Card of the Day: St. Edward’s Crown

In the Crown Jewels of Britain, there are a lot of crowns. Several monarchs wanted their own special crowns, others were made for particular purposes. Others still, were changed and altered over the centuries. Of all of them, this one—St. Edward’s Crown—is the very first one any monarch wears.


The original crown of St Edward the Confessor (for whom the present crown is named) was worn by him at Christmas in 1065. That crown, in fact, may have incorporated jewels and gold from a crown worn earlier by Alfred the Great. In 1066, also on Christmas Day, St Edward's Crown was most likely used in the coronation of King William I as a symbol of his inheritance by “right rather than conquest.” The same crown was used, thereafter, for the coronations of William Rufus (1087), Henry I (1100), Stephen (1135), Henry II (1154), Richard I (1189 and 1194), and John (1199).

Then, things changed a bit—as they do. In 1216, at the first coronation of King Henry III, a different crown was used. Some contend that the original St Edward's Crown had been among the crown jewels that were lost by King John (John is an unlucky name in the Royal family). However much evidence shows that the original crown and regalia survived until 1642, and that these were kept in the Treasury of Westminster until the time of King Henry VIII who, at least, didn’t try to eat them. Most believe that St. Edward’s crown was employed in 1533 for the coronation of Anne Boleyn, but that it was then subsequently destroyed by Oliver Cromwell's order during the English Civil War. St. Edward’s Crown was re-created in 1661 for the coronation of King Charles II.

(C) The Historic Royal Palaces

The present crown that we call St Edward's Crown contains much of that crown that had been made in 1661 for the coronation of King Charles II, and also pearls from earrings worn by Queen Elizabeth I. The crown as it is today, is constructed of solid gold with a design which features a base with four crosses pattée alternating with four fleurs-de-lis, within which a velvet cap with an ermine border is set beneath two arches surmounted by a cross. In all, the crown is set with 444 precious stones. Until, 1911, the stones were often removed and set in different ways or with different stones for each coronation. In 1911, for the coronation of King George V and Queen Mary, the stones were permanently set. In more recent coronation, only Queen Victoria and her son, King Edward VII, decided not to be crowned with St Edward's Crown--mostly because of its weight of 4 lb 12 ounces. They used the lighter and far more sparkly Imperial State Crown. However, Queen Mary, a stickler for tradition, encouraged her husband, King George V, to wear the proper coronation crown.

The crown is commemorated in this cigarette card by Churchman Cigarette Co.