Buckingham Palace released a statement that read, “Their Majesties The King and The Queen Consort hope the Coronation Weekend will provide an opportunity to spend time and celebrate with friends, families, and communities across the United Kingdom, the Realms and the Commonwealth. Their Majesties are looking forward to marking the occasion with the public throughout 2023.”

But what crown will King Charles wear for his coronation ceremony? Here’s everything you need to know.

What crown will King Charles wear at the coronation?

King Charles III will wear the St Edward's Crown when he is officially declared King during his coronation. This will be the first and only time that Charles will wear this particular crown and he will only wear it for a few moments, for the pivotal moment of the actual crowning. The crown will be placed on his head by the Archbishop of Canterbury and guests will declare, “God save the King.”

This crown is traditionally worn by monarchs when they are crowned, and was worn by the late Queen Elizabeth at her coronation ceremony back in 1953. 

It was originally made for the coronation of Charles II back in 1661 and is stored safely in the Tower of London - although it was recently announced that St Edward's Crown has been removed from the Tower of London to allow for modification work to begin ahead of the coronation.

Made of solid gold and weighing five pounds, it contains 444 gemstones, including rubies, sapphires, garnets, and tourmalines. The 17th-century crown is almost identical now to when it was first created, aside from some replacement stones.

Which Crown Jewels will be used at King Charles' coronation?

As well as the famous St Edward’s Crown, we will also see The Crown Jewels at the coronation of King Charles.

The Crown Jewels comprise of the Coronation Regalia, which is a number of important objects used in the coronation of monarchs, including scepters, rings, and orbs. These items all play a key role in the traditional coronation proceedings.

The Sceptre with Cross

During the ceremony, the Sceptre with Cross is passed to the monarch’s right hand by the Archbishop of Canterbury, symbolizing power and justice.

The Sceptre with Cross features a large cross on top of the large Cullinan I diamond, which was cut from the same stone as that in the Imperial State Crown.

The Sceptre with Dove

The second sceptre used during the Coronation is the Sceptre with Dove, which is passed into the monarch’s left hand. This golden spectre is set with 285 gems and features the emblem of a dove with outstretched wings, which symbolizes equity and mercy.

The Orb

Also used in the coronation is the spherical orb, which symbolizes the globe and is constructed of two hemispheres that are joined together at the ‘equator’ by a band of jewels. The cross on the top of the Orb references Christian traditions and symbolizes God’s influence over the world.

The Coronation Ring

When a new King or Queen is crowned, The Coronation Ring is placed on their fourth finger to represent the ‘wedding’ of the sovereign to the people. The ring is a thick gold band featuring a ruby cross over a blue stone, making it look similar to the Union Jack flag, and is outlined with diamonds.

The Sword of Offering

The Sword of Offering is presented to the monarch during the coronation to represent strength and power. The highly decorated Sword of Offering was made for King George IV back in 1820. It is set with emeralds, rubies, sapphires, and diamonds, which form the shapes of roses, thistles, and shamrocks to denote different realms of the United Kingdom.

The Ampulla

The Ampulla is a 20cm-tall eagle made of gold. The head unscrews, allowing it to be filled with holy oil, which is poured from a small hole in the bird’s beak onto a special spoon. The Archbishop of Canterbury then uses the oil to anoint the new monarch in a cross shape on their forehead.

The Spurs

The set of spurs features small spikes, protruding out from a traditional rose shape. Spurs have been used to invest royalty at coronations since King Richard I back in 1189, although the current set was made in 1660. The spurs are brought in to touch the back of the monarch’s heels during the coronation and represent the concept of a knight ‘earning their spurs.’

What crown will Queen Camilla wear at the Coronation?

Queen Camilla will wear Queen Mary’s Crown for the Coronation, which has already been removed from the Tower of London ready to be re-sized ahead of the ceremony. As revealed by the Royal Family website, this marks the first time in “recent history” that an existing crown will be used for the coronation of a Queen Consort instead of a new crown being made. 

This has been done in the “interests of sustainability and efficiency”, according to the Buckingham Palace announcement. The last time a Queen Consort’s crown has been re-used was by Queen Caroline, the wife of King George II, in the 18th century when she wore Queen Mary of Modena’s crown. 

However, some changes will be made other than the re-sizing, in keeping with another tradition that involves the insertion of jewels that are unique to the occasion and which showcase the Queen Consort’s personal style. The alterations will also pay tribute to the late Queen Elizabeth, with the Cullinan III, IV, and V diamonds being added to Queen Camilla’s coronation crown.