by Alex David
because of its history and legends, the stone was
exhibited at the Great Exhibition of 1851 where it was seen by over a million people. Disappointment with its lack of sparkle however led to its re-cutting in 1852, supervised by Prince Albert, when the stone was cut to 105.6 carats losing 40% of its volume. By this time a legend had grown that the Koh-I-Noor brought
misfortune to its owners, and that the rulers of the Punjab had given it to the British in the hope that they would lose their grip on India. When that clearly did not happen, the legend was modified to say that the gem brought great misfortune to male owners but great
fortune to female owners, since the stone had technically become the property of Queen Victoria. Consequently, a royal practice was started for the Koh-I-Noor to be passed down from woman to woman in the Royal Family.
After Victoria’s death, the stone was handed down as inheritance from Queen to Queen at each monarch’s
accession, and was in turn set into the Queen Consort Crowns of Queen Alexandra, Queen Mary and Queen
Elizabeth the Queen Mother. At the death of Queen
Elizabeth the Queen Mother in 2002 the Koh-I-Noor was inherited by her daughter Queen Elizabeth II, the current owner. At present however the gem remains set into the Crown of Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother kept in the Tower of London.
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The First and Second Stars of Africa
The First Star of Africa and the Second Star of Africa are the biggest gems cut from the Cullinan Diamond, the biggest diamond ever found in the world. When initially discovered in 1905 in the Premier Mine near Pretoria, South Africa, the rough diamond weighed 3,106 carats or over half a kilogram (1.6lb). Besides its size it was also notable for its purity and extraordinary blue-white colour. It was immediately named after Thomas Cullinan, the owner of the mine, who sold it to the new South African government of the Transvaal. The government in turn presented to King Edward VII in 1907 as a token of loyalty to the British Crown following the previous Boer Wars. The diamond was famously sent to London under a ruse: a decoy strongbox was placed on a steamboat
headed to England where it was guarded night and day, while the real diamond was sent over by regular parcel post in an ordinary box. Edward VII promised to include the Cullinan in the British Crown Jewels for posterity and the diamond was subsequently cut into separate stones in Amsterdam in 1908, with the biggest two gems joining the Jewels in 1909. The biggest stone, renamed The First (or Great) Star of Africa was set at the top of the Sceptre with Cross. At 530.2 carats it remains the largest
colourless cut diamond in the world. The second stone, weighing 317.4 carats and renamed The Second (or
Lesser) Star of Africa, was set at the front of the Imperial State Crown, below the Black Prince’s Ruby. Seven other stones, smaller in size, were also cut from the Cullinan in 619
1908 and later became personal possessions of the Royal Family (See The Personal Jewels of the Royal Family—
Gems).
The Honours of Wales
Wales possesses its own Crown Jewels, called the
Honours of Wales, which are used in the official
investiture ceremony of the Prince of Wales. This
ceremony has roots in medieval investitures however the current public ceremony only had its start in 1911 when it was first performed in Caernarvon Castle to invest
Edward Prince of Wales, son of King George V (the future Edward VIII). Only one other investiture has been
performed since then, for Prince Charles in 1969. The Honours include items used in these investiture
ceremonies as well as coronets worn by Princes of Wales in the past. They include the following:
The Coronet of the Prince of Wales only contains one arch crossing the head, from ear to ear, as opposed to the four arches found on monarchs’ crowns. A small orb topped by a cross rises in the middle of the arch. The Honours of Wales include three coronets that have been used by Princes of Wales in the past, all similar in design: 620
The Coronet of Frederick Prince of Wales was made for the eldest son of George II in 1728. It was the first coronet made for a Prince of Wales since the Restoration and was cast in solid gold with no gems.
It was used for all Princes of Wales until 1901,
however it was seldom worn on the head, rather it
was carried on a cushion in procession before the
Prince on state occasions. It is now kept with the
Crown Jewels in the Tower of London.
The Coronet of George Prince of Wales was created for the son of Edward VII to wear at his
father’s coronation in 1902. Made of gilt silver, it was later worn by George’s own son, Edward Prince of
Wales, for his father’s coronation as George V in
1911, and also for Edward’s investiture in
Caernarvon Castle that same year. For reasons
unknown, and contrary to tradition that says the
Crown Jewels must not leave the country, when
Edward abdicated as King Edward VIII in 1936 he
took the coronet with him into exile and kept it until his death in 1972. It was later returned and placed in the Tower of London with the other Crown Jewels
where it remains today.
The Coronet of Charles Prince of Wales was created in 1969 for his investiture at Caernarvon
Castle. Its creation was necessary as the existing
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coronet was still in the possession of the Duke of
Windsor and taken abroad after he abdicated the
throne (see above). It is made of gold, platinum,
diamonds and emeralds, and designed in modern
style. Although it retains all the design elements of the previous coronets, it also includes symbols
associated with Prince Charles including 13 diamonds on the top orb that are arranged as the constellation of Scorpio, the Prince’s star sign. The coronet has in the past been on show at the National Museum of
Wales in Cardiff but is currently back in the Royal Collection.
The other Honours of Wales consist in a ring, a gold rod and a sword, all made in 1911 for the investiture of Edward Prince of Wales:
The Ring is made of gold and is in the shape of two dragons coming together holding a single amethyst
in their mouths and claws.
The Rod is also made of gold and is 85cms long (2
feet 8 inches), with the top part featuring the dragon of Wales and a single amethyst.
The Investiture Sword has a steel blade etched with the motto of the Prince of Wales on one side, “Ich
Dien”, while the other side is etched with the words
“Iorwerth Tywysog Cymru”, Welsh for “Edward
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Prince of Wales”. The hilt of the sword is in the shape of two dragons entwined bearing a coronet.
These three items are not often on public display and are currently stored in the Royal Collection in London. Plans have been proposed for these items, plus the Coronet of Charles Prince of Wales, to be exhibited permanently in a new heritage centre in Wales but no action has been taken yet as of May 2018.
The Honours of Scotland
Scotland possesses its own Crown jewels, called the Honours of Scotland, which are the oldest regalia in the United Kingdom dating back to the late 15th to early 16th centuries. Differently from the English Crown Jewels, they escaped destruction by the Republican Commonwealth in the 1650s thanks to the resourcefulness of several Scots who smuggled them out of Edinburgh and hid them in
the north of the country. They were last used in a
coronation ceremony in 1651 for the Scottish coronation of Charles II (before they were hid), and from 1660 to 1707 they were ceremonially used to open the Old
Parliament of Scotland. After the Union of the English and Scottish Parliaments in 1707 the Jewels were locked away in Edinburgh Castle until they were re-discovered in 181
8.
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Since then they have been on show in the Crown Room at Edinburgh Castle, except for a short period of time during the Second World War when they were again hidden for safety. Under the terms of the Act of Union of 1707 the Jewels cannot be taken out of Scotland. The Honours of Scotland proper comprise the following three items.
The Crown of Scotland was cast for James V in 1540 using material from a previous crown of date
unknown. It is made of solid gold and contains 43
precious stones and 68 Scottish freshwater pearls,
with most of the gems coming from the previous
crown. The crown was used in the coronation
ceremonies of Mary Queen of Scots and James VI of
Scotland, and to crown Charles I and Charles II at
their separate Scottish coronations in 1633 and 1651.
It is currently used in special ceremonies like the official opening of the Scottish Parliament in 1999
and the opening of the permanent Parliament
building in 2004.
The Sceptre is silver gilt and was a gift from Pope Alexander VI to King James IV of Scotland in 1494. It was remodelled by King James V in 1536 and in its
present form features small figures of the Virgin and Child, St James and St Andrew in its top finial, all surrounded by golden dolphins and topped by a
polished rock crystal.
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The Sword of State was a gift from Pope Julius II to King James IV of Scotland in 1507. A tall sword
measuring 1.35ms, the blade is etched with figures
of the apostles Peter and Paul, and the handle is
silver gilt and decorated with oak leaves. The blade bears a scar from when it was once broken: tradition says it happened in 1652 when the Crown Jewels
were smuggled out and hid to protect them from
Cromwell’s Republican troops.
Also shown in the Crown Room of Edinburgh Castle
together with the items above is the Stuart Coronation
Ring, which tradition says was worn by Kings Charles I, Charles II and James II at their coronations in the 17th century. James II took the ring with him into exile in 1688
and it was then passed down the Stuart pretenders to the throne until the last pretender bequeathed it on his death in 1807 to George Prince of Wales, the future George IV. William IV first loaned the ring to Edinburgh Castle to be displayed with the Honours of Scotland in 1830 but it remains part of the Royal Collection and is not an official Honour of Scotland. The ring is made of gold and silver, and is topped with a flat ruby engraved with a cross. A circle of 26 diamonds, a later 18th century addition, surrounds the ruby.
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The Personal Jewels
of the Royal Family
The Personal Jewels of the Royal Family comprise items that are worn by female family members on official
occasions, royal visits and public appearances. They are visual representations of monarchy but, unlike the Crown Jewels, they are not owned by the state but by members of the Royal Family, or by the monarchy as part of the Royal Collection. The jewels came into royal possession in a variety of ways: as gifts from the public on important royal occasions like weddings or jubilees; as official gifts during state visits; as gifts between Royal Family
members; and occasionally as legacies from friends of the Royal Family. All the jewels that came into royal
possession before 1936 are considered now part of the Royal Collection, and are therefore heritage held in trust for the nation. Jewels that were bought privately or bestowed as private gifts to members of the Royal Family after 1936 are still considered private possessions and can be disposed of at will, especially if they come in the possession of individuals who are not official members of the Royal Family (like for example happened in 2002
when some of Princess Margaret’s jewels were sold by 626
her son after her death). Generally however, all jewels that are bought by or gifted to the monarch, the Prince of Wales, and other future heirs to the throne are
considered to have entered the Royal Collection
automatically.
The present Personal Jewels collection was started by Queen Victoria in the 1850s. Only a few items pre-date her reign as most of the jewels owned by previous
queens were lost to the Kingdom of Hanover in 1858
after a lengthy legal battle over Queen Charlotte’s will (the Kingdom of Hanover split from the British Crown in 1837 at the accession of Queen Victoria and was
inherited by Queen Charlotte’s fifth son, Ernest Augustus, who claimed that most of his mother’s jewels belonged by right to the Hanoverian Crown, not the British one).
Queen Mary greatly expanded the collection both before and after becoming Queen, between the 1890s and
1920s, and Queen Elizabeth II has added many items
during her reign. Differently from the Crown Jewels, the Personal Jewels can be taken outside the country and so are frequently worn during foreign state visits. They are not stored in the Tower of London but are kept instead within the occupied Royal Residences where they are not accessible for public viewing. Many however are regularly exhibited in themed exhibitions by the Royal Collection. It is impossible to ascertain the exact number of items in the Personal Jewels collection as there is no official catalogue, and their total worth has never been publicly 627
appraised. Only the most significant and historic items are described in this chapter, divided between Tiaras, Necklaces, Parures, Brooches and Gems. All items are listed in chronological order of creation within each section.
TIARAS
The Oriental Circlet
Also called the Indian Ruby Tiara, this circlet was designed by Prince Albert in 1853 using Indian motifs like Mogul arches and lotus flowers. As originally created, it contained diamonds and opals on a gold frame, and
Queen Victoria wore it in this way when Prince Albert was alive but stopped wearing it after his death.
Afterwards it passed to Queen Alexandra who replaced the opals with the current rubies. This circlet was a favorite of Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother who wore it frequently until the end of her life in 2002.
The Vladimir Tiara
This tiara was originally made in the 1880s for the Grand Duchess Vladimir (Maria Pavlovna) of Russia, aunt of Tsar Nicholas II, who was described as the grandest of all the 628
Grand Duchesses of Russia. A magnificent tiara, it had to be smuggled out of the country in 1917 during the
Russian Revolution and was later sold by the Grand
Duchess’ family in 1921. It was bought by Queen Mary who repaired it and later bequeathed it to her
granddaughter Queen Elizabeth II. The tiara is made of 15
interlocking gold circles covered in diamonds, with large pendant pearls usually hanging from the circles. The circles can also be left empty, or can be filled with other gems like the Cambridge Emeralds (see below). Queen Elizabeth II has worn the tiara in each of these forms regularly during her reign.
Queen Alexandra’s Kokoshnik Tiara
This tiara was a gift to Alexandra of Denmark from the
‘Ladies of Society’ in 1888 to celebrate her Silver Wedding anniversary to the Prince of Wales. Alexandra specifically requested that it be modeled on the
kokoshnik, the traditional Russian folk headdress that was popular at the Russian Imperial court at the time, and that had been worn as a tiara by her sister, Russian empress Maria Feodorovna. It contains 488 diamonds
spread across 61 platinum bars, set as a fringe on a gold frame. Alexandra wore it frequently both as Princess of Wales and as Queen, and later bequeathed it to Queen Mary. Queen Elizabeth II inherited it in 1953 and has worn it regularly throughout her reign.
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The Girls of Great Britain and Ireland Tiara
Queen Mary received this tiara as a gift on her wedding day in 1893 when she became Duchess of York. It w
as a present from a committee of women from Britain and
Ireland who raised money to purchase it from the crown jeweller, Garrard’s. The tiara’s frame is made of gold and silver and is filled entirely with diamonds, arranged in scrolls and flower leaves. Queen Mary gave the tiara to her granddaughter Princess Elizabeth as a wedding gift in 1947 and since then it has become one of Queen
Elizabeth II’s most recognizable tiaras, often used at state banquets and other official occasions. It is also worn by the Queen on her portrait used on banknotes and coins, both in Britain and some Commonwealth countries.
The Delhi Durbar Tiara
The largest tiara in the Royal Collection, this grand headdress with lyres and scrolls was first worn by Queen Mary at the Delhi Durbar ceremony in 1911. It is made of gold, platinum and diamonds, many of them recycled
from a previously dismantled tiara. As worn at the Delhi Durbar it was decorated with a ring of 10 of the
Cambridge Emeralds (see below), but Queen Mary
removed the emeralds in the 1920s. She later gave the tiara to Queen Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon who rarely wore it in her lifetime, and at her death it passed to Queen Elizabeth II. It has lately been loaned to Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall who has worn it on state occasions.
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The Cambridge Lover’s Knot Tiara
Queen Mary commissioned this piece in 1914 to
resemble a tiara that had been worn by her grandmother, Princess Augusta, Duchess of Cambridge. Made of gold, silver and diamonds, it contains 19 large pearls hanging from arches ties by lover’s knot bows, from which the tiara takes the second part of its name. Queen Elizabeth II inherited the tiara at Queen Mary’s death in 1953 and wore it regularly during the first years of her reign. In 1981 she loaned it to Diana, Princess of Wales who made it her most recognizable piece of jewelry, wearing it at state functions, receptions and on official portraits. The tiara was returned to the Queen after Diana’s divorce from Prince Charles in 1997 and it was not seen again until 2015 when it began to be worn by the current