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The centrepiece of the Crown Jewels has been taken for some modification work ahead of the historic ceremony next year, Buckingham Palace has said.
The priceless crown was moved in secret which was only confirmed after it was safely delivered.
Since the 13th century, versions of the St Edward’s Crown are thought to have been used at the Coronations of British and English monarchs.
The current crown was made for Charles II in 1661.
It was a replacement for the medieval crown which had been melted down in 1649 following the execution of King Charles I.
The original crown was thought to date back to Edward the Confessor, the 11th-century royal saint and the last Anglo-Saxon king of England.
The St Edward’s Crown appears in the United Kingdom’s royal coat of arms, the Royal Mail logo and in the Armed Forces badges.
When is King Charles III’s Coronation?
In a statement, Buckingham Palace said on Saturday, December 3: “St Edward’s Crown, the historic centrepiece of the Crown Jewels, has been removed from the Tower of London to allow for modification work to begin ahead of the Coronation on Saturday, May 6 2023.”
The historic ceremony will take place eight months after the monarch’s accession and the death of the Queen.
The new monarch’s coronation is expected to be shorter and on a much smaller scale in comparison to Queen Elizabeth II’s.
Some reports suggest that the ceremony could last just one hour.
The Coronation is also expected to consider a modern multi-faith Britain in comparison to past coronations.
However, it will be an Anglican service and the Queen Consort will be crowned alongside Charles.
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Where will King Charles III’s Coronation take place?
King Charles’s Coronation will take place at Westminster Abbey and is expected to feature the same core elements of a traditional service.
The coronation will take place in Westminster Abbey and will follow a similar structure that it has done for more than 1,000 years, while also recognising the spirit of our times.
The number of guests is expected to be reduced to around 2000 from 8000.
Peers will likely be expected to wear suits and dresses instead of ceremonial robes.
A number of rituals including the presentation of gold ingots, are expected to be axed.
How much is the St Edward’s Crown worth?
The St Edward’s Crown is made up of 2,868 diamonds, 11 emeralds, 269 pearls, 17 sapphires and four rubies.
It contains some of Crown Jewels’ most famous and iconic pieces including the St Edward’s Sapphire, Black Prince’s Ruby, The Stuart Sapphire and the Cullinan II diamond.
The beautiful headpiece is crafted from gold and weighs 2.23kg.
This is partly that reason why the monarch wears the crown only at the moment of coronation itself.
Throughout the late Queen’s reign, the crown has been used on various State occasions, including the State Opening of Parliament.
The crown jewels are thought of as priceless and have never actually been insured.
Some experts estimate that they may be worth between £3 billion and £5 billion, according to the I.
However, there are no official records at what the crown jewels are worth separately.
