St Edward’s Crown is removed from the Tower of London in preparation for King Charles’ coronation.
The 74-year-old monarch took the throne in September after the death of his mother, Queen Elizabeth, but will be formally crowned in a state ceremony in May next year. Prior to the occasion, the crown jewels were dispensed with. for modification work.
“St Edward’s Crown, the historic centerpiece of the Crown Jewels, has been removed from the Tower of London to allow alteration work to begin ahead of the coronation on Saturday 6 May 2023,” Buckingham Palace said in a statement.
Crown versions are believed to have been used at the moment of coronation of British and English rulers as early as the 13th century, with the current version made for Charles II in 1661 as a replacement for the medieval version, which was melted down in 1649.
The origin is thought to go back to Edward the Confessor, the 11th-century royal saint who was the last Anglo-Saxon king of England.
Charles will be crowned at Westminster Abbey, and his son Prince William – who was given the title of Prince of Wales after his father succeeded to the throne – is believed to be playing an “active role” in helping to plan the ceremony and ensuring it reflects modernity. Britain.
According to reports, experts have recommended that “old” and “imperial” items be dropped from Charles’ coronation ceremony.
Queen Consort Camilla will also be crowned at the event but she is not believed to be taking an active part in the planning and it is not yet clear if the Duke of Sussex will take part as he is no longer a working royal.
The size of the royal wedding is believed to have been around 2,000 guests – far fewer than the 8,000 people who attended the late Queen Elizabeth’s coronation in 1953.
Dr Bob Harris, from the Constitution Unit at University College London, wrote: “The UK can no longer do anything like this spectacle, nor should it do in troubled times.
“The next coronation will inevitably be smaller. Old elements such as the Claims Tribunal must be dropped.
Therefore, honoring and thinking about how to empower the king as the head of the nation at an early age should signify the support and encouragement of modern civil society.
“A modern form of tribute may take place, for example, in Westminster Hall, in a procession in the Horse Guards Parade.”
A Buckingham Palace spokesman had previously said of the ceremony: “The coronation will reflect the monarch’s role today and look to the future, while being rooted in ancient traditions and pomps.”
