King CharlesandQueen Camilla’s royal regalia from the coronation will be shared with the public in a glittering new exhibit.
On Wednesday, the Tower of London announced that it will unveil a new display for thecrown jewelson May 26, just twenty days after thecoronationof the King and Queen Consort. The presentation will be unveiled in the Jewel House and shine a brighter light than ever before on the history and significance of the royal collection.
Though the crown jewels have been closely guarded at the Tower of London since 1661, visitors won’t see theImperial State CrownorQueen Mary’s Crowntoday. The historic headpieces have beentemporarily removedas modifications are made for King Charles, 74, and Queen Camilla, 75, to wear them during the May 6 coronation. Charles will be crowned as King in the commandingSt. Edward Crown.
St Edward’s Crown and Queen Mary’s Crown.JACK HILL/POOL/AFP via Getty, Handout/Royal Collection Trust via Getty
King Charles may swap it for the lighter Imperial State Crown as he leaves the ceremony.
The Imperial State Crown is more commonly used, and like his mother,Queen Elizabeth, Charles will wear it for occasions like the State Opening of Parliament. It wasmost recently seenatop the late Queen’s coffin at her state funeral in September 2022.
Queen Elizabeth’s coffin.DANIEL LEAL/POOL/AFP via Getty Images
The choice avoids thecontroversial Koh-i-Nûr diamond, a staggering 105.6-carat stone believed to be one of the world’s largest cut diamonds. The diamond is featured in theQueen Mother’s coronation crown, which she wore to the 1937 coronation of her husband,King George VI, and the 1953 coronation of her daughter,Queen Elizabeth.
King Charles and Queen Camilla.Chris Jackson/Getty
It has remained in the royal vault ever since, despite periodic calls for it to be returned to India, Pakistan and Afghanistan, which have all made ownership claims.
The new Jewel House exhibit is set to highlight the history of the Koh-i-Noor and explore the origins of some of the crown jewels for the first time. The update comes as the first major change to the popular display in a decade and is set to “evoke the spectacle and pageantry of the Coronation procession and Service.”
The exhibit will turn back time with a display dedicated to coronation processions through history, showing a court suit worn at the coronation of George IV in 1821 and a herald’s embroidered tabard from around the same time. The display closes with the “most important and sacred” St. Edward’s Crown, the Sovereign’s Sceptre with Cross and the Sovereign’s Orb, cast in a new light for an ultimate viewing experience.
PHOTO: Historic Royal PalacesPHOTO: Historic Royal Palaces
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“The Crown Jewels are the most powerful symbols of the British Monarchy and hold deep religious, historic and cultural significance. 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 in a statement.
“With 2023 bringing the first Coronation in 70 years, there has never been a better time for people to come and learn about the jewels and to appreciate these awe-inspiring objects in person,” he added.
Entry into the new Jewel House exhibit will be included in general admission to the Tower of London starting May 26.
source: people.com
