Chapter III: The Royal Crowns

Crowns Worn in Battle--Helmets and Crowns combined--The
Development of Crowns--King Alfred’s Crown--King Harold’s
Crown--The Crown of William the Conqueror--That of William
II.--And of King Stephen--Henry I.’s Crown with Three
Fleurs-de-lys--The Crown of Henry III.--And those of Edward I.
and Edward IV.--The Crowns of Henry VI. and VII.--Henry VIII.’s
Crown, showing both Fleurs-de-lys and Crosses-patée--The
Signification of the Arches in the Crown--The Evolution of the
Cross-patée--The Second or State Crowns--The State Crown of
Charles II.--That of James II.--The State Crowns of George IV.
and William IV.--The Scottish Crown described--The Coronation
Ring of Charles I.--An Historic Cup--The Three Existing Crowns
of the Kings of England--St. Edward’s Crown, with which the
King is crowned--The Imperial State Crown--The Number of
Precious Stones in the State Crown--Its weight--The most
valuable and beautiful Crown in the World--The Imperial Crown
of India--Its inception--This Crown described--The Queen’s
Crowns--The Crown of Queen Mary of Modena--The Diadem of Queen
Mary of Modena--The Crown of Queen Mary, Consort of George
V.--The Prince of Wales’ Crown.

Crowns appear to have been at an early period worn by kings in battle, in order that they might be easily recognised; and, although it is quite possible that this outward sign of sovereignty may have marked the wearer as being entitled to special protection by his own men, it is also likely that it was often a dangerous sign of importance. Upon the authority of their coins, the heads of the early British kings were adorned with variously formed fillets and ornamental wreaths. Helmets are also evidently intended to be shown, and on some of the coins of Æthelstan the helmet bears upon it a crown of three raised points, with a single pearl at the top of each (Fig. 1). Other coins bear the crown with the three raised points without the helmet (Fig. 2). This crown of three points, bearing sometimes one and sometimes three pearls at the top of each, continued to be used by all the sole monarchs until Canute, on whose head a crown is shown, in which the three points develop into three clearly marked trefoils (Fig. 3). On the Great Seal of Edward the Confessor the King is wearing an ornamental cap, which is described by Mr. Wyon in his book about the Great Seals as bearing a crown with three points trefoiled; but the impressions of this Great Seal are so indistinct in this particular, that we cannot feel justified in corroborating his opinion. On some of the coins, however, of Edward the Confessor, an arched crown is very clearly shown, and this crown has depending from it, on each side, tassels with ornamental ends (Fig. 4).

In the list of the portions of English regalia which were destroyed under the Commonwealth in 1649 (see p. 7) is found an item of great interest, viz. a “goulde wyer worke” crown with little bells, which is there stated to have belonged to King Alfred, who appears to have been the first English king for whom the ceremony of coronation was used; and it is remarkable that on several of the crowns on coins and seals, from the time of Edward the Confessor until Henry I., little tassels or tags are shown, which may indeed represent little bells suspended by a ribbon.

On King Alfred’s own coins there is unfortunately nothing which can be recognised as a crown.

On the coins of Harold II. a crown is shown with arches, apparently intended to be jewelled, as is also the rim. There are also tassels with ornamental ends at the back of the crown (Fig. 5).

William I., on his Great Seal, wears a crown with three points, at the top of each of which are three pearls (Fig. 6), and on some of his coins a more ornamental form of crown occurs, having a broad jewelled rim and two arches, also apparently jewelled, and at each side are two pendants with pearl ends (Fig. 7). William II. on his Great Seal has a crown with five points (Fig. 8), the centre one being slightly bigger than the others, and at the top of each a single pearl. At each side of the crown are pendants having three pearls at the ends.

On some of the coins of Stephen a pretty form of crown is seen. It has three fleurs-de-lys and two jewelled arches (Fig. 9). The arches disappear from this time until the reign of Edward IV. On the Great Seal of Henry I. the King wears a simple crown with three fleurs-de-lys points, and two pendants each with three pearls at the ends (Fig. 10), and after this the pendants seem to have been discontinued.

On the first Great Seal of Henry III. a crown with three fleurs-de-lys is shown surmounting a barred helmet (Fig. 11), and Edward I. wore a similar crown with three fleurs-de-lys, but having supplementary pearls between each (Fig. 12); and this form lasted for a long time, as modifications of it are found on the coins of all the kings till Henry VII. On the third Great Seal of Edward IV. the King wears a crown with five fleurs-de-lys, the centre one being larger than the others, and the crown is arched and has a cross at the top (Fig. 13). Henry VI. on his first between it and the French crown, which has the fleur-de-lys only and surmounts the coat of arms of that country. The King himself wears an arched crown, but the impressions are so bad that the details of it cannot be followed.

Henry VII. on his Great Seal uses, as ornaments for the crown, crosses-patée alternate with fleurs-de-lys, and also arches with an orb and cross at the top (Fig. 15); and, on some of his coins, he reverts to the three fleurs-de-lys with points between them, arches being still used, with the orb and cross at the top (Fig. 16). An ornamental form of crown bearing five ornamental leaves alternately large and small, with arches, orb and cross at the top (Fig. 17), occurs on the shillings of Henry VII. On the crowns of Henry VIII., as well as upon his Great Seals, the alternate crosses-patée and fleurs-de-lys are found on the rim of the crown, which is arched, and has an orb and cross at the top, and this is the form that has remained ever since (Fig. 18). So we may consider that the growth of the ornament on the rim of the crown has followed a regular sequence from the points with one pearl at the top, of Æthelstan, to the trefoil of Canute; the arches began with Edward the Confessor, and the centre trefoil turned into the cross-patée of Henry VI. The fact that the remaining trefoils became eventually fleurs-de-lys is probably only a natural expansion of form, and does not appear to have had anything to do with the French fleur-de-lys, which was adopted at a later period as an heraldic bearing for an entirely different reason. The royal coat of arms of England did bear for a long time in one of its quarterings the actual fleurs-de-lys of France, and this, no doubt, has given some reason to the idea that the fleurs-de-lys on the crown had also something to do with France; but, as a matter of fact, they had existed on the crown of England long anterior to our use of them on the coat of arms, as well as remaining there subsequently to their discontinuance on our royal escutcheon.

The cross-patée itself may possibly have been evolved in a somewhat similar way from the three pearls of William I., as we often find the centre trefoil, into which, as we have seen, these three points eventually turned, has a tendency to become larger than the others; and this difference has been easily made more apparent by squaring the ends of the triple leaf.

With regard to the arches over the crowns, indicating independent sovereignty, although now and then arches of some kind seem to have been used, particularly by Edward the Confessor, Harold, William I., Stephen, Edward IV., and Richard III., it was not until Henry VII. that the arches became regularly added.

The arches used by Henry VII., Henry VIII., Edward VI., and Mary I., were two complete curves or segments of circles, crossing over the top and rising from opposite crosses-patée. Elizabeth added two additional arches, of similar size and character, rising from opposite fleurs-de-lys, and James I. and Charles I. followed her example.

When, however, Charles II. commissioned Sir Robert Vyner to make him two new crowns, although in the main they were to “retayne the old fashion” of those destroyed by the Commonwealth Government, he reverted to the old number of two arches only, rising from opposite crosses-patée, and this form has been continued until the crown of India was made for George V., having the four arches as first used by Queen Elizabeth.

As well as the official crowns of England, which have just been described, there has often been in recent times a second or state crown, and this, although it has in general design followed the pattern of the official crown, has been much more elaborately ornamented, and in it has been set and reset some of the historic gems possessed by our nation. The fact that these state crowns have in turn been denuded of their jewels, accounts for the fact that the old settings of some of them still exist.

Charles II.’s state crown is figured in Sir Edward Walker’s account of his coronation, but the illustration of it is of such an elementary character that little reliance can be placed on it: the actual setting of this crown, however, was the property of the late Lord Amherst of Hackney, and the spaces from which the great ruby and the large sapphire--both of which are now in King George V.’s state crown--have been taken, are clearly seen. James II.’s state crown, which is very accurately figured in Sandford’s account of his coronation, and some of the jewels of which are still in the Tower, also had this great ruby as its centre ornament. In Sir George Nayler’s account of the coronation of George IV., there is a figure of his so-called “New Crown,” the arches of which are composed of oak-leaf sprays with acorns, and the rim adorned with laurel sprays. The setting of this crown also belonged to the late Lord Amherst of Hackney, and so does another setting of a small state queen’s crown, the ownership of which is doubtful. William IV. appears to have had a very beautiful state crown, with arches of laurel sprays and a cross at the top with large diamonds. It is figured in Robson’s _British Herald_, published in 1830 (Fig. 19).

There is one other crown of great interest which, since the time of James Sixth of Scotland and First of England, forms part of the regalia. This is the crown of Scotland, which is among the most ancient pieces of state jewellery which exist in the Kingdom.

Edward I., after his defeat of John Baliol in 1296, carried off the crown of Scotland to England, and Robert Bruce had another made for himself. This in its turn, after Bruce’s defeat at Methven, fell into Edward’s hands. Another crown seems to have been made for Bruce in 1314, when he was established in the sovereignty of Scotland after Bannockburn, and the present crown probably consists largely of the material of the old one, and most likely follows its general design. It has, however, much French work about it, as well as the rougher gold work made by Scottish jewellers, and it seems probable that the crown, as it now is, is a reconstruction by French workmen made under the care and by the order of James V. about 1540. It was with this crown that Mary Queen of Scots was crowned when she was nine months old.

In 1661 the Scottish regalia were considered to be in danger from the English, and were sent to Dunnottar Castle for safety. From 1707 until 1818 they were locked up in a strong chest in the crown-room of Edinburgh Castle, and Sir Walter Scott, in whose presence the box was opened, wrote an account of them in 1819. The crown consists of a fillet of gold bordered with flat wire. Upon it are twenty-two large stones, set at equal distances--_i.e._ nine carbuncles, four jacynths, four amethysts, two white topazes, two crystals with green foil behind them, and one topaz with yellow foil. Behind each of these gems is a gold plate, with bands above and below of white enamel with black spots, and between each stone is a pearl. Above the band are ten jewelled rosettes, and ten fleurs-de-lys alternately, and between each a pearl. Under the rosettes and fleurs-de-lys are jewels of blue enamel and pearls alternately. The arches have enamelled leaves of French work in red and gold upon them, and the mount at the top is of blue enamel, studded with gold stars. The cross at the top is black enamel, with gold arabesque patterns; in the centre is an amethyst, and in this cross and in the corners are Oriental pearls set in gold. At the back of the cross are the letters I. R. V. (James Rex V.) in enamel work. On the velvet cap are four large pearls, in settings of gold and enamel (Fig. 20).

Generally, the Scottish work in gold is cast solid and chased, the foreign work being thinner and repoussé. Several of the diamonds are undoubtedly old, and are cut in the ancient Oriental fashion, and many of the pearls are Scottish. It is kept in Edinburgh Castle with the rest of the Scottish regalia. None of the other pieces at all equal it in interest, as with the exception of the coronation ring of Charles I. they are of foreign workmanship, or, at all events, have been so altered that there is little or no original work left upon them.

The coronation ring just mentioned is, however, worthy of special remark, for these rings are usually kept as the personal property of the sovereigns for whom they were made. It formed part of the bequest of Cardinal York to George III., and is very interesting because, although a ring has formed part of the coronation jewels from the earliest times, this is the only existing one which is the property of the nation. It was, moreover, evidently intended originally to be used by different people, as it is jointed like a bracelet with a very long spring to the snap, and is capable of fitting fingers of different sizes (Fig. 21). It consists of a pale ruby with red foil behind it, engraved on which is a couped cross, enclosed in a circle of twenty-six table diamonds, set close and foiled at the back.

The coronation ring of William IV. is a sapphire set with a cross of five rubies, four rectangular and the centre one square. The stones probably represent the red cross of St. George upon the blue ground of the flag of St. Andrew. Surrounding the sapphire are fourteen brilliants, and other diamonds are set at the junction of the bezel and the ring. The sapphire is 0.6 inch at its greatest diameter. The ring was worn by Edward VII. and by George V. (Fig. 22).

Queen Victoria’s ring is copied on a small scale from the ring of William IV. It is of gold set with a cabochon sapphire just over half an inch at its greatest diameter. The sapphire has on it a cross of five rubies, four rectangular and one square, all enclosed in a framework of twenty-four small brilliants. There are other diamonds at the junction of the bezel (Fig. 24).

The Queen’s ring was worn by Queen Adelaide and Queen Alexandra. It is a ruby of just over half an inch at its greatest diameter, enclosed by fourteen brilliants and has thirteen small rubies set round the outside of the ring (Fig. 23).

Although it is not now part of the royal treasure, there is one remarkable piece of plate existing which ought to be so: and a note concerning it may perhaps not be out of place here, as it may to some extent serve to show what magnificent works of art our sovereigns once possessed. It is a splendid enamelled gold cup of the fourteenth century which belonged to our kings from the time of Henry VI. until James I., who gave it away. But if it is not now among the regalia it is next thing to it, as it is the property of the nation, and forms one of the chief ornaments of the wonderful “gold room” at the British Museum. It is certainly one of the finest specimens of mediæval enamel work existing. The cup originally was on a short stem, but under the Tudors it was heightened, and the added piece bears characteristic Tudor enamels in high relief. On the cup itself, the lid and the foot, are shown in lustrous translucent enamel events in the life of St. Agnes; round the edges of the foot and the lid were ornamental edgings of gold and pearls, much of which is now gone; and the actual top, which no doubt was very ornamental, is also gone.

The history of this cup has been carefully traced, and it formed part of the treasure of France as well as of England; its actual beginning is, however, still in mystery.

Having given this general account of the regalia in the past, we may pass to the crowns and regal emblems now to be seen in the Jewel House of the Tower of London.

THE KING’S CROWNS

The King has three crowns:--

(1) King Edward the Confessor’s Crown, also known as St.
Edward’s Crown.

(2) The Imperial State Crown.

(3) The Imperial Crown of India.

ST. EDWARD’S CROWN

The crown known as St. Edward’s Crown was made for the coronation of Charles II. in 1662, by Sir Robert Vyner. It was ordered to be made as nearly as possible after the pattern of the ancient crown destroyed by the Commonwealth, and the designs shown in the works of Sir Edward Walker and Francis Sandford, demonstrate that in essential form it is the same now as then; indeed, the existing crown is in all probability mainly composed of the same materials as that made by Sir Robert Vyner. The crown consists of a rim or circlet of gold, adorned with rosettes of precious stones, surrounded by diamonds. The centre gems of these rosettes are rubies, emeralds and sapphires. From the rim rise four crosses-patée, and four fleurs-de-lys alternately, adorned with diamonds and other gems. From the tops of the crosses rise two complete arches of gold, crossing each other, and curving deeply downwards at the point of intersection. These arches are considered to be the mark of independent sovereignty. They are edged with rows of silver pearls, and have gems and clusters of gems upon them. From the intersection of the arches springs a mound of gold, encircled by a fillet from which rises a single arch, both of which are ornamented with pearls and gems. On the top of the arch is a cross-patée of gold, set with coloured gems and diamonds. At the top of the cross is a large spheroidal pearl, and from each of the side arms, depending from a little gold bracket, is a beautifully formed pear-shaped pearl. The crown is shown in the Tower, and has inside it a crimson velvet cap, turned up with miniver, which is worn with it.

This is the crown of England, and is the one with which the king is crowned when he ascends the throne.

THE IMPERIAL STATE CROWN

This beautiful piece of jewellery was originally made by Rundell and Bridge for Queen Victoria in 1838. Many of the gems in this crown are of very ancient origin, whilst others can count their age by centuries or even by decades. The weight of the crown is 39 oz. 5 dwt. It consists of a circlet of open work in silver, bearing in the front the second largest portion of the Star of Africa, and on the reverse side the great sapphire from the crown of Charles II. which was bequeathed to George III. by Cardinal York, with other Stuart treasure, among which were also several old diamonds which are still set in this crown. At one end the Stuart sapphire is partly pierced, and though it is not a thick stone, it is of a fine colour. The remainder of the rim is filled in with rich jewel clusters, having alternately sapphires and emeralds in their centres, enclosed in ornamental borders thickly set with diamonds. These clusters are separated from each other by trefoil designs also thickly set with diamonds. The rim is bordered above and below with bands of large pearls, and above the rim are shallow festoons of diamonds, caught up between the larger ornaments by points of emeralds encircled with diamonds, and a large pearl above each. On these festoons are set alternately eight crosses-patée and eight fleurs-de-lys of silver set with gems. The crosses-patée are thickly set with brilliants and have each an emerald in the centre, except that which is in the front of the crown. This contains the most remarkable jewel belonging to the regalia, a large spinel ruby of irregular drop-like form, measuring about two inches in length, which belonged to the Black Prince. (See p. 55.) Its irregular outline makes it possible to recognise the place that it has formerly occupied in the older royal crowns, and it seems always to have been given the place of honour.

In the centre of each of the very ornamental fleurs-de-lys is a ruby, and the rest of the ornamentation on them is composed of rose diamonds, large and small. From each of the crosses-patée, the upper corners of which have each a large pearl upon them, rises an arch of silver worked into a design of oak leaves and acorns. Probably this feature in the crown relates to the escape of Charles II. in the oak tree at Boscobel on September 8th, 1651. These leaves and the cups of the acorns are all closely encrusted with a mass of large and small diamonds, rose, brilliant and table cut; the acorns themselves being formed of drop-shaped pearls of large size. From the four points of intersection of the arches at the top of the crown depend large egg-shaped pearls, which according to the Tower traditions were once the earrings of Queen Elizabeth. From the centre of the arches, which slope slightly upwards, springs a mound with a cross-patée above it. The mound is ornamented all over with close lines of brilliant diamonds, and the fillet which encircles it, and the arch which crosses over it, are both ornamented with one line of large rose-cut diamonds set closely together. The outer lines of the arms of the cross are marked by a row of small diamonds close together, and in the centre of each arm is a large diamond, the remaining spaces being filled with more small diamonds. The cross-patée at the top has in the centre a large sapphire of magnificent colour set openly, which is said to have come out of the ring of Edward the Confessor, which was buried with him in his shrine at Westminster, and the possession of it is supposed to give to the owner the power of curing the cramp. If this be indeed the stone which belonged to St. Edward, it was probably recut in its present form of a “rose” for Charles II., even if not since his time.

Not counting the Black Prince’s ruby, or the Stuart and Edward the Confessor sapphires, this crown contains--

Four rubies,
Eleven emeralds,
Sixteen sapphires,
Two hundred and seventy-seven pearls,
Two thousand seven hundred and eighty-three diamonds.

The large Black Prince’s ruby has been valued at £110,000, but it is indeed priceless historically.

When this crown is required by the King for the opening of Parliament or like ceremonies, it is provided with a little box, lined with white velvet, and having a sliding draw at the bottom with a boss on which the crown fits closely, so that it is safe during its journey from the Tower.

The velvet cap turned up with miniver, known as the cap of maintenance, is kept with it.

This crown is the most valuable, and we may safely add the most beautiful, in the world, worthy of a sovereign on whose Dominions the sun never sets.

THE IMPERIAL CROWN OF INDIA

This crown has a somewhat curious history though entirely modern. When it was decided in accordance with His present Majesty’s express desire that he should travel to India, there to be crowned Emperor of India, in the city of the Great Moguls, a question arose regarding the crown to be used for the ceremony. Apparently, according to the laws of England, the King is not allowed to take his crown out of England, possibly an echo of those ancient days when kings of England frequently temporarily disposed of their regal emblems to cover their present necessities. Moreover, there were considerable risks by sea and land which it was inadvisable that the historic crown of England should incur. It was therefore decided to make a new crown to be named the Imperial Crown of India.

It is a finely designed crown of the usual English pattern, with four crosses-patée and four fleurs-de-lys alternately set on the upper rim of the circlet. The circlet is of open work, with oval or circular bosses of coloured stones, emeralds and sapphires alternately, the centre stone being a remarkably fine cabochon emerald, separated by diamond-shaped bosses of diamonds, and double trefoils filling the spaces between. In the centre of the front cross-patée is a very fine Indian ruby. A fine emerald is set in the lower part of each fleur-de-lys and another very fine one in the centre of the cross-patée at the top. All the rest of the stones are diamonds.

The arches over English crowns, whatever their number may have been, have hitherto only pointed slightly upwards, been practically level at their tops, or depressed in the centre, as are those of St. Edward’s crown and the crown of the Prince of Wales.

In this new crown for the Emperor of India a new pattern for the arches has been adopted, and it is nearly the same as that used for the crowns of Queen Alexandra as well as that made for Queen Mary.

The arches are no longer complete, but are kept as half-arches, and the continuous reverse curve, known architecturally as an ogee, has been adopted. There are eight of these half-arches, one rising from the top of each cross-patée, and one from the top of each fleur-de-lys. They do not quite join at the top, but finish with small additional outward curves which flatten slightly at their points, thereby allowing room for some fair-sized brilliants to be set upon them. These projections, which are close to each other, form a singularly effective collar for the support of the rich mound and cross at the top. Each half-arch is of open work, closely set with diamonds, and broadens out towards its centre, narrowing sharply towards its upper end. The outline is evenly kept all along, and the wreath within it is a graceful conventional design of leaves and flowers.

It was made by Messrs. Garrard for the coronation of King George V. as Emperor of India at Delhi in 1912.

THE QUEEN’S CROWNS

There are three queens’ crowns or diadems in the Tower:--

The Crown of Queen Mary of Modena, consort of James II.
The Diadem of Queen Mary of Modena, consort of James II.
The State Crown of Queen Mary, consort of George V.

THE CROWN OF QUEEN MARY OF MODENA

The crown that Queen Mary of Modena wore on her return to Westminster Hall after her coronation is figured by Sandford. It is now in the Tower. Though it may be accepted that it is the same crown, there are alterations in the crosses and fleurs-de-lys which surmount the rim, as well as in the cross above the mound; the main feature, however, of the crown, the row of large diamonds round the rim, is the same in both cases, as are the arches. The only gems used in the crown are diamonds and pearls, and some of the diamonds are very large. It is probable that the alterations and improvements which have been effected were made for the queen at the coronation of William and Mary. The crown has the crimson velvet cap turned up with miniver, which is kept with it.

THE DIADEM OF QUEEN MARY OF MODENA

It will be remembered that in one of the pictures of the coronation procession of Charles II. going to be crowned, he wears only the velvet cap of maintenance, and it seems that in many of these processions a cap or circlet not actually a crown was worn as well, crowns themselves being used on the return journey to Westminster Hall. In the Tower we possess both the circlet or diadem and the crown that belonged to Mary of Modena, and which she wore in her proceeding to, and on her return from, her coronation. The diadem, the simpler of the two, is the one she wore first. This diadem has along its upper edge a row of large pearls, rising into a point in the front, with a single diamond at its highest point. Beneath this is a rich floral spray, in thick gold open work, elaborately modelled and chased, having large diamonds as leaves and flowers. Beyond this spray, on each side, are a succession of large rosettes, in open work of gold, with large diamonds in their centres and small diamonds set all round them. This diadem is said to have cost £110,000. There is no record of its having been used by any queen except Mary of Modena, and it undoubtedly differs from the figure of it given by Sandford; but as he shows certain of its peculiarities, such for instance as the gold open work in clusters, and the single gem in the front, it is just possible that, allowing freely for artistic licence, he intends his figure to represent it even as it is now.

THE STATE CROWN OF QUEEN MARY, CONSORT OF GEORGE V.

This beautiful and light diamond crown was made for the coronation of Queen Mary in 1911 by Messrs. Garrard, the Court Jewellers.

In the centre of the circlet is one of the lesser Cullinan diamonds of square shape, and the rest of the ornamentation, in open work, consists of diamond bosses of circular form divided by quatrefoils, each composed of four fine single diamonds.

The circlet is surmounted by four crosses-patée and four fleurs-de-lys as usual in English crowns, the Koh-i-Nur being set in the centre of the front cross-patée.

The Elizabethan plan of having four complete arches over the top of the crown is followed in principle, only that the arches are not actually complete but halved, so that they are really eight half-arches of reversed continuous curves, tapering upwards. In architecture this form is known as an ogee arch. The half-arches, rising from the tops of the crosses-patée and the tops of the fleurs-de-lys, are broad at their bases and taper sharply upwards. Their outlines are marked by a narrow fillet and the spaces between the fillets are each filled with a graduated line of six brilliants. At their tops each half-arch has a small additional outward curve, on the extreme end of which is a single diamond.

The graceful design of ogee arches for closed crowns has often been used abroad, especially in France, but until lately it has not been used in England. The arches support an orb, mound or monde, with a cross-patée above it, in the centre of which is set a beautiful drop-shaped Cullinan diamond.

The device of an orb surmounted by a cross, which is only a version of the royal orb itself (see p. 32) has long been used as a finial to all English royal crowns. The cross, however, has gradually changed its shape from the original Latin form to that of a cross-patée, probably because this particular form has for a long time held the place of honour as the centre ornament above the circlet on all the English royal crowns. The design, as a whole, signifies the dominion of the Christian Faith over the world.

THE PRINCE OF WALES’ CROWN

The eldest son of the sovereigns of England was originally called the “Lord Prince.” Edward I., whose son Edward was born at Carnarvon Castle, invested him with the principality of Wales. This young prince, on the death of his elder brother Alphonso, became heir-apparent to the throne, and since that time the title has been borne by the eldest son of the sovereign. The eldest son of the King or Queen of England is born Duke of Cornwall, and deemed of full age on his birthday, so that he is entitled to the revenues of his Duchy. Since the Union he is also Duke of Rothesay and Seneschal of Scotland from his birth, and at the pleasure of the sovereign he is created by patent Prince of Wales.

The crown of the Prince of Wales, as eldest son of the King, is of gold, and is ornamented with imitation gem clusters and pearls. From the rim rise four crosses-patée and four fleurs-de-lys alternately, and from two opposite crosses rises a single arch, dipping deeply towards the centre. At the top is a mound of gold with imitation pearls, and above this a cross-patée also with pearls. This crown is placed before the Prince of Wales’ seat in the House of Lords when the King opens Parliament. Before the Restoration of Charles II. the coronet of the Prince of Wales had no arch, and it was by that king’s order that the arch was added, thus making it a crown, with the mound and cross-patée at the top. The coronets of sons, brothers, and uncles of the sovereigns are exactly like that of the Prince of Wales with the exception of the arch, which is not used in their case. The coronets of the princesses of Great Britain are also without the arches, and two of the crosses-patée are replaced by strawberry leaves. The crown is shown at the Tower with the crimson velvet cap turned up with miniver, which is worn with it.

As Prince of Wales, H. R. H. wears a separate coronet, which consists of a circlet of gold ornamented with pearls and amethysts. Fixed upon the circlet at intervals are four crosses-patée, alternating with fleurs-de-lys. The crosses-patée and the fleurs-de-lys are pierced, and within the outlines of the one run sprays of the Rose of England, and of the other the Daffodil of Wales. The spaces between the crosses-patée and the fleurs-de-lys are filled with rosebud sprays.

ST. EDWARD’S CROWN]

THE IMPERIAL STATE CROWN]

THE IMPERIAL CROWN OF INDIA]

THE CROWN OF QUEEN MARY OF MODENA CONSORT OF JAMES II]

THE DIADEM OF QUEEN MARY OF MODENA CONSORT OF JAMES II]

THE STATE CROWN OF QUEEN MARY CONSORT OF GEORGE V]

THE PRINCE OF WALES’ CROWN]