TL;DR:
- King Charles was crowned with the St. Edward’s Crown at his May 6 coronation.
- Before exiting Westminster Abbey, the king swapped the St. Edward Crown for the Imperial State Crown.
- The St. Edward Crown is used specifically for crowning, while the lighter Imperial State Crown is used on other occasions.
The May 6 coronation of King Charles III has come and gone. Following the official Westminster Abbey service, learn why the king wore two coronation crowns, switching during the ceremony.
The Archbishop of Canterbury crowned King Charles with St. Edward’s Crown, used specifically for coronations
During the two-hour coronation service, the big moment came when Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby placed a glittering crown on the king’s head. While the royal family’s jewelry collection is extensive, the crown placed on the king’s head was none other than St. Edward’s Crown.
Considered the most sacred of the Crown Jewels, per Historic Royal Palaces, the coronation marked the only time King Charles would ever wear it publicly. The reason is that St. Edward’s Crown is only worn when a king or queen is crowned. Hence why King Charles, at one point, switched crowns at his coronation.
St. Edward’s Crown would’ve required King Charles to practice wearing it, Royally Obsessed podcast co-host Roberta Fiorito told Marie Claire in the lead-up to the coronation.
“The current one was made for the last King Charles—Charles II—in 1661,” royal author Christopher Andersen said. “It is solid gold and weighs a neck-straining five pounds.”
King Charles switched to the Imperial State Crown at Westminster Abbey
The king swapped St. Edward’s Crown following the official crowning part of the coronation. Why? As previously noted, the crown’s only used for the actual moment when a king or a queen is crowned.
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Just like his mother did at her 1953 coronation, King Charles did a quick outfit change, err, accessory change. The 74-year-old traded St. Edward’s Crown for the Imperial State Crown, wearing it during the procession out of Westminster Abbey.
Weighing significantly less than the St. Edward’s Crown and clocking in at just over two pounds, the Imperial State Crown “is no less spectacular,” Andersen said.
Despite not being used for the actual crowning part of the coronation, the Imperial State Crown still has a place during important occasions. It’s used at state ceremonies such as the opening of parliament.
In May 2022, a then-Prince Charles memorably sat next to the crown, which was used as Queen Elizabeth II’s stand-in of sorts, as he declared parliament open. The Imperial State Crown also sat on top of the queen’s coffin at her September 2022 state funeral.
The coronation crowns King Charles wore are headed back to the Tower of London on May 26
Now that King Charles has officially been crowned, the dazzling headpieces will return to the Tower of London. On May 26, the St. Edward’s Crown, as well as the Imperial State Crown, will be on display as part of a new Jewel House exhibit (via BBC).
“From their fascinating origins to their use during the coronation ceremony, the new Jewel House transformation will present the rich history of this magnificent collection with more depth and detail than ever before,” Charles Farris, public historian for the history of the monarchy at Historic Royal Palaces, said of the Crown Jewels in a statement.
Other gems will be featured. Among them will be the Koh-i-Noor diamond exhibited as a “symbol of conquest.” A favorite of the late Queen Elizabeth, the Black Prince’s Ruby, will also be on display. Additionally, the Cullinan diamond, AKA the largest diamond in the world, will be part of the exhibit.
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