Queen Camilla made the headlines in February when it was announced that she would wear Queen Mary’s crown for the 6 May coronation at Westminster Abbey. Throughout the centuries, some consorts have re-worn previously created crowns. However, several consorts have also had a specific crown created for them.
Five different consort crowns have been created over the last three and a half centuries.
Mary of Modena’s Crown (1685)
Mary of Modena’s crown was the first consort’s crown created since the Restoration. When Charles II took the throne in 1662, he was unmarried, and a consort’s crown was not made along with the other crown jewels.
This crown for James VII and II’s consort has alternating fleurs-de-lis and crosses pattée, four arches, and a monde and crosse pattée set over top.
Queen Mary II and Queen Anne, both queens regnant, wore Mary’s crown. Caroline of Ansbach, wife of George II, also wore this crown.
Adelaide of Saxe-Meinigin’s Crown (1831)
When William IV’s coronation was being planned in 1831, his consort was not enamoured of Mary’s crown. The 1685 crown badly needed repairs; as jewels were often rented for coronations, the crown was handled significantly each time it was used. Adelaide also felt that Mary’s crown was too over-the-top and theatrical.
Adelaide’s crown was created with four arches, fleurs-de-lis and crosses pattée as decoration, and a globe and cross pattée on top
The Queen chose to use her own jewels in her crown and then had them removed afterwards for storage.
Alexandra of Denmark’s Crown (1902)
Alexandra’s crown for the 1902 coronation is strikingly different from the other crowns discussed here. She chose to have her crown created in the Danish style rather than the British.
The crown was made from platinum instead of gold, thus making a very light crown. Instead of the traditional four arches, this crown has eight half-arches, as well as fleurs-de-lis and crosses pattée.
At the front of the crown, there is a cross pattée; at the time of the coronation, the Koh-i-Nor diamond was set into the cross.
Mary of Teck’s Crown (1911)
Mary of Teck elected not to use her mother-in-law’s crown for the 1911 coronation. Mary purchased the crown from Garrard & Co, the company serving as the Crown Jewellers at the time.
The Royal Collection Trust describes the crown as:
“The crown has an openwork band, set at the front with a detachable rock crystal replica of the diamond, Cullinan IV, a large cushion-shaped stone, and a frieze of quatrefoils and rosettes, each with a large brilliant in the centre, surrounded by smaller stones, between borders composed of single rows of brilliants. Above the band are four crosses-pattée and four fleurs-de-lis. The front cross is set with a detachable rock crystal replica of the Koh-i-nûr diamond, the other three crosses are set in the centre with a large diamond each. The eight detachable half-arches each taper towards the top, and terminate in scrolls, and contain six graduated brilliants, between borders of stones.“
Mary’s crown was set with 2,200 diamonds at the time of her coronation, including the Koh-i-Noor diamond.
Elizabeth’s Crown (1937)
Queen Mary broke with tradition and attended her second son’s 1937 coronation and chose to wear her crown. The new Queen required a crown for the coronation and decided to have another crown created.
Queen Elizabeth’s crown is also made of platinum. Instead of the eight half-arches featured on Alexandra and Mary’s crowns, this crown only has four half-arches. The band is made up of alternating diamond rectangles and crosses, with the traditional fleurs-de-lis and crosses pattée above.
The Koh-i-Noor diamond was again set in this crown, along with 2,800 other diamonds.
The Koh-i-Noor remains in the Queen Mother’s crown, which is on display at the Tower of London.
