Imperial State Crown
The Imperial State Crown is one of the royal crowns of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and as such is part of the British Crown Jewels .
description
In its shape it resembles the Edwardian crown . Above the hoop, which forms the base, alternate four diamond-studded paw crosses (with cross arms that are so widened that they almost look like squares) and four heraldic lilies ( fleur-de-lis ) also studded with diamonds . The crown is vaulted by four converging half-bows that extend from the paw crosses. There is a ball at the intersection of the stirrups and another paw cross. The purple velvet hood inside the crown has an ermine fur hem on its lower edge .
The crown is set with numerous jewels, including 2,868 diamonds , 273 pearls , 17 sapphires , eleven emeralds and five rubies . Some of these jewels are particularly famous: in the center of the cross on top is the St. Edward sapphire, which is said to have come from the ring (or open crown) of Edward the Confessor , and in the center of the front cross on the paw is the ruby of the Black Prince “, Which has now been identified as spinel (a common confusion in the past). Immediately below in the front of the circlet is the Cullinan II , with 317.4 carats one of the largest cut diamonds in the world, also known as the “Little Star of Africa”. On the back of the circlet is the Stuart sapphire , which took the place of the Cullinan II on the current crown from 1824 to 1909.
use
The Imperial State Crown is usually worn at the end of the coronation ceremony when the monarch leaves Westminster Abbey , while the Edwardian crown is used for the actual coronation. Queen Victoria and Edward VII also used them for their coronation because of their lower weight, as the Edwardian crown was too heavy for them. The Queen wears the Imperial State Crown at the annual opening of Parliament . Before the Queen leaves Buckingham Palace , the crown and the rest of the crown jewels required for the ceremony are brought to the House of Parliament in a separate carriage . Only then does the Queen put on her royal robes in the “Robing Room” and put on the crown.
Manufacture, revision and repair
Since the Imperial State Crown is the most frequently used of the English royal crowns, it also needs the most maintenance and repair and was renewed most often due to damage, its weight or changes in contemporary tastes. The versions of the earlier crowns (including those of George I , George IV and Queen Victoria) are kept in the Tower of London . The current crown was for the coronation of George VI. made in 1937. It is an exact copy of the crown made for Queen Victoria, but with a weight of 1060 g it is considerably lighter than this and therefore more comfortable to wear. It has been redesigned for the coronation of Elizabeth II and reduced by about 2.5 cm (1 inch) in its overall height to give it a more feminine appearance. Because of its still considerable weight, the monarchs often wore the crown in their living quarters for a few hours on the morning of the opening day to get used to it.
When it is not needed for ceremonies, the Imperial State Crown is on display, along with the other crown jewels, in the Tower of London's jewel house and can be viewed there.
Web links
Individual evidence
- ^ The Imperial State Crown 1937. Royal Collection Trust, accessed January 15, 2018 .