Imperial State Crown

The state crown newly created in 1937 for King George VI.

The Imperial State Crown serves as the state crown of the British monarch, a new creation by Garrard & Co. in 1937 for the coronation of King George VI, not a faithful recreation of Queen Victoria's 1838 design. Its frame is primarily gold, with silver and platinum used for settings, and it is adorned with 2,868 diamonds, 269 pearls, 17 sapphires, 11 emeralds, and 5 rubies. Notable stones include the 317-carat Cullinan II diamond, St Edward's Sapphire, the Stuart Sapphire, and the Black Prince's Ruby. Standing 31.5 cm tall and weighing 1.06 kg, it is worn by the monarch upon leaving Westminster Abbey after a coronation and typically at State Openings of Parliament.

Quick Facts

Nation

United Kingdom

Date made

1937

Owner

King Charles III in right of the Crown

Weight

1.06 kg (2.3 lb)

Arches

2 (four half-arches)

Primary material

Gold
silver
platinum

Stones

Cullinan II
St Edward's Sapphire
Black Prince's Ruby
Stuart Sapphire

Predecessors

Coronation Crown of George IV

Lore & Background

The origins of this crown trace back to the Tudor era, where Henry VIII commissioned an elaborate 'Imperiall crowne' first detailed in a 1521 inventory. Following the execution of Charles I in 1649, all royal crowns were broken up by parliament until the Restoration in 1660, when Sir Robert Vyner created a new state crown for Charles II. Queen Victoria's 1838 version fell into disrepair and broke during the State Opening of Parliament in 1845 when the Lord Chancellor (Lord Lyndhurst) tripped and dropped the cushion it rested on; Victoria is often said to have described it as 'crushed and squashed like a pudding that had sat down,' but this quote is apocryphal and not reliably sourced from her writings.

She later declined to wear it due to its weight, opting for a smaller crown made in 1870. In 1909, the 1838 crown was altered to accommodate the massive Cullinan II diamond, and the Stuart Sapphire was moved from the front to the back at that time. The 1937 crown was a new construction by Garrard & Co., not a faithful recreation of the 1838 version.

Reader's Guide

The crown is placed in the Robing Room where the monarch dons the Robe of State before entering Parliament. During the State Opening, it is usually carried by armed guard in its own carriage, though exceptions exist: Elizabeth II wore a hat during snap general elections in March 1974, June 2017, December 2019, and May 2021. In October 2019, she wore the State Diadem while the Imperial State Crown was carried beside her. If a State Opening occurs before a coronation, the crown is placed on a cushion beside the monarch rather than worn. When not in use, it remains on public display in the Jewel House at the Tower of London.

Did You Know?

The Black Prince's Ruby is actually a large red spinel, not a ruby.
In 1909, the 104-carat Stuart Sapphire was moved from the front to the back of the 1838 crown to accommodate the 317-carat Cullinan II diamond.
The association between the four hanging pearls and Queen Elizabeth I is almost certainly erroneous.