It has been announced that the King's coronation is planned to take place on Saturday, May 6 next year.
As part of the ceremony, Charles III will be blessed by the Archbishop and given a number of key items that symbolise his position as monarch of the United Kingdom. These items make up a core part of the monarchy and, each in its own way, represents an aspect of the sheer power and responsibility of becoming sovereign.
Furthermore, each item in the Crown Jewels collection is priceless due to its significance in the coronation. However, due to the rarity that the public actually sees these items, many may be unfamiliar with their history and importance in relation to the Crown.
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Here's everything you need to know about the Crown Jewels which will be used in the coronation of King Charles III.
St Edward's Crown
Perhaps the most iconic item in the Crown Jewels collection, St Edward's Crown is a worldwide symbol associated with the authority of the United Kingdom's monarch. In fact, it is considered so sacred that it is only pulled out at the moment the monarch is crowned during the coronation.
The royal headpiece is held together by a 2.23kh solid gold frame and is adorned with a wide array of semi-precious stones. Coincidentally, the crown was made for the coronation of King Charles II to replace the previous medieval crown which was melted by parliamentarians in 1649.
It gets its name from the 11th-century saint King Edward the Confessor who was said to have owned the crown.
Coronation Spoon
The Coronation Spoon is one of the oldest objects among the Crown Jewels, dating all the way back to the twelfth century. Its chief purpose is to anoint the sovereign with holy oil as part of the most sacred segment of the coronation ceremony.
The Sovereign's Sceptre
The Sovereign's Sceptre with Cross has been used in the coronations of Britain's monarchs since Charles II in 1661. It also contains the Cullinan Diamond which holds the title of being the largest colourless cut diamond in the world - possessing 530.2 carats.
The Cullinan Diamond was discovered in 1905 in modern-day South Africa by Frederick Wells. The diamond was then named after Sir Thomas Cullinan, the chairman of the mine in which it was found.
The Transvaal government purchased the stone and proceeded to gift it to King Edward VII. Since then, it has represented the healing relationship between Britain and South Africa following the South African Wars,
The Sovereign's Orb
The Sovereign's Orb is one of the objects that will be passed to King Charles III during his coronation and represents the power and responsibility of the monarch - known as an investiture. The golden globe is surmounted by a cross to remind the monarch of their power in relation to God.
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