The Imperial State Crown is well known for its many precious stones, weight, and gaudiness. Back in 2019, the late Queen Elizabeth II stopped wearing the crown, opting for a smaller tiara. Even though the headpiece hasn’t been worn in years, it has a long tradition of being worn by the monarch. Once King Charles III is crowned in May, will he bring back the tradition? The likely answer is yes.
Since his majesty is known for keeping with tradition, Charles is expected to reinstate the Imperial State Crown when he delivers the State Openings of Parliament. The crown has been used by the ruling monarch since the 15th century. However, the current version of the crown was made for the coronation of George VI in 1937. Then the crown had to be adjusted for the late queen when she began her 70-year reign.
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The royal headpiece is decorated with precisely 2,901 stones. These include several precious jewels, such as the Cullinan II diamond, St. Edward’s Sapphire, the Stuart Sapphire, and the Black Prince’s Ruby. The crown’s large frame is made of gold, silver, and platinum. Plus, the velvet cap is trimmed with ermine fur. The crown is also quite large at 12.4 inches tall and weighing in at 2.3 pounds.
Crowns Are ‘Important Things’
The weight of the crown is exactly why the late monarch stopped wearing the gaudy headpiece. In a 2019 BBC…