St Edward's Crown and the Imperial State Crown: Symbols of British monarchy

Both are crafted from gold and adorned with precious stones, symbolising the sovereignty of the British monarch during significant state occasions

People take a selfie in front of a replica of the St Edward's Crown in London. Getty

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St Edward's Crown and the Imperial State Crown are two invaluable components of the UK's Crown Jewels.

They each serve a unique purpose in the regal ceremonies and embody the history of the British monarchy.

St Edward's crown: the crown of English kings

St Edward's Crown, the oldest and most sacred of the Crown Jewels, was crafted for King Edward the Confessor in the 11th century.

Since then, it has been used to crown every English monarch.

The gold crown is adorned with precious stones, such as the St Edward's Sapphire, the Stuart Sapphire and the Black Prince's Ruby.

This symbol of sovereignty is reserved for the coronation ceremony, signifying the continuity of the British monarchy and its long, rich history.

The Imperial State Crown: the crown of the British Monarchy

King Charles III will switch from the St Edward's Crown into the lighter Imperial Crown before he processes out of the abbey at the end of the service. Photo: Royal Collection Trust

In contrast, the Imperial State Crown is used by the monarch during the State Opening of Parliament and other formal occasions.

As the most important crown in the collection, it is set with 2,868 diamonds, 17 sapphires, 11 emeralds, 269 pearls and four rubies.

This gold crown represents the power and authority of the British monarch, as well as the king or queen's role as head of state and commander-in-chief of the armed forces.

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  St Edward's Crown will be used for the crowning at the coronation ceremony of King Charles III at Westminster Abbey. All photos: PA

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  The Sovereign's Orb

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  The Sovereign's Sceptre with Cross

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  Queen Elizabeth II on her coronation day in 1953, holding the orb and sceptre

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  The Gold State Coach will feature during the coronation.

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  The Coronation Spoon, which will be used to anoint the king with holy oil

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  The ampulla holds the holy oil

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  The Imperial State Crown, which was made for the coronation of King George VI in 1937

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  The Sword of Spiritual Justice

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  Queen Mary's Crown, which was designed for the coronation of Queen Mary in 1911

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  The Diamond Jubilee State Coach

Differences and Similarities

The most noticeable differences between St Edward's Crown and the Imperial State Crown are their size and weight.

The former weighs 2.23kg and stands 30cm tall, while the latter weighs 1.04kg and is 25cm tall.

Despite these differences, both crowns are crafted from gold and adorned with precious stones, symbolising the sovereignty of the British monarch during significant state occasions.

History

St Edward's Crown was originally made of silver and set with jewels but was melted down during the English Civil War in 1649.

It was remade in 1661 after the Restoration.

The Imperial State Crown, on the other hand, was crafted for King George VI's coronation in 1937 by Garrard & Co.

St Edward's Crown and the Imperial State Crown, with their distinct roles and histories, remain time-honoured symbols of the British monarchy.