As the coronation approaches, many want to know what crown Camilla will be wearing on the day.
The plans for the coronation of King Charles III are being put in place, and people all over the world are getting prepared for the big day by making sure they know how to watch the coronation, what time it takes place and even getting their hands on some of the best coronation gifts to commemorate the historic event.
Meanwhile, others want to know all the details of what will happen during the ceremony, including whether Camilla will be crowned Queen. Following the King's coronation ceremony, there will be a simpler version for Queen Consort Camilla, during which the Archbishop of Canterbury will place a crown on her head. And royal fans are keen to know exactly which crown Camilla will wear.
What crown will Camilla wear at the coronation?
It was confirmed in February that Camilla will wear Queen Mary's Crown for the coronation. The crown was made for Queen Mary, who was also a Queen Consort and was crowned alongside King George V in 1911.
However, the crown is being altered by the Crown Jeweller ahead of the ceremony, with additional jewels that were part of Queen Elizabeth II's personal jewellery collection added to pay homage to the late Queen.
In addition, four of the crown’s eight detachable arches will be removed to create a different impression to when the crown was worn by Queen Mary at the 1911 coronation.
Buckingham Palace said in a statement that instead of a new commission being made, Queen Mary's Crown was chosen "in the interests of sustainability and efficiency," saying that it is "the first time in recent history that an existing crown will be used for the Coronation of a Consort."
Queen Mary’s Crown was made by Garrard’s for the 1911 coronation and was commissioned by Queen Mary, the consort of King George V, and the design was inspired by Queen Alexandra’s Crown of 1902.
Camilla has worn pieces belonging to Queen Mary before, including a tiara for a banquet during a state visit to the King and Queen of Norway in 2005.
Will Camilla wear the Queen Mother's Crown?
No, Camilla will not wear the Queen Mother's Crown at the coronation. This particular crown was made for Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother to wear at her coronation alongside her husband, King George VI, in 1937.
It is modelled partly on the design of Queen Mary's Crown, which was made for the coronation in 1911 and is the crown Camilla will be wearing instead.
It has been widely speculated that the reason for the Queen Mother's Crown not being used is due to the controversy around the Koh-i-Noor diamond, with India's ruling political party the Bharatiya Janata party saying it "brings back painful memories of the colonial past."
The Koh-i-Noor was mined in India and is one of the largest in the world and part of the British Crown Jewels. But it has a long history before it was seized by the East India Company after its victory in the Second Anglo-Sikh War of 1849, following which it was given to Queen Victoria.
The diamond was transferred to the Crown of Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother in 1937 for her coronation, and today, the diamond is on public display in the Jewel House at the Tower of London.
What else will Camilla wear at the coronation?
Camilla will also wear a coronation dress designed by Bruce Oldfield, and it's likely she will wear a coronation ring, and hold a sceptre and orb too.
In February, it was revealed that Camilla had chosen her friend Bruce Oldfield to design her coronation dress and that they had collaborated on the design, but it will remain secret until the day itself.
She may also wear a robe, as is tradition for monarchs and their consorts. However, it has been widely reported that King Charles will be wearing a more modern choice of clothing for the ceremony, and it's likely this will be the case for the Queen Consort too.
In addition, it's expected Camilla will wear a coronation ring. Part of the monarch's coronation involves placing a ring on their fourth finger to symbolise being "wedded to the people", and a ring will also be given to the Queen Consort in the same way.
The Queen Consort’s ring was originally made in 1831 for Queen Adelaide, and was used again for The Queen Mother’s coronation, so it's likely Camilla will wear the same one.
The sceptre used by the Queen Mother at her coronation was The Sovereigns Sceptre with Cross, which may well make an appearance during Camilla's coronation ceremony. It's also possible that Queen Mary II's Orb will be used, which was created for Mary of Moderna in 1685.
Related features:
- Where will King Charles III's coronation take place?
- How much could King Charles III's coronation cost and who will pay?
- Are Prince Harry and Meghan going to the coronation?
- When was the Queen's coronation and how old was she when she took the throne?
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