Millions of people world over watched a highly traditional coronation ceremony first in 70 years, also the first of its kind to take place in the age of the internet and social media.
On Saturday the world, witnessed King Charles III and Queen Camilla being crowned at Westminster Abbey, eight months after he (King Charles) ascended to the throne upon Queen Elizabeth II’s death.
During the coronation, King Charles III was given a slew of elaborate garments, crowns, and other royal regalia that will help him into his full power as head of state, the Church of England, and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
It’s believed that most of the royal insignias date to 1661 when the British throne was restored to the hereditary Stuart monarchy after a civil war. That year, Charles II was given new regalia to replace the treasures that had been melted down during the civil war.
Here’s a selection of the items that the king donned and held during his coronation.
St. Edward’s Crown
This is the most powerful and heavy of the monarchy’s symbols, St. Edward’s crown is made of solid gold and surrounded by rubies, sapphires and other jewels. It may be best known for a velvet top of purple—the colour of royalty—and the ermine band that protects the sovereign’s head from its mighty weight.
At nearly five pounds, the crown is actually lighter than its predecessor after it was remodelled for George V in 1911. It’s made of 22-carat gold and 444 precious and semiprecious stones, including 345 rose-cut aquamarines, 37 white topaz, 27 tourmalines, 12 rubies, seven amethysts, six sapphires, two jargoons, one garnet, one spinel and one carbuncle.
In fact, it’s so heavy that many previous monarchs opted not to wear it at all. Rather, it was carried during the coronation procession and displayed on the altar during the ceremony, while the new monarch opted for a more lightweight crown or tiara. King Charles wore the crown, which was resized for him last year.
Imperial State Crown
The Imperial crown is worn as the new monarch leaves Westminster Abbey following the ceremony. It was originally made in 1937 for Elizabeth’s father, King George VI. The headpiece is set with 2,868 diamonds, as well as several famous jewels including the Cullinan II diamond the largest diamond ever discovered.
Sovereign’s Orb
The globe-like Sovereign’s Orb represents the king’s power across the Christian world. The hollow golden orb weighs two and a half pounds and is studded with massive gems including its diamond-encrusted cross symbolizing the Church of England and the monarch’s divine right to rule. Charles held it in his right hand.
Imperial Robe and other garments
King Charles made a number of costume changes during the coronation, all guided by the Liber Regalis (a 14th-century coronation manual) He entered the abbey dressed in the sumptuous crimson velvet-and-ermine Robe of State worn by British sovereigns in Parliament. During the anointing portion of the ceremony, he wore the Colobium sindonis, a plain, monk-like white garment that symbolizes humility, while being blessed with holy oil.
As he is heaped with the symbols of state during the investiture portion of the ceremony, he dons the Supertunica or Robe Royal, a golden coat that reflects priests’ robes and harkens to the monarch’s divine role, along with the Stole Royal, a vestment-like scarf, and the Imperial Mantle, a golden cape. Finally, he wore the Robe of Estate, a lavish, long purple mantle of velvet and purple that symbolizes his power and royalty, as he processed from the abbey.
Sword of State
Among the royal symbols held by the sovereign during the coronation is the Sword of State the same lavish silver sword used during Charles’ 1969 investiture as the Prince of Wales.
It symbolises the monarch’s authority and ability to use power on behalf of the state, the sword isn’t the only weapon used in the ceremony. As the king was moving to the abbey, he was accompanied by the Sword of Temporal Justice, the Sword of Spiritual Justice, and the Sword of Mercy.
The sceptres
Encrusted with gold, emeralds, diamonds, and rubies, the king’s sceptres are one of the kingdom’s most potent symbols of power. The first, known as the Sovereign’s Scepter, represents the king’s temporal power. The gold rod is tipped with an enormous heart-shaped enclosure that holds Cullinan I, a 530.2-carat diamond cut also known as the Star of Africa another contested Cullinan diamond.
During the ceremony, Charles III was presented with a sceptre that symbolizes the monarch’s religious rule. Known as the Rod of Equity and Mercy, this sceptre is topped with an enamel dove that symbolizes the Holy Spirit.
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