Imperial State Crown
The Imperial State Crown is one of the royal crowns of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and, as such, part of the British crown jewels.
Description
Their form is similar to the Edwards crown. Above the frost which forms the basis, rise alternately four diamond-studded paws crosses ( with so much wider cross arms, that they almost seem like squares ) and four also studded with diamonds heraldic lily ( Fleur -de- Lis ). Is arches over the crown of four coincident half yokes, emanating from Paws crosses. At the crossing point of the bow there is a ball and about another Tatzenkreuz. The purple velvet cap inside the crown carries at its lower edge, a fringe of ermine fur.
The crown is set with numerous jewels, including 2868 diamonds, 273 pearls, 17 sapphires, eleven emeralds and rubies five. Some of these jewels are particularly famous: In the center of the cross on the top of the St. Edward - sapphire, of the Confessor to date from the ring ( or the open crown) Edward the "Rubin is located in the center of the front paws Cross of the Black Prince " and immediately below it in the front of the collar of the Cullinan II, with 317.4 carats one of the largest cut diamond in the world, under the name " known Little Star of Africa ". On the back of the collar, the Stuart Sapphire, who took the place of the Cullinan II on the current crown from 1824 to 1909 is.
Use
The Imperial State Crown is generally worn at the end of the coronation ceremony when the monarch excerpt from Westminster Abbey, while the Edwards crown is used for the actual coronation. Queen Victoria and Edward VII used it because of its lower weight but also at the coronation since they were too heavy for the Edwards crown. The Queen wears the Imperial State Crown at the annual ceremonial opening of parliament. The crown and the other needed at the ceremony Crown Jewels are before the Queen leaves Buckingham Palace in a horse-drawn carriage brought their own to the parliament building. Only then shall the Queen in " Robing Room" the royal robes and sets the crown on.
Manufacture, overhaul and repair
Since the Imperial State Crown is the most frequently used of the British royal crowns, they also need the most care and repair and has been renewed due to damage, weight or transformations of contemporary taste the most. The earlier versions of the crowns ( among others, George I, George IV and Queen Victoria) are kept in the Tower of London. The current crown was for the coronation of George VI. made in 1937. It is an exact copy of the manufactured for Queen Victoria crown, but with 910 g weight much lighter than this and therefore more comfortable to wear. It was revised for the coronation of Elizabeth II and by about 2.5 cm (1 inch) reduced in its total height to give her a more feminine appearance. Because of its still- considerable weight, the monarch wore the crown on the morning of the day of the opening of parliament often for a few hours in their living rooms to get used to it.
If it is not needed for ceremonies, the Imperial State Crown is issued along with the other Crown Jewels in the Jewel House of the Tower of London and can be visited there.