Coronation chair
This ancient chair was made by order of King Edward I to enclose the famous Stone of Scone, which he brought from Scotland to Westminster Abbey in 1296.
The King had the magnificent oaken chair made to contain the Stone in the first year of 1300. It was then painted and decorated with patterns of birds, foliage and animals. The figure of a king with his feet resting on a lion was painted on the back of the chair and in the early 16th century, four lions were added below the chair. In the coronation service, it will be placed in the centre of the abbey facing the High Altar.
Coronation Spoon & Ampulla
The oldest item in the Coronation Regalia is the exquisite 12th-century Coronation Spoon.
It is used to anoint the monarch with holy oil. The gold Ampulla or flask holds the holy oil. The head of the eagle is removable, with an opening in the beak for pouring the oil into the spoon.
St Edward’s Crown
This crown is the most important and sacred of all royal crowns, and is only used at the moment of crowning itself. It was made in 1661 for the Coronation of Charles II to replace the medieval crown that was melted down by parliamentarians in 1649, after the execution of King Charles I.
It’s made of solid gold, weighs 2.23kg and contains 444 gemstones, including rubies, sapphires, garnets and tourmalines.
King Charles III will wear the St Edward’s Crown when he is officially declared King during the coronation ceremony.
Sovereign’s Sceptre
The Sovereign’s Sceptre with Cross has been used in every coronation since Charles II’s ascension to the throne in 1661. It is meant to represent the monarch’s temporal power and is associated with good governance.
The sceptre includes the magnificent Cullinan I diamond, the largest colourless cut diamond in the world, which was added by the Crown jeweller in 1911. The diamond is so large that the sceptre had to be reinforced to take its weight. During the ceremony, the King will be presented with this sceptre and another that features a dove, representing the Holy Ghost.
Sovereign’s Orb
This gleaming golden globe, surmounted by a cross, dates back to 1661. It is meant to remind the monarch that regal power is derived from God.
The gold orb weighs 1.32kg, and is mounted with emeralds, rubies and sapphires, surrounded by diamonds and pearls. During the coronation service, the orb will be placed in the King’s right hand and then, at the moment of crowning, on the High Altar.
Queen Mary’s Crown
Camilla has chosen to be crowned with Queen Mary’s Crown which was originally designed for the coronation of Queen Mary in 1911. This is the first time in recent history that an existing crown will be used for the coronation of a consort instead of a new commission being made, in the interests of sustainability and efficiency. In 1911, the crown contained three large diamonds – the controversial Koh-i-nûr, Cullinan III and Cullinan IV. But the crown will be reset with the Cullinan III, IV and V diamonds for Camilla’s coronation.
The Swords of Temporal Justice, Spiritual Justice and Mercy
These three swords are carried unsheathed in the Coronation Procession. They were made for the Coronation of Charles I in 1626 and represent kingly virtues.
Holy oil
The Chrism oil was consecrated in Jerusalem in March in a ceremony in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. It has been created using olives harvested from two groves on the Mount of Olives and perfumed with essential oils – sesame, rose, jasmine, cinnamon, neroli, benzoin and amber – as well as orange blossom. It’s based on the oil used at the coronation of the late Queen, the formula of which has been used for hundreds of years.
It will also be used for the anointing of Queen Camilla.
The Sovereign’s Ring
This ring, with a design echoing the Union Jack flag, will be placed on the King’s hand during the ceremony. It features a large sapphire – to represent the Scottish flag – and rubies in the form of a cross, representing the cross of St George (for England), surrounded by diamonds.
The Queen Consort’s Ring
The eye-catching Queen Consort’s ring will be placed on Queen Camilla’s hand and features a pinkish-red ruby set in a cluster of diamonds, with additional rubies set into the ring’s gold band.
Imperial State Crown
King Charles III will put on the Imperial State Crown towards the end of the coronation ceremony as he leaves the abbey. This is the same crown which sat on top of the Queen’s coffin while she was lying in state. The gold crown was originally made for the coronation of King George VI in 1937, and is set with 2868 diamonds, 17 sapphires, 11 emeralds, 269 pearls and four rubies. It contains some of the most famous jewels in the royal collection. These include the Black Prince’s ruby, the Stuart sapphire and the Cullinan II diamond, sometimes called the Second Star of Africa. This priceless gemstone was given to King Edward VII on his 66th birthday by the government of the Transvaal in what is now South Africa.
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