During Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee message , it was announced that it is her ‘sincere wish’ for her daughter-in-law Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall to be given the title of Queen consort when Prince Charles ascends the throne and is crowned King.
It has since been announced by palace officials that Camilla will wear The Queen Mother’s consort crown, during that Coronation.
It is modelled on the design of Queen Mary’s crown. The platinum and diamond crown features an ermine trim, purple velvet cap, impressive 2,800 diamonds, with the band of the crown comprising of single rows of diamonds and clusters of diamonds which form alternating rectangles and crosses. The centre piece diamond is the famous 105ct Koh-I-Noor Indian diamond weighing 21.12g, which is encased within a detachable platinum mount on the front cross. The arches of the crown are detachable and designed to be worn as either an open crown or a circlet. It is the only crown to be made of platinum for a British King or Queen.
The Koh-I-Noor diamond became part of the British Crown Jewels after being gifted to Queen Victoria from the Sultan of Turkey as an a symbol of his support during the Crimean War in 1856.
The crown was originally made for The Queen Mother when she became Queen Elizabeth, Queen Consort to her husband King George VI, during his coronation on the 12 May 1937.
It has only been worn on a number occasions thereafter. The Queen Mother never wore the full crown again after the death of her husband, she did however wear the crown as a circlet, without the arches, for her daughter Queen Elizabeth II’s coronation on the 2nd June 1953.
In 2002, the crown was placed on a purple velvet cushion on top of the Queen Mother’s coffin during her funeral procession.
