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Camilla, who assumed the title of Queen Consort after the passing away of Queen Elizabeth II in September last year, will be crowned in a royal coronation ceremony which is scheduled to be held on Saturday, May 6, at Westminster Abbey. While it was earlier believed that the Queen Consort will be wearing the crown featuring the controversial Kohinoor diamond, Buckingham Palace recently revealed that she will not be doing so. According to BBC, “There were concerns about a diplomatic row with India if it had been used since India has demanded its return.”
Instead, Camilla will be seen wearing the iconic Queen Mary’s crown, which has been taken out of the Tower of London to be resized. “The choice of Queen Mary’s Crown by Her Majesty 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 Palace said in a statement.
According to the Royal Collection Trust, Queen Mary’s Crown is composed of a silver frame, lined with gold, and set with 2,200 diamonds. It features an openwork band which is set at the front with a detachable rock crystal replica of the diamond, Cullinan IV, a large cushion-shaped stone, and a frieze of quatrefoils and rosettes.
“Above the band are four crosses-pattée and four fleurs-de-lis. The front cross is set with a detachable rock crystal replica of the Koh-i-nûr diamond, the other three crosses are set in the centre with a large diamond each. The eight detachable half-arches each taper towards the top, and terminate in scrolls, and contain six graduated brilliants, between borders of stones. The monde is pavé-set with diamonds and surmounted by another cross with a rock crystal replica of the pear-shaped diamond Cullinan III in the centre. The crown is fitted with a purple velvet cap with an ermine band,” the website mentioned.
Queen Mary’s crown was designed for the coronation of June 1911 and was inspired by Queen Alexandra’s crown of 1902 which has similarly elegant arches. At the 1911 coronation, the crown contained the three large diamonds – the Koh-i-nûr, and Cullinan III and IV. These diamonds were later replaced with quartz crystal replicas so that the jewels could be used in alternative settings. The controversial Koh-i-nûr was moved to the crown of Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother, and Cullinan III and IV were set as a brooch.
According to the Palace’s statement, the Queen Mary crown will be reset with the Cullinan III, IV and V diamonds, in tribute to the late Queen Elizabeth. The diamonds were part of her personal collection and were often worn by her as broaches.
These two stones are part of the famous Cullinan diamond, the largest diamond ever found. The full stone weighed 3,106 carats and was discovered at the Premier Mine near Pretoria in 1905.
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