The Crown Jewels are some of the royal family’s most treasured items, from jeweled crowns to necklaces, rings, and tiaras the royals wear on special occasions. The jewels have been kept safe at the Tower of London for centuries, but did you know they were once almost stolen?
Why Thomas Blood wanted the Crown Jewels
Thomas “Colonel” Blood fought in the Irish Confederate Wars, supporting freedom for Ireland and the removal of British rule. For his service, he was awarded land in Ireland. When the British monarchy was restored in Ireland in 1660, Blood’s Irish estate was taken from him.
Three years later, he led a group in an attempt to take back Dublin Castle from King Charles’ supporters and kidnap James Butler, Duke of Ormonde. The plot was discovered, and his accomplices were executed, but Blood escaped capture.
In 1671, Blood hatched a scheme to steal the Crown Jewels, most likely as payback for the property that had been taken from him when British rule was restored in Ireland.
Thomas Blood’s alleged elaborate heist plans, from arranging a marriage to impersonating a priest
Stories vary on how exactly he went about the heist. The UK’s National Archives reported that Blood and his son struck up a friendship with the jewel collection’s keeper. The two even went so far as to arrange a marriage between the son and the keeper’s daughter. However, when trying to make off with the Crown Jewels, Blood, and his son were caught and imprisoned.
History has a slightly different story. According to them, Blood disguised himself as a priest and convinced the keeper to hand over his pistols. Then, three accomplices jumped from their hiding places, and the group forced their way into the Tower. Their heist was interrupted when the keeper’s son showed up unexpectedly and raised the alarm.
During their attempted escape, one thief allegedly shoved the Royal Orb down his pants, while Blood flattened the Crown with a mallet and tried to run off with it. Blood and his three accomplices were caught and imprisoned.
What happened after Thomas Blood was captured?
Surprisingly, Blood’s story had a happy ending. King Charles II, who visited Blood in prison, was reportedly so impressed by the thief’s audacity that he pardoned him. Additionally, the king returned Blood’s Ireland estate to him and made him a member of the royal court, which came with an annual pension.
Blood became a celebrity across the United Kingdom — poet Andrew Marvell even wrote a poem about the attempted theft of the Crown Jewels. Upon his death, Blood’s body had to be exhumed in order to convince the public he was really dead, as a rumor had started that the wily Colonel had faked his own death.
How the Crown Jewels are protected from thieves today
Blood’s attempted theft is surprisingly the only known plot to steal the Crown Jewels. Today, the collection of priceless jewels is protected by bomb-proof glass, with 22 members of the Tower Guard and over 100 hidden security cameras watching over the Crown Jewels.
