Crown Jewels of the United Kingdom

Crown Jewels
St Edward's Crown is the centrepiece of the British coronation regalia.
Overview
Country	United Kingdom
Location	Tower of London[a]
Size	≈ 140 objects[2]
Oldest	Coronation Spoon (12th century)
Newest	Charles III's stole (2023)
Stones	23,578 including Cullinan I, Cullinan II, Koh-i-Noor, Black Prince's Ruby, Stuart Sapphire, St Edward's Sapphire
Owner	Charles III in right of the Crown[3]
Managers	Crown Jeweller Royal Collection Trust Historic Royal Palaces
Website	hrp.org.uk rct.uk

The Crown Jewels of the United Kingdom, originally the Crown Jewels of England, are a collection of royal ceremonial objects kept in the Jewel House at the Tower of London, which include the coronation regalia and vestments worn by British monarchs.^[b]

The coronation regalia are the only working set in Europe and the collection is the most historically complete of any royal regalia in the world.^[6] Objects used at the coronation ceremony variously denote the monarch's roles as head of state of the United Kingdom, Supreme Governor of the Church of England, and head of the British armed forces. The regalia feature heraldic devices and national emblems of England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, and other Commonwealth countries.

Use of regalia by monarchs in England can be traced back to when the country was converted to Christianity in the Early Middle Ages. A permanent set of coronation regalia, once belonging to Edward the Confessor, was established after he was made a saint in the 12th century. The sacred holy relics were kept at Westminster Abbey, venue of coronations since 1066, while monarchs wore another set of regalia at religious feasts and State Openings of Parliament. Collectively, these objects came to be known as the Jewels of the Crown. Most of the collection dates from around 1660 when Charles II ascended the throne. The medieval and Tudor regalia had either been sold or melted down after the monarchy was abolished in 1649 during the English Civil War. Only four original items predate the Restoration: a late 12th-century anointing spoon (the oldest object) and three early 17th-century swords. The regalia continued to be used by British monarchs after the kingdoms of England and Scotland united in 1707.

The regalia contain 23,578 gemstones, among them Cullinan I (530 carats (106 g)), the largest clear cut diamond in the world, set in the Sovereign's Sceptre with Cross. It was cut from the largest gem-quality rough diamond ever found, the eponymous Cullinan, discovered in South Africa in 1905 and presented to Edward VII. In the Imperial State Crown are Cullinan II (317 carats (63 g)), the Stuart Sapphire, St Edward's Sapphire, and the Black Prince's Ruby – a large red spinel. The Koh-i-Noor diamond (105 carats (21 g)) was acquired by Queen Victoria from the Sikh Empire and has featured on three consort crowns. A small number of disused objects at the Tower are either empty or set with glass and crystal replicas.

At a coronation, the monarch is anointed using holy oil poured from an ampulla into the spoon, invested with robes and ornaments, and crowned with St Edward's Crown. Afterwards, it is exchanged for the lighter Imperial State Crown, which is also usually worn at State Openings of Parliament. Wives of kings, known as queens consort, are invested with a plainer set of regalia.^[c] Also regarded as crown jewels are state swords, trumpets, ceremonial maces, church plate, historical regalia, banqueting plate, and royal christening fonts. They are part of the Royal Collection and belong to the institution of monarchy, passing from one sovereign to the next. In the Jewel House they are seen by 2.5 million visitors every year.

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