When you think about the crown Queen Elizabeth II wore, your mind probably goes straight to that massive, sparkling frame sitting on a velvet cushion during the coronation. Or maybe those black-and-white photos of her as a young woman.
It’s iconic.
But here’s the thing: "the crown" isn't actually just one thing. It's a massive, multi-billion-dollar collection of headgear that spans centuries of bloody history, family drama, and genuine craftsmanship. Honestly, most of what we see in movies or on TV shows like The Crown gets the scale of it right, but the actual logistics of wearing these things? That’s where it gets weird.
Elizabeth II didn't just "put on" a crown. She inhabited a role that required her to balance several pounds of solid gold and diamonds on her head while trying not to break her neck.
The St. Edward’s Crown: The One She Only Wore Once
If we’re talking about the big one, we’re talking about the St. Edward’s Crown. This is the "official" crown. It’s the one used at the moment of coronation.
It is heavy. Really heavy.
Weighing in at nearly five pounds (about 2.23 kilograms), it’s made of solid gold. It was originally created for Charles II in 1661 after the previous one was melted down by Oliver Cromwell. Think about that for a second. You’re 27 years old, you’re mourning your father, and someone places five pounds of metal on your skull while millions of people watch.
The Queen once joked in a BBC documentary with Alastair Bruce that you can't look down to read your speech when wearing it. If you do, your neck would break, or the crown would fall off. So, she had to bring the speech up to her eye level. It’s a physical feat of endurance as much as it is a symbolic gesture. It’s set with 444 stones, including sapphires, garnets, and rubies. But honestly, the weight is the story here. She wore it for her coronation in 1953 and basically never touched it again. It stayed in the Tower of London.
The Imperial State Crown: The "Workhorse"
Now, the Imperial State Crown is a different beast entirely. You’ve seen this one more often. She wore it for the State Opening of Parliament almost every year of her reign until the very end.
It’s lighter, but "light" is a relative term in the world of royal jewelry. It still weighs about 2.3 pounds.
Why this one is special
- The Black Prince’s Ruby: It’s not actually a ruby. It’s a spinel. But it’s been in the royal collection since the 14th century. Edward the Black Prince got it from a Spanish king, and supposedly Henry V wore it in his helmet at the Battle of Agincourt.
- The Cullinan II Diamond: This is a massive 317-carat slice of the largest gem-quality rough diamond ever found.
- The Stuart Sapphire: A huge blue stone that sits at the back (or sometimes the front, depending on the renovation) of the band.
Toward the end of her life, the Queen stopped wearing this crown. It was just too much for a woman in her 90s. At the State Opening of Parliament in 2019, the crown sat on a cushion next to her while she wore a hat or the George IV State Diadem. It was a visual shift that signaled the end of an era. It showed the physical toll of the crown Queen Elizabeth carried for seven decades.
The George IV State Diadem: The "Postage Stamp" Crown
You know this one, even if you don't think you do. It’s the crown she wore on the way to her coronation and the one featured on British coins, banknotes, and postage stamps. It’s technically a circlet, not a full crown, which makes it much easier to wear.
It was made in 1820 for George IV. Ironically, George IV was a man known for his incredibly extravagant (and expensive) tastes. He had it made with roses, thistles, and shamrocks to represent England, Scotland, and Ireland. It contains 1,333 diamonds.
Elizabeth II seemed to genuinely prefer this one for high-profile transit. It’s elegant. It’s lighter. It looks like what we imagine a queen should look like without the clunkiness of the medieval-style crowns.
The Logistics of Royal "Bling"
People often ask if the diamonds are real. Yes. They are very real. The value of the Imperial State Crown alone is essentially incalculable, though experts often land somewhere between £3 billion and £5 billion.
But for Elizabeth, these weren't just jewels. They were tools of the trade.
There’s a famous story about the crown jewels being hidden in a biscuit tin during World War II to keep them from the Nazis. They were buried under a secret exit from Windsor Castle. The Queen Mother (Elizabeth’s mom) reportedly didn't even know where they were for a while. That's the level of secrecy we're talking about.
When the Queen wore these crowns, they had to be "tuned."
The Imperial State Crown was actually shortened by about an inch for her coronation to make it more feminine and fit her head better. They aren't "one size fits all." They are bespoke pieces of engineering.
What happened to the crowns when she died?
When Queen Elizabeth II passed away in September 2022, the Imperial State Crown was placed on her coffin. It was a haunting image: the crown, the orb, and the scepter sitting atop the Royal Standard flag. During the committal service at St. George’s Chapel, the Crown Jeweller removed the crown from the coffin.
This symbolized the end of her reign. For the first time in 70 years, she was separated from the crown.
The Controversy You Won't Hear in Official Pamphlets
We can’t talk about the crown Queen Elizabeth wore without mentioning where some of these stones came from. The Koh-i-Noor diamond, which is set in the Queen Mother’s Crown (often confused with Elizabeth’s own crowns), is a massive point of contention. India, Pakistan, and Afghanistan have all claimed ownership of it at various points.
While Elizabeth herself didn't wear the Koh-i-Noor (it’s traditionally only worn by female consorts or queens regnant, but Elizabeth stuck to the Imperial State Crown), the history of the British Crown Jewels is inextricably linked to the British Empire.
The Cullinan diamonds, which she wore frequently as brooches (Cullinan III and IV, affectionately called "Granny's Chips"), were a gift from the Transvaal government in South Africa. Whether a "gift" under colonial rule is truly a gift is a debate that continues to follow the monarchy today.
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Why the Crown Matters Now
The transition to King Charles III has changed how we look at these objects. Charles wore the St. Edward’s Crown at his coronation, just as his mother did. But the "Queen's Crown"—the personal collection of tiaras and diadems she wore to state dinners—is now being distributed.
Queen Camilla and the Princess of Wales (Kate Middleton) are now the primary wearers of the pieces Elizabeth made famous.
Specifically, the Girls of Great Britain and Ireland Tiara. This was reportedly Elizabeth’s favorite. It was a wedding gift to her grandmother, Queen Mary, and Elizabeth wore it so often it became her "signature" look. It’s the one you see on the British pound sterling notes.
How to See the Crowns Yourself
If you’re actually interested in the physical reality of these things, you have to go to the Tower of London.
Don't expect to just walk up and touch them. You stand on a moving walkway (a "travelator") that glides you past the glass cases. This is to keep the crowds moving and prevent people from lingering too long or, you know, trying to pull a Mission Impossible.
Actionable Insights for Your Next Visit or Research:
- Look for the "fake" gems: When you see the Imperial State Crown, look for the Black Prince's Ruby. Remember, it’s a spinel. It’s a great example of how "precious" stones were categorized differently 600 years ago.
- Check the velvet: Notice the purple velvet cap. The color purple has been restricted to the nobility and royalty for centuries because the dye was originally so expensive (made from sea snails!).
- Observe the height: Note the difference in height between the St. Edward’s Crown and the Imperial State Crown. The St. Edward’s is much taller and more imposing, designed for the "divine" moment of crowning, whereas the Imperial State Crown is designed for the "political" moment of the State Opening of Parliament.
- Study the Cullinan stones: If you visit the Jewel House, look for the remaining parts of the Cullinan diamond. It was originally 3,106 carats—roughly the size of a human heart—before it was cut into several large stones and many smaller ones.
The crown Queen Elizabeth wore was never just a piece of jewelry. It was a heavy, expensive, and often uncomfortable anchor to a thousand years of history. Whether you view it as a symbol of service or a relic of empire, the physical reality of these objects is undeniably fascinating.
If you want to understand the monarchy, stop looking at the person and start looking at the weight they have to carry on their head. It explains a lot about the posture, the slow walking, and the careful movements that defined Elizabeth II’s public life for nearly a century.