Buckingham Palace has shared news that Queen Camilla will be wearing Queen Mary’s Crown on 6 May at Westminster Abbey for the Coronation.
Queen Mary’s Crown has been removed from the Tower of London where it is normally on display with the other Crown Jewels to begin work ahead of the Coronation.
The crown will undergo modifications by the Crown Jeweller for Camilla. Four of the eight arches will be removed, creating a different silhouette.
Another significant change is that three of the stones will be changed out for the Cullinan III, IV, and V. The Palace explained that this is to pay tribute to The King’s late mother, as the Cullinan stones belong to Queen Elizabeth II personally.
The press release included the motivation behind this decision,
The choice of Queen Mary’s Crown by Her Majesty is the first time in recent history that an existing crown will be used for the Coronation of a Consort instead of a new commission being made, in the interests of sustainability and efficiency.
Given that sustainability has been one of Charles’s main passions in his life and work, this makes complete sense. And factoring in the cost-of-living crisis in Britain and the optics of creating a new crown, this is a smart decision.
This choice also avoids any discussion of a particularly controversial piece in the Crown Jewels- the Koh-i-Noor diamond.
Many commentators have stated that Queen Camilla was going to wear the Queen Mother’s crown from her 1937 coronation with King George VI, and that crown is currently set with the Koh-i-Noor.
The diamond has a history several centuries long of being taken or appropriated by different groups. The British acquired the massive 105-carat diamond from the Maharaja of Punjab after the Kingdom was formally annexed and the Last Treaty of Lahore was signed in 1849.
Three countries are now pursuing the Koh-i-Noor, through the British government, as they claim the diamond still belongs to them. India, Pakistan, and Afghanistan have all demanded that the diamond be returned to them as rightful owners. THe British government maintains that it legally belongs to Britain now.
Notably, the Koh-i-Noor is only worn by female members of the British Royal Family. There is a legend that any many who wears the diamond will be cursed.
