The Crown Jewels are the most sacred and
special jewellery and regalia at the disposal of the monarch, and
they are stored permanently at the Tower of London unless otherwise
needed for state occasions, such as a coronation. In total, there
are 142 objects with over 23,000 gemstones that make up the Crown
Jewels, from crowns, sceptres, and orbs to swords, maces, and
trumpets that are never…
During the Coronation Service of King
Charles III, a Bible will be presented to him as his first gift.
The presentation of the Bible has been a part of every Coronation
since Mary II and William III in 1689. King Charles will receive
one that is specially made for his…
A crucial part of any Coronation is the
oath that the new Sovereign takes. Just like the ceremony itself,
the oath that is part of it has changed throughout the centuries,
according to historical context and the will of the Monarch.
The last big change to the oath…
The oldest surviving royal wedding dress
in Britain is now on show for the first time in a decade. The gown
worn by Princess Charlotte of Wales, the House of Hanover’s missing
queen, is on display at the Queen’s Gallery, Buckingham Palace as
part of a new summer exhibition. Princess Charlotte of Wales was
second in line to the throne when she married Prince Leopold of…
The weighty reminder of power that will be placed in the hands of King Charles III
20th April 2023
It’s one of the oldest and storied item
in the Crown Jewels, the Sovereign’s Orb. Created in 1661 by Sir
Robert Vyner for Charles II’s coronation, the orb is a hollow gold
sphere with a cross on top. It symbolizes the monarch’s Christian
sovereignty and their…
Two pieces of the True Cross, said to be
that on which Jesus was crucified, have been given to King Charles
III by Pope Francis and they will play a role in the Coronation.
The King has had them incorporated into a new silver cross for the
Church of Wales which will be…
It was a ground breaking and glamourous
royal wedding and the images of it remain as familiar now as they
have ever done. The world watched, enthralled, when Grace Kelly
married Prince Rainier III of Monaco on April 19th 1956. Her
wedding dress has become one of the most celebrated royal outfits
of modern times. And her bridal bouquet is just as well known. For
her religious wedding, Grace chose a…
A significant artefact of the Chinese
Ming Dynasty will be put up for auction in London after spending
almost eight decades in private hands. The artefact in
question is a decorative box that is believed to be part of a
five-piece set of such items designed specifically…
The King and Queen’s racing stables will
open their doors to the public for an exclusive behind the scenes
tour in celebration of the Coronation. William Haggas, John & Thady
Gosden and Sir Mark Prescott will welcome guests to their yard in
partnership with Discover…
The historic part of the Crown Jewels you might never have heard about
18th April 2023
The Jewel House at the Tower of London is
home to the Crown Jewels, part of which includes a total of sixteen
silver trumpets, dating back to 1780, also known as the state
trumpets. However, only one of the trumpets is on display for
visitors to see. Seven of these trumpets were originally used by
the 1st Regiment Life Guards, and bear engraved inscriptions
indicating this. The other nine…
