King Charles will wear the St Edward's Crown, the centrepiece of royal coronations, at the moment of crowning. Photo / Royal Collection Trust
King Charles will wear the St Edward's Crown, the centrepiece of royal coronations, at the moment of crowning. Photo / Royal Collection Trust
At the heart of the King’s coronation will be ancient and invaluable jewel-encrusted regalia, from swords to crowns - much of which has been used for more than 1,000 years.
But mystery surrounds the purpose of some of the objects, with royal experts admitting that despite their repeated use and historical significance, they had no idea what they were for.
Most of the regalia was created during the reign of Charles II as replicas of medieval objects that were destroyed in the mid-17th century on the orders of Oliver Cromwell.
Among them is St Edward’s Staff, which was remade even though “no one was quite sure what it was for”.
The original purpose of the Coronation Spoon, which is used during the anointing - the most sacred part of the ceremony - is also unknown.
First recorded in 1349, preserved among St Edward’s Regalia in Westminster Abbey, it is the oldest object in the collection and has been hailed as the “one real great survivor” of the medieval regalia.
Yet Kathryn Jones, senior curator of decorative arts for the Royal Collection Trust, admitted: “We don’t know its original purpose.”
Meanwhile, royal aides confirmed that the Queen Consort’s Rod with Dove, which is made of ivory, will be used despite claims that it would be rejected due to environmental concerns.
One palace source noted that a collection of such size and age as the Royal Collection would be expected to contain items made of ivory “because, of course, it reflects the taste of the time”.
The coronation regalia is considered the heart of the Crown Jewels, held in trust by the monarch on behalf of the nation.
Housed in the Tower of London, where they are kept on public display, they are sacred objects which symbolise the powers and responsibilities of the monarch.
The regalia have played a central role in coronation services for hundreds of years and will be used at Westminster Abbey on May 6.
Royal Mace
The Royal Mace. Photo / The Royal Collection 2010
The ceremonial mace has been a symbol of royal authority for more than 1,000 years.
It will be carried by peers ahead of the monarch during the coronation procession from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Abbey.
The maces are also used during the State Opening of Parliament.
St Edward’s Staff
St Edward's Staff. Photo / Royal Collection Trust
One of the objects that formed part of the early medieval regalia was known as St Edward’s Staff, and is thought to have been associated with King Edward the Confessor, who died in 1066.
Charles Farris, a public historian for Historic Royal Palaces, said: “When the Crown Jewels were remade in 1660 and 1661, Charles II was being advised as to what he might need and what he might not need.”
“When it came to St Edward’s Staff, no one was quite sure what it was for, and they almost didn’t have one at all.
“But Charles II said, ‘No, I want the full set’, and it was made, even though no one quite knew what it was for … and that is still carried in English coronations today.”
Sword of State
Sword of State. Photo / Royal Collection Trust
There are five swords in total being used during the coronation ceremony.
The Sword of State is carried before the sovereign on formal occasions, symbolising royal authority.
It has a steel blade with a silver-gilt hilt, enclosed in a wooden scabbard covered in velvet.
In 1660 and 1678, during the reign of King Charles II, two such swords were made. The latter will be used next month, after Farris admitted: “We don’t quite know what happened to the first one.”
It was used by Queen Elizabeth II on various ceremonial occasions, including the investiture of the then-Prince of Wales in 1969 and the VE Day service in St Paul’s Cathedral in 1995.
The Swords of Spiritual Justice, Mercy, and Temporal Justice
The Swords of Spiritual Justice, Mercy, and Temporal Justice. Photo / Royal Collection Trust
Four further swords will be used during the coronation procession.
Three will be carried before the monarch during the procession, in a tradition that dates back to at least the coronation of Richard I in 1189.
Like then, they will be carried pointing upwards and unsheathed, representing the King’s various powers and duties.
The swords were made for the coronation of Charles I in 1626, and then placed with the regalia in Westminster Abbey.
Together with the Coronation Spoon, they were the only pieces to survive the Civil War to the Restoration unscathed.
They are the Sword of Temporal Justice, signifying the monarch’s role as head of the armed forces; the Sword of Spiritual Justice, signifying the monarch as defender of the faith; and the Sword of Mercy or Curtana, which has a blunted tip, symbolising the sovereign’s mercy.
The fifth and final sword is the Jewelled Sword of Offering.
It was made in 1820 and has a steel blade, mounted in gold and set with jewels, which form a rose, a thistle, a shamrock, oak leaves, acorns and lion’s heads.
The sword is contained in a gold-covered leather scabbard. It was first used at the coronation of King George IV.
The Ampulla
The Ampulla. Photo / Royal Collection Trust
The most sacred moment during the coronation ceremony is the anointing, when the Archbishop of Canterbury will use holy oil from the Mount of Olives in Jerusalem to mark a cross on the King’s hands, chest and forehead.
The oil is stored in the Ampulla, a gold vessel in the shape of an eagle supplied in 1661 by royal goldsmith Robert Vyner. The head of the eagle is removable and there is an opening in the beak for pouring the oil.
The design is based on an earlier, smaller vessel, which in turn is said to have been based on a 14th-century legend wherein the Virgin Mary appeared to Thomas Becket in a dream and presented him with a golden eagle and a vial of oil for anointing future kings of England.
Jones said: “In fact, it’s probably more likely to be based on a French medieval vessel that was in the shape of an eagle, but obviously it was reproduced in exactly the same form in 1661.”
The Coronation Spoon
The Coronation Spoon. Photo / Royal Collection Trust
The “humble” spoon is the oldest object in the collection, and the oldest surviving English royal goldsmith’s work.
Dating back to the 12th century, it is described as the “one real great survivor” of the medieval regalia.
“Interestingly, like St Edward’s Staff, we don’t know its original purpose,” admitted Jones.
“It was listed among the regalia in 1349, but stylistically, it dates earlier than that and may have been supplied to either Henry II or Richard I.”
Clearly never intended for eating or stirring, its divided bowl and its length suggest that it had a ceremonial purpose, and its presence among the regalia means that it has always been associated with coronations.
The oil is poured from the Ampulla into the bowl of the spoon before the Archbishop dips in two fingers.
“When the symbolic melt of all the Crown Jewels took place, the spoon was actually sold because nobody quite understood its purpose,” added Jones.
Clement Kynnersley, who looked after Charles I’s wardrobe, bought it for 16 shillings. When Charles II was restored to the throne, he gave it back, allegedly at a “small profit”.
During the investiture, the King will be presented with various symbolic objects that represent his powers and responsibilities.
The Spurs
The Spurs. Photo / Royal Collection Trust
The Spurs represent the monarch’s “knightly values and virtues”, such as protecting the weak and protecting the church.
Made for Charles II in 1661, they were based on an earlier design, meaning that even then, they would have looked quite archaic, said Farris.
“They were intentionally looking backwards when they designed these objects,” he added.
The Jewelled Sword of Offering
The Jewelled Sword of Offering. Photo / Royal Collection Trust
The Jewelled Sword of Offering is carried during the procession and is then presented to the monarch as another symbol of royal power and knightly values.
The Archbishop will bless the sword and then give it to the King to be used for the protection of good and the punishment of evil.
It is then traditionally offered by the monarch at the high altar, before being returned for a symbolic 100 shillings and retrieved by the keeper of the jewel house.
The gesture was devised because, at earlier coronations, monarchs donated a sword that was kept by Westminster Abbey.
The gesture was referred to in Queen Elizabeth II’s 1953 Order of Service.
The design of the sword was suggested by George IV, and its £5,988 cost was funded by the King’s privy purse.
It was used during his coronation ceremony in 1821 - one of the most opulent and expensive in history. It was next used in 1902 by Edward VII and has been used at every subsequent coronation.
Armills
Armills. Photo / Royal Collection Trust
These gold bracelets decorated with enamel symbols are placed on the sovereign’s wrists during the coronation service.
They are referred to as “bracelets of sincerity and wisdom” and are thought to relate to ancient symbols of knighthood and military leadership.
New Armills were made for the late Queen’s coronation in 1953 as a symbolic gift from the Commonwealth, replacing the previous pair that had been used since 1661.
However, the King will use the original pair last used by his grandfather, George VI.
Each is engraved with national symbols including a harp, a thistle and a rose. They are fitted with an invisible hinge with a Tudor rose clasp and have a red velvet lining.
The Orb
The Orb. Photo / Royal Collection Trust
The hollow, 30-centimetre-wide Orb represents the globe. It is placed in the right hand of the monarch as they are invested, before being placed on the altar before the moment of crowning.
It is mounted with nine emeralds, 18 rubies, nine sapphires, 365 diamonds, 375 pearls, one amethyst and one glass stone.
Again, it was recreated in the 17th century after the Reformation and, while the design is copied from previous versions, it is much larger.
The pearls divide the Orb into three segments – representing the three continents known in medieval times.
It is symbolic of the sovereign’s Christian power.
The Sovereign’s Ring. Photo / Royal Collection Trust
The Sovereign’s Ring is a symbol of his dignity and faith, and also a commitment to his people and to the Church.
Made for the coronation of William IV in 1831, it has been used by every monarch since - aside from Queen Victoria, who had her own one made.
Comprising a sapphire overlaid with rubies in the form of a St George’s cross and surrounded by diamonds, it is placed on the fourth finger by the Archbishop as a symbol of “kingly dignity”.
The Sovereign’s Sceptre with Cross
The Sovereign’s Sceptre with Cross. Photo / Royal Collection Trust
Two sceptres are presented representing temporal and spiritual power.
Their form is distantly related to the bishop’s crosier - a symbol of pastoral care.
The Sceptre with Cross will be placed in the King’s right hand during the service and the other in his left. Both will be carried during the procession leaving the Abbey.
Originally made for Charles II in 1661, the Sceptre with Cross has since undergone a number of alterations, including the addition of a huge drop-shaped diamond, Cullinan I, which weighs 530.2 carats.
An enamelled rose, thistle and shamrock were added to the monde in 1820 for the coronation of George IV, while the Cullinan diamond was added in 1910. The diamond is so heavy that the sceptre had to be reinforced.
The Sceptre with Dove represents the monarch’s spiritual role. It is decorated with 285 gemstones, including 94 diamonds, 53 rubies, 10 emeralds, four sapphires and three spinels.
At the top is a gold cross supporting an enamelled dove with outspread wings that represents the Holy Ghost.
St Edward’s Crown
St Edward's Crown. Photo / Royal Collection Trust
Named after Edward the Confessor, this crown is used solely for the moment of crowning.
Traditionally, it was not allowed to leave Westminster Abbey, where it was kept with the regalia, meaning a second crown had to be created for the procession out of the Abbey.
Weighing nearly five pounds, the solid gold frame is adorned with 444 precious stones. It features four crosses-pattée and four fleurs-de-lis.
The two arches are surmounted by an orb and a cross, representing the Christian faith.
It was made for Charles II in 1661 to replace an earlier crown said to have belonged to King Edward the Confessor, although Farris revealed that no one knew what the original looked like.
He acknowledged this was “rather remarkable, considering it is one of the most famous objects in royal history”.
The original is said to have been used at least from the reign of King Henry III for his second coronation in 1220.
The Queen Consort’s Ring
The Queen Consort’s Ring. Photo / Royal Collection Trust
Both the sovereign and the Queen Consort will be presented with a ring during the coronation ceremony.
This ring was made for William IV’s consort, Queen Adelaide, in 1831 and since 1902. All consorts have used it, including Queen Alexandra, Queen Mary and Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother.
It features a ruby as the principal stone in a gold setting, unbacked, within a border of 14 cushion-shaped brilliants set transparent in silver collets.
The gold shank is set with 14 graduated mixed-cut rubies.
Queen Mary’s Crown
Queen Mary's Crown. Photo / Royal Collection Trust
Camilla will wear the crown of Queen Mary, the consort of King George V, which was made by Garrard & Co. for the 1911 coronation and is mounted with 2,200 diamonds.
It originally featured the Koh-i-Noor diamond but, to avoid controversy, this time it will be reset with the Cullinan III, IV, and V diamonds in tribute to Queen Elizabeth II, who often wore them as brooches.
The choice of Queen Mary’s crown marks the first time in recent history that an existing crown will be used for the coronation of a consort, rather than a new commission.
Buckingham Palace aides denied reports that Camilla may not use it due to pressure from the Prince of Wales, an ardent campaigner against elephant poaching.
In 2014, it was claimed that he had asked for all ivory in the Royal Collection at Buckingham Palace to be removed and destroyed.
His father had reportedly asked for all ivory items at his Clarence House and Highgrove homes to be removed from sight.
Imperial State Crown
Imperial State Crown. Photo / Royal Collection Trust
The King will wear the Imperial State Crown to process from the Abbey. Known as a working crown, it is used on state occasions, notably the annual State Opening of Parliament.
Made in 1937, it is a relatively new addition to the collection, its design based on Queen Victoria’s earlier Imperial State Crown.
The orb and the cross on the top were transferred directly over from the original.
It is made of gold and set with 2,868 diamonds, the largest of which is the Cullinan II.
It also features “some of the most historic and legendary jewels in the collection” including the Black Prince Ruby, said to have been part of the collection since the 14th century.
Despite its name, the stone is actually a spinel and is said to be one of the jewels worn by Henry V in his helmet during the Battle of Agincourt.
The St Edward’s Sapphire was set in a ring worn by St Edward the Confessor when he was buried before being removed when he was transferred to a new shrine at Westminster Abbey in the 12th century.
Four large pearls hang from the centre of the arch, which legend has it were once worn by Elizabeth I as either earrings or hair ornaments.
Meanwhile, the Stuart Sapphire on the back has an association with the Stuart Kings.
