People take a selfie in front of a replica of the St Edward's Crown in London. Getty
People take a selfie in front of a replica of the St Edward's Crown in London. Getty
People take a selfie in front of a replica of the St Edward's Crown in London. Getty
People take a selfie in front of a replica of the St Edward's Crown in London. Getty

St Edward's Crown and the Imperial State Crown: Symbols of British monarchy


Marwa Hassan
  • English
  • Arabic

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St Edward's Crown and the Imperial State Crown are two invaluable components of the UK's Crown Jewels.

They each serve a unique purpose in the regal ceremonies and embody the history of the British monarchy.

St Edward's crown: the crown of English kings

St Edward's Crown, the oldest and most sacred of the Crown Jewels, was crafted for King Edward the Confessor in the 11th century.

Since then, it has been used to crown every English monarch.

The gold crown is adorned with precious stones, such as the St Edward's Sapphire, the Stuart Sapphire and the Black Prince's Ruby.

This symbol of sovereignty is reserved for the coronation ceremony, signifying the continuity of the British monarchy and its long, rich history.

The Imperial State Crown: the crown of the British Monarchy

King Charles III will switch from the St Edward's Crown into the lighter Imperial Crown before he processes out of the abbey at the end of the service. Photo: Royal Collection Trust
King Charles III will switch from the St Edward's Crown into the lighter Imperial Crown before he processes out of the abbey at the end of the service. Photo: Royal Collection Trust

In contrast, the Imperial State Crown is used by the monarch during the State Opening of Parliament and other formal occasions.

As the most important crown in the collection, it is set with 2,868 diamonds, 17 sapphires, 11 emeralds, 269 pearls and four rubies.

This gold crown represents the power and authority of the British monarch, as well as the king or queen's role as head of state and commander-in-chief of the armed forces.

Differences and Similarities

The most noticeable differences between St Edward's Crown and the Imperial State Crown are their size and weight.

The former weighs 2.23kg and stands 30cm tall, while the latter weighs 1.04kg and is 25cm tall.

Despite these differences, both crowns are crafted from gold and adorned with precious stones, symbolising the sovereignty of the British monarch during significant state occasions.

History

St Edward's Crown was originally made of silver and set with jewels but was melted down during the English Civil War in 1649.

It was remade in 1661 after the Restoration.

The Imperial State Crown, on the other hand, was crafted for King George VI's coronation in 1937 by Garrard & Co.

St Edward's Crown and the Imperial State Crown, with their distinct roles and histories, remain time-honoured symbols of the British monarchy.

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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Lexus LX700h specs

Engine: 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 plus supplementary electric motor

Power: 464hp at 5,200rpm

Torque: 790Nm from 2,000-3,600rpm

Transmission: 10-speed auto

Fuel consumption: 11.7L/100km

On sale: Now

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While you're here
Our legal advisor

Ahmad El Sayed is Senior Associate at Charles Russell Speechlys, a law firm headquartered in London with offices in the UK, Europe, the Middle East and Hong Kong.

Experience: Commercial litigator who has assisted clients with overseas judgments before UAE courts. His specialties are cases related to banking, real estate, shareholder disputes, company liquidations and criminal matters as well as employment related litigation. 

Education: Sagesse University, Beirut, Lebanon, in 2005.

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Started: November 2017

Founders: Mounir Nakhla, Ahmed Mohsen and Mohamed Aboulnaga

Based: Cairo, Egypt

Sector: transport and logistics

Size: 150 employees

Investment: approximately $8 million

Investors include: Singapore’s Battery Road Digital Holdings, Egypt’s Algebra Ventures, Uber co-founder and former CTO Oscar Salazar

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Information can be found through VFS Global.

Jordan

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Centres include the Speciality Hospital, which now offers drive-through testing.

Cambodia

Dh478

Travel tests are managed by the Ministry of Health and National Institute of Public Health.

Zanzibar

AED 295

Zanzibar Public Health Emergency Operations Centre, located within the Lumumba Secondary School compound.

Abu Dhabi

Dh85

Abu Dhabi’s Seha has test centres throughout the UAE.

UK

From Dh400

Heathrow Airport now offers drive through and clinic-based testing, starting from Dh400 and up to Dh500 for the PCR test.

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Close your windows and turn on the AC.

Shower or bath after being outside.

Wear a face mask.

Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.

If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.

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CHELSEA SQUAD

Arrizabalaga, Bettinelli, Rudiger, Christensen, Silva, Chalobah, Sarr, Azpilicueta, James, Kenedy, Alonso, Jorginho, Kante, Kovacic, Saul, Barkley, Ziyech, Pulisic, Mount, Hudson-Odoi, Werner, Havertz, Lukaku. 

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Key recommendations
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Marie Byrne, a counsellor who volunteers at the UAE government's mental health crisis helpline, said the ordeal the crew had been through would take time to overcome.

“It was worse than a prison sentence, where at least someone can deal with a set amount of time incarcerated," she said.

“They were living in perpetual mystery as to how their futures would pan out, and what that would be.

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Rules will also be laid out for adult dependants, meaning they will have to demonstrate a basic understanding of the language.

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Reputation

Taylor Swift

(Big Machine Records)

Warlight,
Michael Ondaatje, Knopf 

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Updated: May 06, 2023, 9:56 AM