Surprising facts about the Crown Jewels
There are different crowns -
The crown worn during the coronation is called the St. Edward's Crown, and it's only used for that purpose.
Crown number two -
The second crown is known as the Imperial State Crown, and it's also the one worn on state occasions, such as the yearly Opening of Parliament.
Some of the early Crown Jewels were lost - It's believed that King John lost an early collection of the jewels in 1216, while traveling across an estuary known as the Wash.
Lost forever -
There have been many attempts throughout the centuries to find the lost jewels. But all the efforts have been without success to date.
The oldest surviving piece of the Crown Jewels is the coronation spoon - Estimated to be from the 12th century, the coronation spoon is the oldest of the Crown Jewels.
During the coronation -
During the coronation ceremony, the spoon is filled with holy oil, which has been consecrated in Jerusalem. The oil is then used to anoint the monarch.
The fate of the jewels -
Cromwell ordered the Crown Jewels to be melted down or sold. The coronation spoon survived because its buyer returned it after the restoration of the monarchy in 1660.
The new Crown Jewels -
In 1660, Charles II ordered the creation of new regalia based on the originals, which were used at his coronation the following year.
The largest clear-cut diamond is part of the Crown Jewels - The two largest clear-cut diamonds from the gemstone are part of the Crown Jewels.
Cullinan I -
The largest, Cullinan I, forms part of the Sovereign’s Sceptre with Cross.
Cullinan II -
The second largest, Cullinan II, is embedded in the Imperial State Crown.
The controversial Koh-i-Noor diamond - Known as the Koh-i-Noor, the famous diamond has been part of the crowns worn by many women in the royal family.
Origins of the Koh-i-Noor -
The original diamond belonged to the Sikh kingdom, but the British East India Company forced them to surrender it in 1849 during the Second Anglo-Sikh War.
In the monarchy's hands -
Lord Dalhousie, the Governor-General of India, then gave the Koh-i-Noor diamond to the monarchy.
Koh-i-Noor as a Crown Jewel -
After Prince Albert had it recut, his wife, Queen Victoria, wore the Koh-i-Noor as a brooch. The stone later became part of the Crown Jewels.
Still a controversial diamond -
For several decades, many countries have claimed ownership of the Koh-i-Noor, but the British government has refused to return it.
There are many Crown Jewels -
The Crown Jewels collectively refer to 23,578 precious and semi-precious stones owned by King Charles III.
Technically, they're not worth anything - Seeing as the Crown Jewels have never been put on sale, and probably never will, it’s practically impossible to accurately value them.