11 Things You Didn't Know About the United Kingdom's Crown Jewels
The epitome of wealth and opulence, the Crown Jewels embody all the excess and extravagance of the British monarchy. Read on to find out how what they are, how long they’ve been around, how much they’re worth and lots more.
The oldest item dates back to the 12th century
The Coronation Spoon, used to anoint the monarch as the Supreme Governor of the Church of England, dates all the way back to the 12th century.
The most recent item joined the collection in 1953
The Crown Jewels include the largest clear-cut diamond in the world
The 530-carat Cullinan I is estimated to be worth at least £400 million. The larger Cullinan Diamond from which it was cut was a 66th birthday gift to King Edward VII from the government of the Transvaal Colony in 1907.
Ironically the ‘jewel in the crown’ of the collection isn’t in a crown at all
The Cullinan I sits proudly as the centrepiece of the Sovereign’s Sceptre with Cross, which was redesigned to incorporate the hefty jewel in 1910.
There are more Crown Jewels than leagues under the sea
The Crown Jewels collectively refer to 23,578 precious and semi-precious stones owned by the monarch. We’re not sure, but we reckon that’s almost more bling than Ali-G.
They bejewel a total of 140 items
From robes and alter plates to sceptres, swords and, of course, crowns, the Crown Jewels add more than a little sparkle to everything they touch, and even more to the 140 items they’re embedded in.
They used to be kept in Westminster Abbey
The royal regalia was previously kept in Westminster Abbey, but a spate of successful and attempted thefts saw them transferred to the Tower of London in the 14th century.
The Crown Jewels were kept in a biscuit tin for a while
During World War II, the Crown Jewels were kept in a biscuit tin in Windsor Castle. If you think that’s ridiculous, the next one really takes the biscuit.
They’ve been stolen – and the thief was pardoned
No, we’re not talking about Johnny English’s rival Pascal Sauvage – he went down for a long time. During the reign of Charles II, a man who called himself Colonel Blood stole the Crown Jewels. Not only was he pardoned, the king gave him a piece of land in Ireland worth £500 per year.
Unlike the monarchy, most of the collection is not very old (relatively speaking)
The abolition of the monarchy in 1649 saw much of the medieval and Tudor regalia melted down or sold. Many of today’s Crown Jewels were integrated into the collection during or after the reign of Charles II.
Technically, the Crown Jewels aren’t worth anything
Seeing as they’ve never been – and probably never will be – put on sale or insured, it’s practically impossible to accurately value the Crown Jewels. They’re priceless.
Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.
Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.
Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.
Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.
We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.
- Post ID: 1800401
- Sponsored? No
- View Payload