As the nation mourns the long-reigning monarch today, Queen Elizabeth II is being laid to rest at Westminster Abbey now.
The Queen's death ends a reign of over 70 years as head of state, living through 15 Prime Ministers and other rich history. As the UK's longest-serving monarch ever, Queen Elizabeth II was owner of some of the most beautiful crowns and jewels ever designed, reports the Metro.
One royal expert has noted, however, that the Queen will be buried with just two important pieces of jewellery on her person. These include her wedding ring and a pair of pearl earrings.
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One of her many crowns was spotted sitting atop of her coffin this morning, and it sparked many questions by the public. Many people are wondering how many crowns the Queen had access to, and who now owns them following her death.
Read on below for more information.
How many crowns did the Queen own?
It is largely reported that Queen Elizabeth II wore four crowns regularly throughout her reign. But, there are many more within the Royal Family's collection.
There are seven sovereign crowns, but some have fallen out of use, or are kept for display purposes only. For example, the Prince of Wales Coronet is a crown that is intended for the Prince of Wales - now Prince William's title.
This crown is currently on display at the Jewel House at the Tower of London. Other crowns that are not worn by the monarch, but are part of the Royal Family include:
The Small Diamond Crown of Queen Victoria
The Imperial Crown of India
So, what crowns did the Queen wear, and did she have a favourite?
Which crowns did the Queen wear?
The Crown of Queen Elizabeth
The crown is set with a total of 2,800 diamonds, and its arches can be detached so that it can be worn as a circlet.
This crown was created for Queen Elizabeth I - the Queen Mother - fashioned by royal jeweller Garrard & Co. It was made in time for King George's coronation in 1937.
The Imperial Crown
The crown that sits atop the Queen's coffin at this moment is the Imperial Crown. It was typically worn by the monarch at the State Opening of Parliament, which is once a year usually.
Made with over 2000 precious stones, including sapphires, pearls, emeralds and rubies, this crown has four stones of particular note:
- the Cullinan II diamond
- the St Edward’s Sapphire
the Black Prince’s Ruby
the Stuart Sapphire
The Imperial State Crown is part of the Crown Jewels, and is used in many formal ceremonies.
The Crown of Scotland
The oldest crown in Royal history, it is worn by the monarch at the Opening of the Scottish Parliament. It was most recently seen when Queen Elizabeth II was lying in rest at St Giles' Cathedral in Edinburgh.
Made of solid gold, it pre-dates the Union between England and Scotland. Originally lined with a purple bonnet, it has had a red bonnet since the days of James II (James VII of Scotland) and weighs over 3 pounds.
It is kept in Edinburgh Castle as part of the Honours of Scotland.
The St Edward's Crown
This crown will be finally seen again at the coronation of King Charles III. It was originally named and made for Edward the Confessor, the last Anglo-Saxon king of England.
The crown is set with 444 precious and semi-precious gemstones. These include amethysts, garnets, peridots, rubies, aquamarines, sapphires, spinels, tourmalines, topazes, and zircons.
The St Edward's Crown was last seen in 1953, at the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II.
Did the Queen have a favourite crown?
While it has never been confirmed, it is largely thought that the Queen actually preferred to wear a tiara over one of her Royal crowns. At most engagements, the Queen would opt for one of her many tiaras.
One of these was the Cartier Halo Tiara, which she loaned to Kate Middleton on her wedding day. Other tiaras worn regularly included the Girls of Great Britain and Ireland Tiara, which can be seen on the currency depicting the Queen.
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