The 57 million crown has only been used once in 70 years

It is the crown of St. Edward who will be crowned King Charles III on Saturday, at the coronation ceremony. This precious item is only used once per reign…and only for one hour.

An exact replica of the crown of King Edward, who ruled England for more than a millennium, the crown that would crown Charles III was used at the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II on June 2, 1953, and has been in storage ever since.

“It’s an impressive thing made of solid gold and studded with hundreds of precious stones,” says Marc Lorendo, a journalist and expert on the monarchy, who saw St Edward’s Crown firsthand during a visit to London in the 1990s.

Cross and lilies

In addition to the 444 gems adorning its golden arches (ruby, sapphire, topaz, tourmaline and zircon, among others), the tiara is set on a sliver of ruby ​​stone, a symbol of purity and moral virtue.

The crown is decorated with the fleur-de-lis, symbolizing royalty, and four crosses. “This religious symbol reminds us that the power of kings comes from God. At least that’s what they claim to be,” comments Mr. Laurendeau.

It is hard to say the commercial value of such a carefully guarded object in the Tower of London. Estimates range from $39 million to $57 million.

Inconvenient gem

In addition to its highly symbolic function, St. Edward’s crown is known to be … heavy.

Weighing just over 2.4kg (5lbs) it makes it one of the most inconvenient gems in the UK. Queen Elizabeth II feared breaking her neck when the monarch leaned over to read a letter. I often associated this fact with a sense of humor.

Because of its weight, Queen Victoria in 1837 and King Edward IV in 1901 refused to use it at their coronations. But Charles III will wear it!

• What is the real image of King Charles: listen to the interview with Benoit Tanguay, editor of La Riposte sociale on the Benoit Dutrizac program via QUB Radio :

Coronation ceremonies

The coronation ceremony for Charles III will begin at 11 am (6 am in Quebec) at Westminster Abbey in London. It will be celebrated by the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby.

At noon, the Primate of the Anglican Church places St. Edward’s Crown on the King’s head to the sound of trumpets; You’ll hear the cannon salutes all over the UK.

From the end of the ceremony, when the procession to Buckingham Palace sets off, it will be the “Imperial Crown of Organs” that will drape the new monarch.

This most comfortable jewel was worn by the Queen at least once a year on the occasion of the official opening of the session of Parliament.

It is also this crown that honors deceased monarchs at state funerals in the United Kingdom.