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British Coronation Regalia

by Scott Mehl
© Unofficial Royalty 2023

photo: Royal Collection Trust / © His Majesty King Charles III 2023

The British Coronation Regalia includes the most treasured and sacred items in the royal collection, most of it only used as part of the Coronation ceremony. The majority of the items date back to the 1661 Coronation of King Charles II, with at least one item going back much further in history. This article will give some information about each of the items used in the ceremony – as well as links to some more detailed articles about some of them. We hope you enjoy learning about these magnificent pieces which so greatly define the history of the British monarchy.

The actual crowning of the Sovereign is the most sacred and important part of the Coronation service, and remains largely unchanged for hundreds of years. You can read more about the Coronation and order of service in our Royal Ceremonies section.

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The Coronation Chair and Stone of Scone

The Coronation Chair (without the Stone of Scone). photo: By Darkmaterial – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=127657004

The Coronation Chair (also known as St. Edward’s Chair or King Edward’s Chair) was commissioned by King Edward I in 1296 to hold the Stone of Scone, which he had seized from Scotland during the First Scottish War of Independence. It was first used for the Coronation of King Edward II in 1308, and has been used for every coronation since.

The Stone of Scone (also known as the Stone of Destiny or the Coronation Stone) is traditionally believed to have been part of the coronation ceremony for Scottish monarchs for centuries. Originally, the Coronation Chair simply surrounded the Stone, on which the Sovereign sat. In the 17th century, a wooden seat was added above the stone.

Read more about the Coronation Chair and Stone of Scone HERE!

The Ampulla and Coronation Spoon

photo: Royal Collection Trust / © His Majesty King Charles III 2023

The formal crowning starts with the Sovereign being anointed by the Archbishop of Canterbury. The coronation oil, which was made and consecrated in Jerusalem. is kept in the Ampulla, and poured into the Coronation Spoon at the time of the Sovereign’s anointing. Both pieces are also used for the anointing of the Queen Consort.

The Ampulla takes the shape of a golden eagle, with its wings outspread. The head of the eagle screws off to allow the oil to be poured in. It then pours out through the eagle’s beak. Dating from the 1661 coronation of Charles II, the Ampulla is based on an earlier version, which was based upon a legend in which the Virgin Mary appeared to St. Thomas a Becket, presenting him with a golden eagle and a vial of oil to be used for the anointing of future Sovereigns.

The Coronation Spoon is perhaps the oldest item in the Coronation Regalia. Dating from at least 1349, it was recorded among St. Edward’s Regalia in the Abbey. While it is unknown when its use in the Coronation ceremony actually began, it has been used for every English and British Coronation since King James I in 1603. Unlike much of the old regalia which was melted down in 1649, the Spoon was sold off. Following the restoration, it was returned to King Charles II in 1661.

The Spurs

photo: Royal Collection Trust / © His Majesty King Charles III 2023

The Sovereign is first presented with the spurs, which symbolize knighthood. The use of spurs dates back to the coronation of Richard I in 1189. The current spurs were made in 1661, and altered slightly in 1820. Originally the spurs would have been attached to the Sovereign’s feet, but since 1661, they are simply presented and touched by the Sovereign, and then placed on the altar. The golden spurs have velvet-covered straps attached by buckles, with gold embroidery adorning them.

The Swords

(l-r) The Sword of Offering, The Sword of State, The Sword of Mercy. photo: Wikipedia

There are several swords carried in the Coronation procession, each representing a different aspect of the Sovereign’s role.

  • The Sword of Temporal Justice – symbolizing the Sovereign’s role as head of the Armed Forces
  • The Sword of Spiritual Justice – symbolizing the Sovereign’s role as Defender of the Faith
  • The Sword of Mercy (also known as the Curtana) – symbolizing the Sovereign’s mercy
  • The Sword of State – symbolizing the Sovereign’s Royal Authority
  • The Sword of Offering (also known as the Coronation sword)

During the ceremony, the Sword of State is presented to the Lord Chamberlain, and then placed in St. Edward’s Chapel (behind the Altar). In exchange, the Sword of Offering is brought forward and presented the sword to the Sovereign.

The Sword of Offering, 1821.  photo: Royal Collection Trust / © His Majesty King Charles III 2023

The Sword of Offering was made for the 1821 coronation of King George IV. It features a blade of gilt steel, adorned with 2,141 diamonds, 12 emeralds and 4 rubies arranged for form roses, thistles and shamrocks. Each end of the cross-piece features a lion’s head, set in diamonds, with rubies for the eyes. Additional jewels form oak leaves and acorns.

The scabbard is leather encased in gold, lined with red silk velvet. It features roses, thistles and shamrocks – set in diamonds, rubies and emeralds – along with additional designs of oak leaves and acorns.

The Sword of Offering typically became the personal property of the Sovereign, and a new one made for each new reign. However, in 1902, George IV’s sword was used for the coronation of King Edward VII and became part of the Crown Jewels. It has been used for each coronation since.

The Armills

photo: Royal Collection Trust / © His Majesty King Charles III 2023

The Armills are wide gold bracelets which were traditionally placed on the Sovereign’s wrists. They are thought to represent the “bracelets of sincerity and wisdom” referenced in the wording of the coronation ceremony (although their original role and purpose in the coronation ceremony has long been unknown). The pair on the left in the photo above date back to 1661 are decorated in enamel, featuring the national emblems – roses, thistles, fleurs-de-lis and harps – and are lined in red velvet. This pair was used at every coronation through George VI in 1937. A new pair (on the right) were made for the 1953 coronation of Elizabeth II, as a gift from the Commonwealth. This pair is made of 22-carat gold, decorated with foliated scrolls, and hinged by a gold Tudor rose.  For the 2023 Coronation of King Charles III, the 1661 Armills were used, and were simply presented and touched by the King.

The Sovereign’s Orb

photo: Royal Collection Trust / © His Majesty King Charles III 2023

The Sovereign’s Orb, made in 1661, represents the Sovereign’s power and symbolizes the Christian world. The hollow gold sphere has several bands of pearls surrounding clusters of emeralds, rubies and sapphires, surrounded by diamonds. These bands divide the Orb into three sections – representing the three continents known in the medieval days. Atop the sphere is an octagonal amethyst, topped by a cross adorned with diamonds. The cross features an emerald in the center on one side, and a sapphire on the other, with pearls at the angles and points. It is placed in the Sovereign’s right hand by the Archbishop of Canterbury, before being returned to the altar.

The Sovereign’s Ring

The Sovereign’s Ring (left) and Queen Consort’s Ring (right) 1831.  photo: Royal Collection Trust / © His Majesty King Charles III 2023

The Sovereign’s Ring (above, left) was placed on the fourth finger of the right hand. For the 2023 Coronation of King Charles III, the ring was merely presented and touched by the King.  The current Sovereign’s Ring dates back to the Coronation of King William IV in 1831. Previously, a new ring was made for each Sovereign, and remained in their personal collection. However, upon the death of Queen Adelaide (King William IV’s consort) in 1849, she left William IV’s ring, as well as her own Consort’s Ring, to Queen Victoria. Queen Victoria then left both rings, along with her own Coronation Ring (a slightly smaller version of King William IV’s) to the Crown upon her death in 1901. The Sovereign’s Ring has been used at the coronations of every British sovereign since Edward VII in 1902.

The Sovereign’s Ring, set in gold, features an octagonal sapphire overlaid with a cross of rubies, banded in gold. This is surrounded by 14 cushion-shaped diamonds, with two additional diamonds at the top of the band.

Read more about the Queen Consort’s Ring HERE!

The Sovereign’s Sceptre with Cross and Sovereign’s Sceptre with Dove

photo: Royal Collection Trust / © His Majesty King Charles III 2023

The Sovereign’s Sceptre with Cross symbolizes the Sovereign’s temporal role. Made for the 1661 Coronation of King Charles II, it is placed in the Sovereign’s right hand. At just over 3 feet in length and weighing about 2.6 pounds, the Sceptre with Cross is adorned with 333 diamonds, 31 rubies, 15 emeralds, 7 sapphires and 1 amethyst. It has been altered several times since its creation, most recently for the 1911 Coronation of King George V and Queen Mary, to include the Cullinan I diamond (also known as the Great Star of Africa). Weighing over 530 carats, the Cullinan I is the largest clear-cut diamond in the world. The Cullinan I features near the top of the sceptre, topped by the large amethyst surmounted by a cross pattée encrusted with an emerald and small diamonds.

Read more about the Cullinan diamond HERE!

photo: Royal Collection Trust / © His Majesty King Charles III 2023

The Sovereign’s Sceptre with Dove – also known as the Rod of Equity and Mercy – symbolizes the Sovereign’s spiritual role. Also made for the 1661 Coronation, it is placed in the Sovereign’s left hand. It is over 3-½ feet in length and weighs about 2.6 pounds, and is decorated with 285 gemstones, including 94 diamonds, 53 rubies, 10 emeralds, 4 sapphires, 3 spinels and bands of precious stones circling the rod. The top features a gold monde set with diamonds, topped by a plain cross with a white enameled dove with outspread wings – representing the Holy Ghost.

St. Edward’s Crown

photo: Royal Collection Trust / © His Majesty King Charles III 2023

The most sacred item in the Coronation Regalia is St. Edward’s Crown, used for the physical crowning of the British Sovereign. It takes its name from the original medieval crown, claimed to have belonged to King Edward the Confessor (St. Edward) in the 11th century.

The current crown was made for the 1661 coronation of King Charles II, following the Restoration. It has been worn for the coronations of seven English and British Sovereigns:

  • King Charles II (1661)
  • King James II (1685)
  • King William III (1689)
  • King George V (1911)
  • King George VI (1937)
  • Queen Elizabeth II (1953)
  • King Charles III (2023)

In the most defining moment of the Coronation ceremony, St. Edward’s Crown is placed upon the head of the Sovereign by the Archbishop of Canterbury.  This is the only time that the crown is worn by the Sovereign.

Read more about St. Edward’s Crown HERE.

The Imperial State Crown

The Imperial State Crown, 1937.  photo: Royal Collection Trust / © His Majesty King Charles III 2023

The Imperial State Crown is worn by the Sovereign during the procession out of Westminster Abbey after the Coronation service. There have been several versions of the crown made through the years, including Queen Victoria’s Crown which was made for her coronation in 1838, and used for the coronations of her two successors – King Edward VII in 1902, and KIng George V in 1911. The current Imperial State Crown was made for the 1937 Coronation of King George VI, and used for the coronations of Queen Elizabeth II in 1953, and King Charles III in 2023.

Unlike St. Edward’s Crown, which is only worn by the Sovereign at the coronation, the Imperial State Crown is traditionally used for two ceremonial events. It is traditionally worn by the Sovereign at the State Opening of Parliament, and it is traditionally placed upon a late Sovereign’s coffin during their lying-in-state and funeral (along with the Sovereign’s Orb and Sceptre.

Read more about The Imperial State Crown HERE!

The Queen Consort’s Regalia

Queen Mary’s Crown, 1911.  photo: Royal Collection Trust / © His Majesty King Charles III 2023

Following the crowning of the Sovereign, the Queen Consort is also crowned in a similar, but simpler, ceremony. Following her anointing – also using the Ampulla and Coronation Spoon – the Queen Consort is presented with the Queen Consort’s Ring.  She is then crowned with the Queen Consort’s Crown and presented with the Queen Consort’s Sceptre with Cross, and the Queen Consort’s Rod with Dove.

Read all about the Queen Consort’s Regalia HERE!

 

This article is the intellectual property of Unofficial Royalty and is NOT TO BE COPIED, EDITED, OR POSTED IN ANY FORM ON ANOTHER WEBSITE under any circumstances. It is permissible to use a link that directs to Unofficial Royalty.

The Queen Consort’s Regalia

by Scott Mehl
© Unofficial Royalty 2023

Following the Homage paid to the King, the Queen Consort is also crowned in a similar, yet simpler, ceremony.  The Queen Consort is first anointed, using the same Ampulla and Coronation Spoon used for the King.  Following the anointing, the Queen Consort’s Ring is presented.  Traditionally, it is place on the 4th finger of the Queen Consort’s right hand.  However, for the 2023 Coronation of King Charles III and Queen Camilla, the ring was merely presented and touched by the Queen Consort.  The Consort’s Crown is then placed on her head, followed by the presentation of the Queen Consort’s Sceptre with Cross and the Queen Consort’s Ivory Rod with Dove.  She then takes her place in the Throne Chair beside that of the Sovereign.

Queen Consort’s Ring

Sovereign’s Ring and Queen Consort’s Ring, 1831.  photo: Royal Collection Trust / © His Majesty King Charles III 2023

Traditionally, the Queen Consort is given a ring during her crowning ceremony.  The last Consort’s ring (pictured above on the right) was made in 1831 for the Coronation of King William IV and Queen Adelaide.  The ring consists of a large ruby, surrounded by 14 brilliant-cut diamonds, and an additional 14-rubies around the band.  This design mirrored the traditional design for a Consort’s ring.  Historically, the Sovereign’s and Consort’s rings remained in their personal collection, thus new rings would be made for each Coronation.  Following his death in 1837, King William IV left his coronation ring to his widow, Queen Adelaide, who in turn bequeathed both rings to Queen Victoria in 1849.  Upon her own death in 1901, Queen Victoria left both rings, as well as her own Coronation Ring, to the Crown.  Queen Adelaide’s Ring has been used by every subsequent Queen Consort – Queen Alexandra (1902), Queen Mary (1911), Queen Elizabeth (1937) and Queen Camilla (2023).

Queen Consort’s Crown

From 1685 through 1761, Queen Consorts were crowned with the State Crown of Mary of Modena, which was made for the Coronation of King James II and Mary of Modena.  In addition, it was also used by two Queens Regnant – Queen Mary II in 1689, and Queen Anne in 1702.  It was last used for the Coronation of King George II and Queen Caroline in 1727.  (Queen Charlotte used her own nuptial crown in 1761.)  Since then, a new crown has been made for each new Queen Consort – Queen Adelaide in 1831, Queen Alexandra in 1902, Queen Mary in 1911, and Queen Elizabeth in 1937.  However, Queen Camilla has chosen to be crowned using Queen Mary’s Crown, with some slight modifications.

The Crowns of Mary of Modena, Queen Adelaide, Queen Alexandra, Queen Mary and Queen Elizabeth are all displayed with the Crown Jewels at the Tower of London.

The State Crown of Mary of Modena

State Crown of Mary of Modena, 1685.  photo: Royal Collection Trust / © His Majesty King Charles III 2023

Mary of Modena was the first Consort crowned following the Restoration, along with her husband, King James II, in 1685.  For the occasion, the Court Jewelers made this State Crown, a Coronation Crown (used for Mary’s actual crowning ceremony), and a Diadem which Mary wore in her procession into Westminster Abbey.  Mary’s State Crown and Coronation Crown were both used by Queen Mary II (1689) and Queen Anne (1702).

Mary’s State Crown, pictured above, was originally set with diamonds which were rented for the occasion.  The band supports four fleurs-de-lis and four crosses pattée atop a smaller band of diamonds.  It is set with four half-arches – each adorned with a central row of pearls, blanked on both sides by a row of rose-cut diamonds.  Atop the arches is a pavé-set monde and a cross pattée, with pearls on each of the top three points.  It is fitted with a purple cap of velvet and ermine band.

Following the coronation, the jewels were replaced with quartzes.  They were temporarily replaced again with real diamonds for the later coronations of Queen Mary II (1689), Queen Anne (1702), and Queen Caroline (1727).

Mary’s Coronation Crown (seen in the photo below) is not part of the Crown Jewels, but is owned by the Museum of London.

Embed from Getty Images

 

Queen Adelaide’s Crown

Queen Adelaide’s Crown, 1831, lithograph. source: Wikipedia

After King WIlliam IV came to the throne in 1830, it was decided that Mary of Modena’s State Crown was too fragile and theatrical.  Thus, a new crown was made for Queen Adelaide. The Queen, who disliked the practice of renting jewels for the various crowns, instead had diamonds from her own collection used to adorn the new crown made for her.  The new crown kept with the British tradition of having four half-arches, surmounted by a monde and a cross pattée.  It was fitted with a purple cap of velvet and ermine band.  Following the coronation, the jewels were removed, and it was never used again.  The empty frame is displayed at the Tower of London.

Adelaide’s decision to have a new crown made became a precedent in the British Royal Family. For the next 106 years, a new crown was created for each Queen Consort – Alexandra (1902), Mary (1911) and Elizabeth (1937).

Queen Alexandra’s Crown

Queen Alexandra’s Crown, 1902. photo: Royal Collection Trust / © His Majesty King Charles III 2023

With the last Queen Consort crowned 71 years earlier, when King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra came to the throne in 1901, it was decided that a new crown would be created for the crowning of Queen Alexandra.  The new crown was more in the style of European royal crowns (perhaps a nod to Alexandra’s Danish background), less upright and with an unprecedented 8 half-arches, which were detachable.  But it retained much of the traditional elements – the band supporting four fleurs-de-lis and four crosses pattée, with the arches supporting a jeweled monde and another cross pattée.  Queen Alexandra’s Crown was the first to include the Koh-i-Noor Diamond, sent prominently on the front of the crown.  The Koh-i-Noor had been presented to Queen Victoria in 1856, and was later used in the Crowns of Queen Mary (1911) and Queen Elizabeth (1937).  Today, the diamond is controversial, with several countries laying claim to its ownership.  The Crown is fitted with a purple cap of velvet and ermine band.

Queen Mary’s Crown

Queen Mary’s Crown, 1911. photo: Royal Collection Trust / © His Majesty King Charles III 2023

Queen Mary’s Crown was created for the 1911 Coronation of King George V and Queen Mary.  Queen Mary had the crown designed by Garrard & Co., paying for it with her own money, and the hope/intent that it would become the crown used by all future Queen Consorts.  Its design varied from the traditional style, with 8 half-arches instead of four (just as Queen Alexandra’s Crown was designed).  At 25cm (9.8 inches) tall, and weighing 590g (1.30 lbs), the crown featured about 2,200 diamonds, including the Koh-i-Noor Diamond, the Cullinan III and Cullinan IV.  In 1914, the Cullinan jewels – the personal property of Queen Mary – were removed and replaced with glass, and the arches were made detachable, allowing the Crown to be worn as a circlet.  Queen Mary wore the circlet often, including for the 1937 Coronation of her son, King George VI and Queen Elizabeth.  For this occasion, the Cullinan V was added to the crown, set on the back of the band.  The Crown is fitted with a purple cap of velvet and ermine band.  (Read more about the various Cullinan diamonds HERE.)

In the photo above, the large stone on the front is the Koh-i-Noor, with the Cullinan IV set just below it.  The Cullinan III is set at the top of the crown.

Queen Elizabeth’s Crown

Queen Elizabeth’s Crown, 1937. photo: Royal Collection Trust / © His Majesty King Charles III 2023

Queen Elizabeth’s Crown was created by Garrard & Co. for the 1937 Coronation of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth (later The Queen Mother).  It was modeled on the Crown of Queen Mary, however it reverted to the more traditional 4 half-arches instead of 8.  Like the previous crowns of Queen Alexandra and Queen Mary, the arches are detachable, allowing for the crown to be worn as a circlet.  Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother wore the crown in its circlet form at the coronation of her daughter, Queen Elizabeth II, in 1953.  The Crown was adorned with about 2,800 diamonds, including the Koh-i-Noor Diamond, and a replica of the Lahore Diamond.  The Crown is fitted with a purple cap of velvet and ermine band.  Most recently, in 2002, the Crown – in its full form – was placed upon the Queen Mother’s coffin during her lying-in-state and funeral.

Queen Camilla’s Crown

Queen Camilla has chosen to use Queen Mary’s Crown, created for the 1911 Coronation of King George V and Queen Mary.  In February 2023, the Crown was removed from the Tower of London, to undergo some minor modifications for the upcoming Coronation.  The original eight half-arches have been reduced to four, and the Koh-i-Noor Diamond is not featured.

The crown features several jewels from the personal collection of the late Queen Elizabeth II, which had also been used by Queen Mary.  The Cullinan III, Cullinan IV and Cullinan V  will be prominently featured on the crown.  Originally part of Queen Mary’s private collection, she left them to Queen Elizabeth II upon her death in 1953.  They are now in the personal collection of King Charles III.

The Queen Consort’s Sceptre with Cross and Ivory Rod with Dove

During the crowning of the Queen Consort, she is also handed two sceptres – smaller versions of those presented to the Sovereign.  Both of these were made for the 1685 Coronation of King James II and Mary of Modena.

Queen Consort’s Sceptre with Cross, 1685. photo: Royal Collection Trust / © His Majesty King Charles III 2023

The Queen Consort’s Sceptre with Cross – traditionally placed in the right hand after she is crowned – is made of gold adorned with table- and rose-cut quartzes.  The top features a monde sitting in a base of quartz-set petals representing a fleur-de-lis, and is topped with a jeweled cross.

Queen Consort’s Ivory Rod with Dove, 1685. photo: Royal Collection Trust / © His Majesty King Charles III 2023

The Ivory Rod with Dove – traditionally placed in the left hand after she is crowned – is made of ivory, topped by a gold monde which features the national emblems (rose, thistle, harp and fleur-de-lis) in enamel.  Atop the monde is a cross with an enameled dove with its wings folded.

This article is the intellectual property of Unofficial Royalty and is NOT TO BE COPIED, EDITED, OR POSTED IN ANY FORM ON ANOTHER WEBSITE under any circumstances. It is permissible to use a link that directs to Unofficial Royalty.

Imperial State Crown

by Scott Mehl
© Unofficial Royalty 2023

photo: Royal Collection Trust / © His Majesty King Charles III 2023

The Imperial State Crown is worn by the Sovereign to depart Westminster Abbey after the Coronation service. It is also traditionally worn for the State Opening of Parliament, and placed atop a late Sovereign’s coffin at their lying-in-state and funeral (along with the Orb and Sceptre).

The empty frame of Queen Victoria’s Imperial State Crown, 1838. photo: Royal Collection Trust / © His Majesty King Charles III 2023

Following the Restoration, a new Imperial State Crown had to be made for King Charles II. Since then, there have been numerous versions of the crown. Queen Victoria’s Crown, made for her coronation in 1838, was also used for the coronations of King Edward VII (1902) and King George V (1911). The photo above shows the frame of Queen Victoria’s Crown, with the jewels removed, as well as the monde and cross which would have sat atop the arches. The current Imperial State Crown was made for the 1937 coronation of King George VI, and was modified slightly for the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II (1953), with the arches lowered to give a more feminine appearance. It was modified once again for the coronation of King Charles III (2023).

The back of the Imperial State Crown. photo: Royal Collection Trust / © His Majesty King Charles III 2023

Designed by Garrard & Co., the Imperial State Crown contains over 3,100 jewels and precious stones, including 2,868 diamonds, 273 pearls, 17 sapphires, 11 emeralds and 5 rubies. Some of the notable jewels in the crown are:

Cullinan II and Black Prince’s Ruby

close-up view of the Cullinan II and Black Prince’s Ruby on the front of the Imperial State Crown.  photo: Royal Collection Trust / © His Majesty King Charles III 2023

The Cullinan II – often called the Second Star of Africa – is mounted on the front of the crown’s band, beneath the Black Prince’s Ruby. At 317.4 carats, it is one of the largest clear-cut diamonds in the world. It is cut from the famed Cullinan Diamond, which originally weighed 3,105 carats and was given to King Edward VII in 1907. (Read more about the Cullinan Diamond and it’s various stones HERE)

The 170 carat Black Prince’s Ruby (actually a spinel) is mounted on a cross patté on the front of the crown, just above the Cullinan II. According to legend, the stone was given to Edward, Prince of Wales (known as the Black Prince) in 1367 by King Pedro of Castile. It was later worn by King Henry V in his helmet at the Battle of Agincourt. A hole was drilled into the stone at some point, probably to allow the stone to be worn as a pendant. It was later filled with a small ruby. The stone was set in Queen Victoria’s Imperial State Crown (1838) and then in the same place on the current Imperial State Crown.

The Stuart Sapphire

close-up view of the Stuart Sapphire on the back of the Imperial State Crown. photo: Royal Collection Trust / © His Majesty King Charles III 2023

The 104 carat Stuart Sapphire is mounted on the back of the crown’s band. It most likely belonged to King Charles II, and left England with James II fled to France after the Glorious Revolution. James II passed the stone to his son, James Stuart, who in turn bequeathed it to his own son, Henry Benedict – later Cardinal York. The sapphire, along with other Stuart relics, were sold, and later purchased by King George III in 1807, and returned to Britain.

It was set in the front of Queen Victoria’s Imperial State Crown (1838), just beneath the Black Prince’s Ruby. However, it was later moved to the back of the crown, to make way for the newly acquired Cullinan II in 1909. It maintains the same position in the current Imperial State Crown.

St. Edward’s Sapphire

close-up view of St. Edward’s Sapphire, mounted in the cross at the top of the Imperial State Crown. photo: Royal Collection Trust / © His Majesty King Charles III 2023

St. Edward’s Sapphire, an octagonal rose-cut sapphire, is mounted in the center of the cross patté at the top of the crown. It is alleged to have originally been in the coronation ring of Edward the Confessor (later St. Edward), and taken from the ring when Edward’s remains were reinterred in Westminster Abbey in 1163. Since at least 1838, the Sapphire has been set in the Imperial State Crown – first in Queen Victoria’s 1838 crown, and then in the current crown.

Queen Elizabeth I’s Pearls

Queen Elizabeth’s Pearls, beneath the monde on the Imperial State Crown. photo: Royal Collection Trust / © His Majesty King Charles III 2023

The four large pearls, suspended just beneath the monde, are often referred to as Queen Elizabeth’s earrings. Catherine de Medici received several pearls from Pope Clement VII upon her marriage to King Henri II of France in 1553. They were left to her daughter-in-law, Mary, Queen of Scots, and then sold to, or acquired, by Queen Elizabeth I. Despite the legend, it is most likely that the pearls are from a later period, as at least two of them did not enter the Royal Collection until the 19th century.

This article is the intellectual property of Unofficial Royalty and is NOT TO BE COPIED, EDITED, OR POSTED IN ANY FORM ON ANOTHER WEBSITE under any circumstances. It is permissible to use a link that directs to Unofficial Royalty.

St. Edward’s Crown

by Scott Mehl
© Unofficial Royalty 2023

photo: Royal Collection Trust / © His Majesty King Charles III 2023

St. Edward’s Crown is considered to be the most important piece of the British regalia, used only for the crowning of the Sovereign. The original medieval crown, claimed to have belonged to King Edward the Confessor (St. Edward) from the 11th century, had been destroyed or melted down in 1649 following the overthrow of the monarchy. After the Restoration, a new crown – designed very similarly to the original relic – was made in 1661 for the coronation of King Charles II.

The band, bordered in gold beads, is adorned with sixteen clusters, each set with a rectangular or octagonal stone, surrounded by topazes and aquamarines. Supported by the band are four crosses pattée and four fleurs-de-lis, all bejeweled. Four half-arches form the top of the crown, topped with a jeweled gold monde supporting a cross pattée.

Until 1911, the jewels used in the crown were rented or borrowed for the ceremony and then returned to the jewelers. However, for the coronation of King George V in 1911, the crown was permanently set with jewels which remain to this day.

Embed from Getty Images

Prior to the 2023 Coronation of King Charles III, the last time St. Edward’s Crown was seen publicly was at a service at Westminster Abbey in June 2013, celebrating the 60th anniversary of the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II. This was the first time the Crown had left the Tower of London since The Queen’s Coronation in 1953.

Despite the intent that it be the coronation crown for all future sovereigns, it was only used three times – King Charles II (1661), King James II (1685) and King William III (1689) before it was deemed too heavy. Beginning with Queen Anne (1702), St. Edward’s Crown was instead included in the procession into Westminster Abbey and placed on the altar (with the exception of Queen Victoria’s Coronation in 1838, when St. Edward’s Crown was not used at all). It would be 209 years before it returned to use, at the coronation of King George V in 1911.

Crown of George I, 1714. photo: Royal Collection Trust / © His Majesty King Charles III 2023

In the interim, several other crowns were used. Both Queen Mary II and Queen Anne chose smaller diamond crowns of their own. Kings George I (1714), George II (1727), George III (1761), and William IV (1831) all used the State Crown of George I, made for his coronation in 1714. King George IV (1821) had a new crown made for his Coronation. Queen Victoria (1838) chose to be crowned with her new Imperial State Crown, which was also used by her son, King Edward VII in 1902. It was King George V (1911) who brought St. Edward’s Crown back to the Coronation ceremony, and it has been used ever since.

This article is the intellectual property of Unofficial Royalty and is NOT TO BE COPIED, EDITED, OR POSTED IN ANY FORM ON ANOTHER WEBSITE under any circumstances. It is permissible to use a link that directs to Unofficial Royalty.

The Cullinan Diamond

by Scott Mehl
© Unofficial Royalty 2023

The nine primary stones cut from the Cullinan Diamond.  (top – II, I, III; bottom – VIII, VI, IV, V, VII, IX)
photo: Royal Collection Trust / © His Majesty King Charles III 2023

The Cullinan Diamond, found in 1905, was the largest gem-quality rough diamond ever discovered, weighing 3,106 carats. It was found on January 26, 1905 at the Premier No. 2 mine in Cullinan, South Africa (then the Transvaal Colony).

The large stone went on display in Johannesburg shortly after it was found, and then in April 1905, it was sent to the company’s London sales agent to be put up for sale. Despite much interest, the stone was never sold.

The Transvaal Prime Minister, Louis Botha, brought up the idea of buying the stone and gifting it to King Edward VII. At first, the King was advised to decline the offer, but later was persuaded by Winston Churchill – then the Colonial Under-Secretary – to accept it. The Transvaal government purchased the stone in October 1907 for £150,000.

The rough diamond was presented to King Edward VII at Sandringham House on November 9, 1907 – the king’s 66th birthday. It was promptly announced that the King was accepting the gift “for myself and my successors”, and that “this great and unique diamond be kept and preserved among the historic jewels which form the heirlooms of the Crown”.

Mr. Asscher using the hammer for the first operation on the Cullinan Diamond, February 1908. photo: Royal Collection Trust / © His Majesty King Charles III 2023

Joseph Asscher & Co. in Amsterdam, was chosen to cut the large stone into the brilliant diamond we see today. After several weeks of planning, the first cut was made on February 10, 1908. However, it would be another eight months before the process was completed. The result was nine larger stones – totally 1,055.89 carats – as well as 96 brilliants and some unpolished fragments. Each of the nine larger stones were assigned a number – I through IX.

Cullinan I and II were given back to King Edward VII, and they became part of the Crown Jewels. Cullinan I was set in the Sceptre, and Cullinan II set in the Imperial State Crown. The remaining 7 stones (along with the brilliants and fragments) remained with Mr. Asscher as payment for his services. However, King Edward personally purchased the Cullinan VI as a gift for his wife, Queen Alexandra, that same year.

In 1910, after Edward VII died, the South African government purchased the remaining stones and presented them to Queen Mary, who quickly had them put in various settings which she used for the rest of her life. Unlike Cullinan I and II, the rest of the jewels were part of the Queen’s personal collection. Upon her death in 1953, she left them to her granddaughter, Queen Elizabeth II. They were then inherited by King Charles III in 2022.

CULLINAN I

Cullinan I, set in the sceptre.  photo: Royal Collection Trust / © His Majesty King Charles III 2023

Cullinan I – known as the Great Star of Africa – is part of the Crown Jewels, set in the top of the Sovereign’s Sceptre with Cross. At 530.2 carats, this pear-shaped diamond is the largest clear cut diamond in the world. It was set in the sceptre in 1910, and first used for the 1911 coronation of King George V and Queen Mary. The stone is removable, and Queen Mary often wore the Cullinan I suspended from the Cullinan II as a brooch.

CULLINAN II

Cullinan II, set in the Imperial State Crown.  photo: Royal Collection Trust / © His Majesty King Charles III 2023

Cullinan II – known as the Second Star of Africa – is part of the Crown Jewels, set in the front of the Imperial State Crown. It weighs 317.4 carats, and is a cushion cut. As with most of the jewels, it can be removed from the crown, and was worn often by Queen Mary as a brooch, with the Cullinan I suspended from it.

CULLINAN III and CULLINAN IV

Cullinan III suspended from Cullinan IV.  photo: Royal Collection Trust / © His Majesty King Charles III 2023

The Cullinan III and Cullinan IV were first used in Queen Mary’s Crown for the 1911 coronation. Cullinan III is a 94.4 carat pear-shaped diamond, and was set in the cross pattée at the top of the crown. Cullinan IV is a 63.6 carat square-cut diamond, and was set in the front band of the crown, just beneath the Koh-i-Noor Diamond.

In 1914, both were removed from Queen Mary’s Crown and replaced with glass replicas. From that time until her death in 1953, Queen Mary often wore them paired together as a brooch, as seen in the photo above.

Queen Elizabeth II first wore the brooch in 1958 for a visit to the Asscher Diamond Company while on a State Visit to the Netherlands. In a touching gesture – and understanding the magnificence of the jewels – The Queen even removed the brooch to allow Louis Asscher (the 84-year old nephew of Joseph Asscher) to see and touch the stones 51 years after they’d first been cut.

The late Queen continued to wear the brooch, especially at important events and occasions, such as her Diamond Jubilee in 2012.

CULLINAN V

Cullinan V. photo: Royal Collection Trust / © His Majesty King Charles III 2023

The Cullinan V is an 18.8 carat heart-shaped diamond, set in a platinum brooch. It formed part of the stomacher that Queen Mary had made to wear at the Delhi Durbar in 1911. Although typically worn alone, it can also be combined with Cullinan VII or Cullinan VIII. For the 1937 coronation of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth, Queen Mary had the Cullinan V added to her crown, which she wore without the arches or velvet cap. As a nod toward both Queen Mary and the late Queen Elizabeth II, the Cullinan V is again being added to Queen Mary’s Crown which is being used by Queen Camilla for the 2023 coronation.

CULLINAN VI

Cullinan VI suspended from Cullinan VIII.  photo: Royal Collection Trust / © His Majesty King Charles III 2023

The Cullinan VI is an 11.5 carat marquise-cut diamond which was purchased by King Edward VII in 1908, as a gift for his wife, Queen Alexandra. Queen Mary inherited the stone in 1925, and since then it is typically worn suspended from the Cullinan VIII brooch, as seen above.

CULLINAN VII

Cullinan VII, as part of the Delhi Durbar Neclace. photo: Royal Collection Trust / © His Majesty King Charles III 2023

The Cullinan VII is an 8.8 carat marquise-cut stone which is part of the Delhi Durbar Necklace, created in 1911. The stone is set as a pendant on the necklace, on a detachable chain of ten graduated brilliants.

CULLINAN VIII

The Cullinan VIII is a 6.8 carat emerald-cut stone set in a platinum brooch, very similar to the Cullinan V. Like the Cullinan V, the Cullinan VIII brooch was part of Queen Mary’s stomacher for the 1911 Delhi Durbar. Today it is typically worn with Cullinan VI suspended as a pendant (as seen in the photo above with Cullinan VI).

CULLINAN IX

The Cullinan IX Ring. photo: Royal Collection Trust / © His Majesty King Charles III 2023

The smallest of the nine stones from the Cullinan Diamond, the Cullinan IX is 4.39 carats. In a stepped pear-shape cut, the stone is set in a platinum ring – known as the Cullinan IX Ring. Along with the Cullinan VII, this stone appears to have remained in its original setting and use since 1910.

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The Coronation Chair and Stone of Scone

by Scott Mehl
© Unofficial Royalty 2023

The Coronation Chair (without the Stone of Scone), 2023. photo: By Darkmaterial – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=127657004

The Coronation Chair

The Coronation Chair (also known as St. Edward’s Chair) was commissioned by King Edward I in 1296 to hold the Stone of Scone, which he had seized from Scotland during the First Scottish War of Independence. It was first used for the Coronation of King Edward II and 1308, and has been used for the coronation of every English and British Sovereign since, with one exception. At the joint Coronation of King William III and Queen Mary II in 1689, King William was crowned in the Coronation Chair, while Queen Mary was crowned in a copy of the chair, made specifically for the occasion. (Queen Mary II’s Chair is also displayed at the Abbey, in the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Galleries.)

Traditionally, the Sovereign only uses the chair once – during their Coronation. However, there has been at least one exception. At a service celebrating her Golden Jubilee in 1887, Queen Victoria was once again seated in the Coronation Chair. For the occasion, the chair was given a dark coat of varnish, which was later painstakingly removed.

Originally, the Chair was gilded, painted and inlaid with glass mosaics, but today only small traces of those details remain. For many years, the Chair was kept in St. Edward’s Shrine in Westminster Abbey, where people were able to see and touch it. Through the years, tourists have tried to take small pieces of the chair, and choirboys from the Abbey often carved their initials and other graffiti into it. Much of that graffiti remains. Today, the Coronation Chair sits on a plinth – behind glass – in St. George’s Chapel, located in the nave of Westminster Abbey, where it is highly protected from being touched or damaged by the thousands of tourists who see it each year.

Through the years, it has undergone much preservation and restoration. A June 1914 bombing broke off part of the chair, which was quickly restored. From 2010-2012, the Chair underwent an extensive restoration, while in full-view of the public. And in 2023, it once again underwent an extensive restoration and conservation program in preparation for the Coronation of King Charles III.

The Coronation Chair has only left Westminster Abbey twice in its long history. The first time – in December 1653 – it was taken to Westminster Hall for the ceremony inducting Oliver Cromwell as Lord Protector. The second time – in August 1939 – it was taken to Gloucester Cathedral for the duration of World War II. (Queen Mary II’s Coronation Chair was taken to Winchester Cathedral.)

The Stone of Scone in the Coronation Chair, c1875-1885. photo: Wikipedia

The Stone of Scone

The Stone of Scone – also known as the Scone of Destiny – is a large block of red sandstone, weighing about 335 pounds, which was used for centuries in the coronation ceremonies of the Sovereigns of Scotland. Its history is steeped in legend. One claims the stone is Stone of Jacob – on which Jacob rested his head (Genesis 28:10-22). Another has its origins in Ireland, from where it was brought to Scotland by Fergus I – the first King of the Scots. However, geological studies have proven the stone was quarried in the area of Scone, challenging many of the legends. What is known is that the Stone was brought to Scone Abbey in 841 and was used for Scottish coronations for hundreds of years.

During the First War of Independence in 1296, the Stone was seized by King Edward I of England, who brought the stone to Westminster Abbey. He then had the Coronation Chair made to house the stone. It has been used for every English and British coronation since at 1308.

During World War II, the Stone was hidden away in a buried vault beneath the Abbey, while the Coronation Chair was moved to Gloucester Cathedral. On Christmas Day 1950, a group of Scottish Nationalists stole the Stone from its display in the Abbey. It was recovered 4 months later, and returned to the Abbey, being locked away in the WWII vault. It returned to the Coronation Chair in February 1952, after extensive security measures had been put in place to ensure its safety.

Embed from Getty Images

In 1996, British Prime Minister John Major announced that the Stone of Scone would be returned to Scotland to be displayed at Edinburgh Castle, with the provision that it would return to the Abbey for future coronations. On November 13, 1996, the Stone was removed from the Coronation Chair and placed in the Lantern of the Abbey. The following morning – under heavy police escort – the Stone of Scone made its journey back to Scotland. An official handover ceremony was held at Edinburgh Castle on November 30, 1996. The Duke of York represented Queen Elizabeth II at the ceremony, personally handing over the Royal Warrant which transferred the stone to the Commissioners for the Regalia. In 2020, it was announced that the Stone of Scone will be moved to the new Perth Museum, set in the former Perth City Hall, which is slated to open in 2024.

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Royal News Recap for Monday, April 17, 2023

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Royal News Recaps are published Mondays-Fridays and on Sundays, except for Thanksgiving in the United States, Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve. The Royal News Recap for Sundays will be a weekend recap. If there is any breaking or major news, we will add an update as necessary.

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Unofficial Royalty: Coronation of King Charles III and Queen Camilla – What To Expect

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Change of Titles within the Danish Royal Family as of January 1, 2023

Photo: Steen Brogaard, Kongehuset ©

On September 28, 2022, the Danish Royal House announced that there would be some changes coming for royal titles within the Danish Royal Family.

Queen Margrethe II has decided that, as of January 1, 2023, the children of HRH Prince Joachim would no longer hold the style and title of HH Prince/Princess.  However, they will hold the title Count/Countess of Monpezat, with the style of His/Her Excellency.  This slimming down is in keeping with recent changes in other royal families and will allow Prince Joachim’s children to pursue more independent lives and careers. Prince Joachim had two sons with his first wife Alexandra Manley (divorced 2005), now styled Her Excellency Countess Alexandra of Frederiksborg. He had one son and one daughter with his second wife Marie Cavallier, now styled Her Royal Highness Princess Marie.

As of January 1, 2023, Prince Joachim’s children are styled:

The Monpezat titles come from the Queen’s late husband, Prince Henrik, who was Count of Monpezat.  In 2008, Queen Margrethe granted the title to her sons and their descendants as well.

Here is the full statement issued by the Danish Royal House:

In April 2008, Her Majesty The Queen bestowed upon her sons, their spouses and their descendants the titles of count and countess of Monpezat. In May 2016, it was also announced that His Royal Highness Prince Christian, as the only one of The Queen’s grandchildren, is expected to receive an annuity from the state as an adult.

As a natural extension of this, Her Majesty has decided that, as of 1 January 2023, His Royal Highness Prince Joachim’s descendants can only use their titles as counts and countess of Monpezat, as the titles of prince and princess that they have held up until now will be discontinued. Prince Joachim’s descendants will thus have to be addressed as excellencies in the future. The Queen’s decision is in line with similar adjustments that other royal houses have made in various ways in recent years.

With her decision, Her Majesty The Queen wishes to create the framework for the four grandchildren to be able to shape their own lives to a much greater extent without being limited by the special considerations and duties that a formal affiliation with the Royal House of Denmark as an institution involves.

All four grandchildren maintain their places in the order of succession.

Danish Royal House: Changes in titles and forms of address in the Royal Family

1. “My Heart’s in the Highlands” / 2. The New Royal Family

by The Laird o’ Thistle (Special Edition)
© Unofficial Royalty 2022

As the two things I want to write about today do not lend themselves being combined into a single column, for this one time I am doing a double feature….

1. “My Heart’s in the Highlands”
My heart’s in the Highlands, my heart is not here;
My heart’s in the Highlands a-chasing the deer;
A-chasing the wild-deer, and following the roe,
My heart’s in the Highlands wherever I go.
— Robert Burns, 1789

I said to a friend yesterday that it feels like a dear aunt has passed, the aunt of the whole world.

In the midst of great sadness, I am taking some comfort in the fact that Queen Elizabeth II died peacefully yesterday at Balmoral, reportedly her favorite place on earth. She passed from this life in the place she loved best with her two eldest children in attendance. (Reports indicate that Prince William, the Wessexes, and Prince Andrew arrived shortly after her passing.) I am even taking a bit of bemused pride in the fact that by dying in Scotland, she died a Presbyterian… for the Sovereign is a member of the Kirk when in Scotland.

Balmoral has been a place of respite and refuge for two great queens, Victoria and Elizabeth. Queen Elizabeth has loved it from childhood when she and her parents, her sister, and (often) her cousin Margaret Rhodes would spend summer holidays at adjoining Birkhall. After her father became king the scene shifted to the castle itself, and three years into the reign the young princesses remained at Balmoral for the first three months of World War II before finally rejoining their parents “down south” in December 1939. In the postwar years Balmoral was the site of happy times for the King and his family, and of both courtship and honeymoon for Princess Elizabeth and Prince Philip. A number of heartwarming photos remind us King George’s final summer at Balmoral with the entire family… including grandchildren Charles and Anne. (See: https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/transition-the-final-months-of-king-george-vi-and-accession-of-queen-elizabeth-ii/ ) And, now, we will forever treasure the final image of Queen Elizabeth there, taken just two days before her death, a photo of the tiny and frail, but warmly smiling 96-year-old, tartan clad and leaning on her stick, standing by a roaring fire in the castle’s drawing room as she awaited the arrival of her 15th Prime Minister.

I am thankful that before being whisked off to England, the Queen’s body reposes today in the ballroom at Balmoral, where she loved dancing reels at the annual Ghillies Ball. I am also thankful that in a couple of days her coffin will be taken first to Edinburgh, to Holyrood, for due honours in her Scottish capital and palace where, in 1999, she reconvened the first Scottish Parliament since 1707. But as she departs Balmoral for the very last time, no doubt to the plaintive sound of the bagpipe, I hope someone there will quietly whisper in her behalf:

Farewell to the mountains, high-cover’d with snow,
Farewell to the straths and green valleys below;
Farewell to the forests and wild-hanging woods,
Farewell to the torrents and loud-pouring floods.
…My heart’s in the Highlands wherever I go.

2. The New Royal Family

I am sure that many will have shared my experience of startle-ment yesterday, upon hearing the words “His Majesty the King” spoken for the first time in my lifetime. The era of King Charles III and Queen Camilla has begun.

Over the last several years, while remaining firmly in charge, Queen Elizabeth took great care in preparing the way for this moment. She successfully won the agreement of the leaders of the Commonwealth that Charles should succeed her as its Head. In February she made it very clear that she wanted Camilla to be known as Queen Consort when the time came, and then she personally appointed and invested Camilla as a Lady of the Garter. For very practical, but also deeply symbolic, reasons she designated Charles as her representative to preside at the most recent State Opening of Parliament in May. Similarly, it was Charles who “took the salute” for her at the Trooping the Colour in June. And now he is King.

In a moment, yesterday afternoon, everything changed… not just for Charles and Camilla, but for many. William has… just this evening… been created Prince of Wales by the King. William and Catherine are now the Prince and Princess of Wales, Duke and Duchess of Cornwall and Cambridge, and… in Scotland… Duke and Duchess of Rothesay. William is now the Great Steward of Scotland and Lord of the Isles, as well. Their children are now Princes George and Louis, and Princess Charlotte of Wales. Harry’s children are now… if their parents so choose… Prince Archie, and Princess Lilibet of Sussex.

I deeply hope that King Charles will also fulfill his parents’ longstanding intention and deeply-held wish, and quickly move to create Prince Edward as Duke of Edinburgh. (Albeit, it may be the appropriate time to transition the Royal Dukedoms into lifetime appointments, rather than them being hereditary.)

King Charles has talked for years of transitioning to a “slimmed down” monarchy, with fewer working royals. Over the last several years it has sort of created itself, in large part through the disgrace of Prince Andrew and the departure of Prince Harry to America. I expect that the increasingly frail Duke of Kent (soon to be 87) and his sister Princess Alexandra (soon to be 86) will probably take the new King’s accession as their opportunity to retire from active service. The Duke of Gloucester (age 78) may continue to assist for a while, or he too may decide it is time to step back.

The big question in my mind concerns the ongoing roles of the Princess Royal and of Prince Edward and Sophie (either as Duke/Duchess of Edinburgh, or continuing as Earl/Countess of Wessex). Over the course of the pandemic, and following the departures of both Andrew and Harry from royal duties, they have become invaluable working members of the royal team. I have already heard rumours that Anne may choose to “retire” at some not-too-distant point. (Though, I hope not too soon!) On the other hand, Edward is “only” 58 and, having been forced out of his earlier career attempts largely by Charles, he and Sophie have worked hard for years now “in support of” the Queen, and the Crown.

As I see it, the practical reality for the next several years will be that there is more to be done than Charles and Camilla, and William and Catherine, can do. It is at least twelve years, and probably longer, before Prince George will assume any significant role. (He just turned age 9.) Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis may (or may not) both follow in turn. But, just as happened for Princes William and Harry, the family may also want to give the rising generation a bit more time… until around age 30 or so… before asking them to assume a full load of duty.

Finally, as odd as it seems to say this on his first day as King, I find myself hoping that Charles will at least consider adopting the model of other European royal houses and retiring (i.e. abdicating) at some point down the road. He has, today, pledge himself to “lifelong” service. But, sometimes such service is best offered by stepping back at the right moment.

King Charles will turn 74 in November. As much as I have loved and admired the Queen throughout my 66+ years of life, and have understood her ingrained sense of the “job-for-life” tradition, I have personally wished over the last couple of years that she would have followed Prince Philip’s lead in stepping back, for her own sake as well as for those coming after. She sort of did so, in a very careful and limited way. But as recently as this Tuesday she was still at work, possibly overextending herself in the end. King Charles will have to choose his own way, but I hope he at least holds the retirement option open.

And so, for today and days ahead… “God save the King! God bless the Prince of Wales! And, God bless all of the new Royal Family!”

Yours aye,
Ken Cuthbertson – the Laird o’ Thistle

Charles Alongside

by The Laird o’Thistle (Special Edition)
© Unofficial Royalty 2022

Embed from Getty Images

I believe that this is the first time that I have been asked by the staff of Unofficial Royalty to address a particular topic, and not a small one at that. On Tuesday, 10 May 2022, Prince Charles presided at the State Opening of the new session of the U.K. Parliament in the Queen’s behalf. It was announced the previous day that the Queen, upon the advice of her doctors, had “reluctantly decided not to attend” the State Opening due to the “episodic mobility problems” that have limited her activities since early last autumn. In an unprecedented, but entirely legitimate and appropriate move, she issued “Letters Patent” designating Prince Charles and Prince William as “Counsellors of State” to act in her behalf, with Prince Charles taking the lead. Charles and William did so on Tuesday, also accompanied by Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall.

All of this was done under provisions of the 1937 Regency Act, which was adopted following the Accession of George VI as a contingency for what would happen if he were to die before Princess Elizabeth came of age. (The Act was subsequently updated in 1946 and 1953; and the need for further revisions is currently being discussed. See note.) The pertinent section invoked for Tuesday’s State Opening reads as follows:

[Section 6] Power to delegate royal functions to Counsellors of State.
(1) In the event of illness not amounting to such infirmity of mind or body as is mentioned in section two of this Act, or of absence or intended absence from the United Kingdom, the Sovereign may, in order to prevent delay or difficulty in the despatch of public business, by Letters Patent under the Great Seal, delegate, for the period of that illness or absence, to Counsellors of State such of the royal functions as may be specified in the Letters Patent, and may in like manner revoke or vary any such delegation.
(https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/Edw8and1Geo6/1/16/section/6)

With two Counsellors of State being required, at least implicitly and by precedent, Prince William was called upon to accompany his father in this instance. Though some are questioning whether, in the Queen’s absence, it was actually a “State Opening” (versus simply an “Opening”), I would argue that it was… precisely due to H.M.’s invoking of the provisions of Section 6. This was further reinforced by the symbolic inclusion of the Imperial State Crown in the ceremony… placed on a small table on the very spot where H.M.’s throne usually stands.

So much for the facts of what occurred, and why. The question raised anew by it all concerns the degree to which we are seeing the emergence of a sort of “dual monarchy” in which Prince Charles and Camilla become the “public face” of the Crown, while the Queen… still the Sovereign… retreats more and more from public view. This, I think, is increasingly the case, with Prince Charles and Camilla being assisted by Prince William and Katherine, the Princess Royal, and Prince Edward and Sophie. (Although still officially active, the Duke of Gloucester, the Duke of Kent, and Princess Alexandra, are increasingly stepping back and “aging out” of their longtime service as “working” royals.) The question behind the question is whether this de facto situation may… sooner or later… shift to an official (de jure) designation.

My layperson’s read of the Regency Act is that it does not provide for the possibility of a co-Regency shared by the Queen and Prince Charles. Nor would the plural wording allow Prince Charles to be solely designated as Counsellor of State without a second Counsellor. Either would, I think, require a revision by Parliament of the legislation.

The focus then shifts to the Queen, and what she is willing to do? By all accounts she has, always and still, totally ruled out the idea of abdication. (One wonders if the future Charles III may hold a different attitude when his turn comes.) By all accounts the Queen is still fully compos mentis (i.e., sound of mind, memory, and understanding), and thus able to do the “desk job” of monarchy, as it were. The issues at hand are her great age, and her apparent physical disability to attend public events going forward.

She’s now at the age where Prince Philip chose to withdraw from public duties. There was talk in the press at the time that she might eventually follow suit. But, as recently as her statement released for the 70th anniversary of her Accession, it is clear that she takes her 1947 pledge that “my whole life, whether it be long or short, will be devoted to your service” VERY seriously. Her Coronation Oath, likewise. The thing that I wonder about, however, is whether she may be at, or near, the point at which that service needs to become vicarious? When does she reach the point at which her devotion to service itself requires her to step further back, if not away?

As in most families, this is probably not something that her family feel they can broach with their mother/grandmother, at least not yet. At some point her U.K. and Commonwealth governments may feel the need to raise the question. The U.K. press has begun making some noises on the topic in recent months. My own gut is telling me that once we get beyond the official Platinum Jubilee celebrations in June, something may significantly shift over the summer. Whether and how that involves some sort of more official and permanent “viceregal” role for Prince Charles will emerge.

All that being said, the one thing that I am absolutely confident about is that Queen Elizabeth II will continue to do her conscientious best in her stewardship of the Crown and her service to the peoples of the U.K. and the Commonwealth to her life’s end, in whatever form that takes. That is her never-wavering sacred trust.

Yours aye,
Ken Cuthbertson, the Laird o’ Thistle

This article is the intellectual property of Unofficial Royalty and is NOT TO BE COPIED, EDITED, OR POSTED IN ANY FORM ON ANOTHER WEBSITE under any circumstances. It is permissible to use a link that directs to Unofficial Royalty.