St Edward's Crown

• 1. Origins And Legends

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  In 853, a five-year-old boy named Alfred traveled from Wessex to Rome. The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle records that Pope Leo IV blessed him during this journey. Later accounts in the 13th-century Flores Historiarum suggest he returned with regalia presented at the ceremony. In around 1270, historian Robert of Gloucester connected the King of England's crown with Alfred's visit to Rome. He wrote, "The pope Leo him blessed when he thither came and the king's crown of this land, that in this land yet is". A biography written by Welsh monk Asser in 1190 perpetuated claims that Alfred had been crowned and anointed by the pope. This narrative became widely accepted as fact for centuries.

  However, historical evidence contradicts these legends. A letter from Pope Leo to King Alfred, discovered in the 19th century, revealed that Alfred was actually confirmed by the pope and invested with insignia of a Roman consul. There is no reference to "King Alfred's Crown" in any coronation order of service or account. Despite this, the belief persisted that St Edward's Crown descended directly from Alfred through Edward the Confessor. In 1161, Edward the Confessor was made a saint, and possessions from his reign became holy relics. Monks at Westminster Abbey claimed Edward asked them to use his regalia for future coronations. An inventory drawn up by a monk in 1450 contained a note supporting this claim.

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• 2. Destruction And Survival

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  During the English Civil War, Parliament declared anyone trafficking the crown jewels an enemy of the state. In 1643, suspicions arose that royalist Dean John Williams had taken the regalia from Westminster Abbey to York. A motion passed ordering locks opened to check the treasury. Henry Marten and George Wither took the inventory, mocking the sacred ornaments. Peter Heylyn reported Marten dressed Wither in St Edward's Crown and robes, who then marched about the room with stately garb before performing ridiculous actions.

  Following Charles I's execution in 1649, Parliament ordered all gold and silver melted down. Carew Mildmay, Clerk of the Jewel House, initially refused these instructions and was jailed at Fleet Prison. Eventually, the regalia were broken up and sold or turned into coinage. The inventory described St Edward's Crown as "King Alfred's Crown of gold wire-work set with slight stones and two little bells". It weighed approximately three pounds and was valued at £248 10s 0d. This destruction marked the end of the original medieval crown, which had been kept at Westminster Abbey since the 13th century.

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• 3. Restoration And Redesign

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  The monarchy returned in 1660, prompting orders for a new St Edward's Crown and state crown. Royal Goldsmith Sir Robert Vyner crafted the piece to closely resemble the medieval crown. The new design featured a heavy gold base with clusters of semi-precious stones, but its arches were decidedly Baroque. In the late 20th century, it was assumed the crown incorporated gold from the original St Edward's Crown due to their nearly identical weight. An invoice from 1661 showed addition of gold to an existing crown.

  Writer Martin Holmes published research in 1959 concluding that the original crown survived the melting pot and was enhanced at Restoration. His theory became accepted wisdom, repeated in official guidebooks for the Tower of London. New research in 2008 revealed a coronation crown made in 1660 before Parliament increased the budget as appreciation for the king. The crown displayed at Oliver Cromwell's lying in state was likely gilded base metal like tin or copper. A crown shown at James I's funeral cost only £5 and used fake jewels. This evidence disproved the theory that the current crown contained surviving medieval gold.

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• 4. Weight And Usage History

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  After William III's coronation in 1689, monarchs chose lighter bespoke crowns instead of St Edward's Crown. The heavy gold crown rested on the high altar during ceremonies while a state crown or lighter coronation crown was worn. Edward VII intended to revive the tradition in 1902 but wore the lighter Imperial State Crown after recovering from appendicitis surgery. For over two centuries, no monarch was crowned with the original heavy design.

  The weight proved prohibitive for practical use. George V reduced the crown's overall weight when he became the first monarch crowned with it since 1689. He had the band made smaller to fit his head, reducing the total mass significantly. This change allowed the crown to be used again starting in 1911. Queen Victoria and Edward VII both avoided using St Edward's Crown due to its heaviness, preferring the lighter 1838 Imperial State Crown instead. The pattern continued until modern times when technological advances made handling such heavy regalia more feasible.

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• 5. Modern Resizing And Revival

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  In 1911, jewels were permanently set into the crown for the first time. Imitation pearls on the arches and base were replaced with platinum-plated gold beads. The band was resized to fit George V, reducing the crown's weight from approximately three pounds to about two pounds. This modification enabled its revival as the primary coronation crown. It was subsequently used for George VI in 1937 and Elizabeth II in 1953.

  On December 2022, the crown left the Tower of London for resizing ahead of Charles III's coronation. Its circumference was enlarged by sawing the base into four pieces and welding 7mm-wide strips of gold into gaps. Eight new gold beads were added to the rim before being returned to Westminster Abbey. On the 6th of May 2023, Charles III wore the modified crown during his coronation ceremony at Westminster Abbey. This marked the most recent use of the historic piece after a gap spanning over three centuries.

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• 6. Physical Composition And Design

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  St Edward's Crown measures 30 centimeters tall and weighs approximately 2 kilograms. Crafted from 22-carat gold, it features four fleurs-de-lis alternating with four crosses pattée supporting two dipped arches. These arches terminate in a monde and cross pattée atop the structure. A purple velvet cap trimmed with ermine lines the interior. The crown contains exactly 444 precious and fine gemstones arranged throughout its design.

  The stone inventory includes 345 rose-cut aquamarines, 37 white topazes, 27 tourmalines, 12 rubies, 7 amethysts, 6 sapphires, 2 jargoons, 1 garnet, 1 spinel, 1 carbuncle, and 1 peridot. Each gemstone contributes to the overall weight and visual impact of the piece. The combination of heavy gold construction and numerous stones creates a substantial burden for any monarch wearing it. Despite these physical challenges, the crown remains one of the most important pieces of regalia in the British monarchy.

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• 7. Heraldic Evolution And Law

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  Charles II based the heraldic crown on the new St Edward's Crown of 1661. It featured four crosses pattée alternating with four fleurs-de-lis, with only two arches depressed at their intersection point. This pattern remained standard until Queen Victoria's reign. Early depictions during her time showed the Imperial State Crown created for her coronation in 1838. That crown resembled St Edward's but had a flatter top. Depictions varied depending on the artist's interpretation.

  In 1876, Victoria was proclaimed Empress of India, leading to alterations making arches semi-circular for imperial form. After Edward VII's accession, the War Office standardized designs for the British Army using Tudor Crown patterns from Henry VII. On the 4th of May 1901, the king approved this single design as chosen by Queen Victoria personally. George VI ceased using "Emperor of India" following independence in 1947. Elizabeth II changed from the 1901 Tudor Crown to a design resembling St Edward's Crown in 1952. Charles III adopted the Tudor Crown style upon his 2022 accession. Commercial use remains restricted under sections 4 and 99 of the Trade Marks Act 1994.

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