Queen Camilla will wear refurbished crown for Coronation – customised with gems cut from biggest diamond on earth
THE Queen Consort will break with tradition and wear a refurbished crown for her coronation — customised with gems cut from the world’s biggest diamond.
Camilla, 75, decided against commissioning a new crown for the May 6 ceremony and will instead go with the one used when Queen Mary, wife of George V, was crowned in 1911.
Three massive diamonds from Queen Elizabeth’s personal jewellery collection will be added to it.
Royal expert Ingrid Seward, editor-in-chief of Majesty Magazine, said: “It is a welcome decision not to commission a new crown.
“Queen Mary was Charles’s great-grandmother, of whom he was very fond.
“When he was little she let him play with her jewels — she wouldn’t normally let anyone near her collection. So there is a bit of everything for Camilla in this crown.
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“There is a tribute to the late Queen by using her diamonds.
“There is a tribute to her husband because of this sweet relationship with Queen Mary.
“And there’s a tribute to the British people as it is sustainable.”
It will be the first time a crown has been reused by a Queen Consort since Queen Caroline wore Mary of Modena’s crown at the coronation of George II in 1727.
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The three gems being added — known as Cullinan III, IV and V — total 176.8 carats and were used for brooches by the Queen.
All were cut from the Cullinan Diamond, found in South Africa in 1905 and given to Edward VII. Cullinan I, or the Great Star of Africa, is mounted in the Sovereign’s Sceptre with Cross while Cullinan II is in the Imperial State Crown.
In a second break from tradition, Camilla dodged a major diplomatic row by choosing not to wear the Koh-i-Noor diamond, as India is demanding its return.
The controversial stone is currently fitted to the Queen Mother’s Crown.
Yesterday, Queen Mary’s Crown was removed by armed guards from the Tower of London to be redesigned by Crown Jeweller Mark Appleby.
Four of its eight detachable arms will be removed to make it look even more different when Camilla and King Charles are crowned side-by-side at Westminster Abbey.
Buckingham Palace said: “The choice of Queen Mary’s crown 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.
“The changes will in particular pay tribute to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.”
Carol Woolton, jewellery expert and royal author, said: “In an era where celebrity vies with royalty, this is where royalty win out.
“They have the legacy and majesty that the Kardashians, for instance, can’t get.
“There is something quite magical in these stones as they are seen through many different lives and times.”
She added: “Upcycling the crown goes with The King’s ethos of mending, reusing and resizing.”
Camilla is currently resting after testing positive for Covid yesterday.
She has cancelled all public engagements this week but is “in good spirits”.
It is thought her reworked crown could return to public display at the Tower of London before the Coronation.
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The King is traditionally crowned with St Edward’s Crown before leaving the Abbey in the Imperial State Crown.
The St Edward’s was returned to public display yesterday after resizing. The state crown is still being worked on.