The Coronation Regalia

The podcast discusses the Crown Jewels and their mysteries. Many of the regalia have been used for over 1,000 years, but their original purposes remain unknown. Most were created as replicas of medieval objects destroyed in the 17th century. The Coronation Spoon, the oldest object in the collection, is also of unknown purpose. The regalia symbolize the powers and responsibilities of the monarch and are held in the Tower of London. Various objects, such as swords and the ampulla, are used during the coronation ceremony. The Queen Consort's Rod with Dove, made of ivory, was used despite environmental concerns. The Imperial State Crown is the working crown used on state occasions. Overall, the regalia hold historical significance and are important symbols of the monarchy. Hello everyone, welcome to my podcast. My name is Nathalie and I'm a teeter in London. I've lived here for over 20 years. Today I'd like to talk to you about the Crown Jewels in King Charles' Coronation. From the Sovereign's Orb to the Coronation Spur's invaluable regalia was on display, but the purpose of all of them remains a mystery. At the heart of the King's Coronation were ancient and invaluable jewel-encrusted regalia, from swords to crowns, much of which have been used for more than 1,000 years. But mysteries surround the purpose of some of the objects, with royal experts admitting that despite their repeated use and historical significance, they have no idea what they were used for. Most of the regalia were created during the reign of Charles II as replicas of medieval objects that were destroyed in the mid-17th century on the orders of Oliver Cromwell. Among them is St. Edward's Fast, which was remade even though no one was quite sure what it was for. The original purpose of the Coronation Spoon, which is used during the anointing, the most sacred part of the ceremony, is also unknown. First recorded in 1349, preserved among St. Edward's regalia in Westminster Abbey, it is the oldest object in the collection and has been hailed as the one real great survivor of the medieval regalia. Yet, the Senior Curator of Decorative Arts for the Royal Collection Trust admitted, we do not know its original purpose. The Queen Consort's Rod with Dove, which is made of ivory, was used despite claims that it would be rejected due to environmental concerns. One palace source noted that a collection of such size and age as the Royal Collection would be expected to contain items made of ivory because, of course, it reflects the taste of the time. The Coronation Regalia is considered the heart of the crown jewels, held in trust by the monarch on behalf of the nation. Housed in the Tower of London, where they were kept on public display and are kept, they are sacred objects which symbolise the powers and responsibilities of the monarch. The regalia have played a central role in coronation services for hundreds of years and were used at Westminster Abbey today, 6th May 2023. The ceremonial mace has been a symbol of royal authority for more than 1,000 years. It was carried by peers ahead of the monarch during the procession into Westminster Abbey. The maces are also used during the state opening of Parliament. One of the objects that formed part of the early medieval regalia was known as the St Edward's Staff and is thought to have been associated with King Edward the Confessor, who died in 1066. A public historian, Charles Farris, for Historic Royal Palaces, said when the crown jewels were remade in 1660 and 1661, Charles II was being advised as to what he might need and what he might not need. When it came to St Edward's Staff, no one was quite sure what it was for and they almost didn't have one at all. But Charles II said, no, I want the full set. And it was made even though no one quite knew what it was for and that is still carried in English coronation today. The Sword of State. Five swords in total were used during the coronation ceremony. The Sword of State is carried before the Sovereign on formal occasion symbolising royal authority. It has a steel blade with a silver gilt hilt enclosed in a wooden cupboard covered in velvet. In 1660 and 1678, during the reign of King Charles II, two such swords were made. The latter was used on Saturday after Mr Farris admitted we do not quite know what happened to the first one. It was used by Queen Elizabeth on various ceremonial occasions, including the investiture of the then Prince of Wales in 1669 and the VE Day service in St Paul's Cathedral in 1995. The Swords of Spiritual Justice, Mercy and Temporal Justice. Four further swords were used during the coronation. Three were carried before the monarch during the procession into the Abbey in a traditional and tradition that dates back to at least the coronation of Richard I in 1189. Like then, they were carried pointing upwards and representing the King's various powers and duties. The swords were made for the coronation of Charles I in 1626 and then placed with the regalia in Westminster Abbey. Together with the coronation spoon, they were the only pieces to survive the civil war to the restoration and scattered. They are the Sword of Temporal Justice signifying the monarch's role as head of the armed forces, the Sword of the Spiritual Justice signifying the monarch as defender of the faith and the Sword of Mercy or Katana, which has a blunted tip symbolising the sovereign's mercy. The fifth and final sword is the Jeweled Sword of Offering. It was made in 1820 and has a steel blade mounted in gold and set with jewels which form a rose, a thistle, a shamrock, oak leaves, acorns and lion's heads. The sword is contained in a gold-covered leather scabbard. It was first used at the coronation of King George IV. The next object is the ampulla. The most sacred moment during the coronation ceremony is the anointing when the Archbishop of Canterbury used holy oil from the Mount of Olives in Jerusalem to mark a cross on the King's hands, chest and forehead. The oil is stored in the ampulla, a gold vessel in the shape of an eagle supplied in 1661 by Royal goldsmith Robert Viner. The head of the eagle is removable and there is an opening in the beak for pouring the oil. The design is based on an earlier smaller vessel which in turn is said to have been based on a 14th century legend that the Virgin Mary appeared to Thomas Becket in a dream and presented him with a golden eagle and a vial of oil for anointing future kings of England. Mr Jones from the Royal Collection Trust said in fact it's probably more likely to be based on a French medieval vessel that was in the shape of an eagle but obviously it was reproduced in exactly the same form in 1661. The coronation spoon is the oldest object in the collection and the oldest surviving English goldsmith's work. Dating back to the 12th century, it is described as the one real great survivor of the medieval regalia. Interestingly, like St Edward's staff, we do not know its original purpose, admitted Mr Jones. It was listed among the regalia in 1349 but stylistically it dates earlier than that and may have been supplied to either Henry II or Richard I. Clearly never intended for eating or stirring, its divided bowl and its length suggest that it had a ceremonial purpose and its presence among the regalia means that it has always been associated with coronations. The oil is poured from the ampulla into the bowl of the spoon before the Archbishop dips in two fingers. When the symbolic melt of all the crown jewels took place, the spoon was actually sold because nobody quite understood its purpose. Clement, who looked after Charles I's wardrobe, bought it for 16 shillings. When Charles II was restored to the throne, he gave it back, allegedly at a small profit. During the investiture, the king was presented with various symbolic objects that represented the powers and responsibilities. The spurs represent the monarch's knightly values and virtues. Made for Charles II in 1661, they were based on an earlier design meaning that even then would have looked quite archaic. They were intentionally looking backwards when they designed these objects, he added. The jewel sword of offering was carried during the procession and then presented to the monarch as other symbol of royal power and knightly values. The Archbishop blessed the sword and then gave it to the king to be used for the protection of good and the punishment of evil. The armhills, these gold bracelets decorated with animal symbols, are placed on the sovereign's wrists during the coronation service. They are referred to as the bracelets of sincerity and wisdom. The orb, fantastic object, the hollow 30 cm wide orb represents the globe. It is placed in the right hand of the monarch as they are invested before being placed on the altar before the moment of crowning. It is mounted with 9 emeralds, 18 rubies, 9 sapphires, 365 diamonds, 375 pearls, 1 amethyst and 1 glass stone. Again it was recreated in the 17th century after the Reformation and while the design is copied from previous versions, it is much larger. The sovereign ring is a symbol of dignity and faith and also a commitment to his people and to the Church. The sovereign sceptre with the cross, these are presented representing temporal and spiritual power. They form distantly related to the bishop's crosier, a symbol of pastoral care. St Edward's crown, named after St Edward and Edward the Confessor, the crown is used solely for the moment of crowning. Traditionally it was not allowed to leave Westminster Abbey where it was kept with regalia, meaning a second crown had to be created for the procession out of the Abbey. It weighs nearly 5 pounds. The solid gold frame is adorned with 444 precious stones. It features four crosses and four fleurs-de-lis. The two arches are surmounted by an orb and a cross representing the Christian faith. The Queen Consort's ring, both the sovereign and the Queen Consort were presented with the ring during the coronation ceremony. This ring was made for William IV's concert, Queen Adelaide, in 1831 and since 1902. All concerts have used it, including Queen Alexandra, Queen Mary, Queen Elizabeth the Mother. It features a ruby as the principal stone in a gold setting and backed within a border of 14 cushions shaped brilliance set transparent in silver collets. The gold shank is set with 14 graduated mixed cub rubies. Queen Mary's crown. Camilla wore the crown of Queen Mary, the Consort of King George V, which was made by Garrads for the 1911 coronation and is mounted with 2,200 diamonds. It originally featured the Koh-i-Noor diamond, but to avoid controversy, this time it was reset with the Cullinan III, IV and V diamonds in tribute to Queen Elizabeth II, who often wore them as brooches. The choice of Queen Mary's crowns marked the first time in recent history that an existing crown was used for the coronation of a concert rather than a new commission. The Queen Consort sceptre with cross and the Queen Consort rod with the dove. Like the King, the Queen Consort received two sceptres during the ceremony. The first represents temporal power and the second the Holy Spirit. The rod with dove is made of ivory. Buckingham Palace A has denied report that Camilla would not use it due to pressure from the Prince of Wales, an ardent campaigner against elephant poaching. In 1214, it was claimed that he had asked for all ivory in the Royal Collection of Buckingham Palace to be removed and destroyed. His father had reportedly asked for all ivory items at his Clarent House and Highgrove Homes to be removed from sight. The Imperial State Crown The King wore the Imperial State Crown to process from the Abbey. Known as the Working Crown, it is used on state occasion, notably the annual state opening of Parliament. Made in 1937, it is relatively new addition to the collection. It is designed based on Queen Victoria's earlier Imperial State Crown. The orb and the cross on the top were transferred directly over from the original. It is made of gold and set with 2,868 diamonds, the largest of which is the Cullinan II. It also features some of the most historic and legendary jewels in the collection, including the Black Prince Ruby, said to have been part of the collection since the 14th century. I hope you enjoyed today's podcast. See you all very soon. Goodbye for now. 1234