King Charles’ Coronation officially took place at the weekend as St Edward’s Crown was lowered onto his head by the Archbishop of Canterbury.
Queen Camilla, meanwhile,reused Queen Mary’s Crown for her own coronation during the historic occasion at Westminster Abbey on Saturday.
It has previously been reported that St Edward's Crown, which experts estimate as being worth between £3bn and £5bn, was removed from the Tower of London in December last year for resizing.
Queen Mary's Crown, estimated to be worth around £400m, was also removed from display in February to be reset with Cullinan III, IV and V diamonds.
And the crowns – which are part of the Crown Jewels collection – will be returned to the Tower of London ready for a brand new display starting at the end of May.
The team at Historic Royal Palaces said on its website: “On 26 May 2023, the Tower of London is set to transform its Jewel House, with a new display exploring more stories than ever before about the history and significance of the Crown Jewels.
“The display will open just weeks after the world has witnessed the Coronation Regalia in use at the Coronation of His Majesty The King and Her Majesty The Queen Consort."
The team added: “The display will evoke the spectacle and pageantry of the Coronation procession, before detailing the specific uses of the regalia during the ceremony itself, from the Coronation Spoon to St Edward’s Crown.”
Also worn by Queen Elizabeth II for her Coronation in 1953, St Edward’s Crown was made for King Charles II in 1661 as a replacement for the medieval crown which had been melted down in 1649.
The original was thought to date back to the eleventh-century royal saint Edward the Confessor, the last AngloSaxon king of England.
Queen Mary’s Crown, meanwhile, is said to have been inspired by Queen Alexandra’s Crown of 1902.
Camilla’s decision to use it marked the first instance in modern times that an existing crown was used for the coronation of aConsort.
The Coronation Regalia, which also includes the Sovereign’s Sceptre with Cross, the Sovereign’s Orb and the Coronation Spoon and Ampulla, are sacred objects which symbolise the service and responsibilities of the monarch. They have played a central role in Coronation ceremonies for hundreds of years.
Saturday’s Coronationsaw 20.4 million people tune in to watch Charles be crowned King.
And as part of the occasion, a series of celebratory events took place up and down the country over the weekend, including theCoronation ConcertandThe Big Help Out.
The Coronation was followed by the release of thefirst official royal portraits of King Charles’ new reign.
The set of four photographs, released on Monday, gavean insight into the new monarch’s idea of a slimmed-down monarchy – with one image of the Royal Family together showing him flanked byPrincess Anne on one side and his wife Camilla on the other, but with no Prince Harry.
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