Inside the Royal Family's Collection of Most Valuable Crowns, Featuring the Brilliance of Diamonds, Rubies, and Gold

For centuries, the British royal family has been known for its stunning collection of crowns and regalia. These glittering pieces are not only beautiful but also hold immense historical and cultural significance. The royal collection includes some of the most valuable crowns in the world, adorned with diamonds, rubies, and gold. Let's take a closer look at some of the most magnificent and valuable crowns in the royal family's collection.

The Imperial State Crown

The Imperial State Crown is one of the most iconic and valuable crowns in the royal collection. According to Page Six, it is worn by the monarch during the State Opening of Parliament and is also used on other formal occasions. The crown, believed to be worth $6.2 billion, was made in 1937 for the coronation of King George VI and is adorned with over 2,800 diamonds, as well as sapphires, emeralds, and pearls. The centerpiece of the crown is the Cullinan II diamond, which is the second-largest diamond in the world, weighing in at a whopping 317.4 carats.

The St. Edward's Crown

St. Edward's Crown is the most significant piece in the Crown Jewels and one or the other version of this has been used to crown English monarchs since 1065. The current $57 million crown was made for Charles II's coronation in 1661 and is made of solid gold with alternating crosses and fleur de lis, weighing almost five pounds. The crown has 444 jewels, including rubies, amethysts, and sapphires, and will be placed on King Charles's head during his coronation before being replaced with the lighter Imperial State Crown. Due to its weight, Queen Elizabeth II once said that looking down to read a speech with St. Edward's Crown on would break her neck.

The George IV State Crown

The George IV State Crown, worn during the 1821 coronation of King George IV, is an extravagant crown adorned with 12,314 precious stones made of gold and silver. The monarch wanted a coronation more impressive than Emperor Napoleon's, hence the flamboyant design. Although most of the gems were rented, De Beers eventually loaned diamonds to fill the frame of the crown, which had remained empty for 180 years. The crown won't be used during King Charles III's coronation, but it can be viewed at the Jewel House in the Tower of London.

Queen Adelaide’s Crown

Queen Adelaide commissioned a new crown for her 1831 coronation, considering Mary of Modena’s crown as "too theatrical." The silver frame featured diamonds from her collection, which were removed after the coronation. The crown was sold and later bought by the Prince of Brunei, who returned it to the British royal family.

The Crown of Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother

The Crown of Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother is one of the most recent additions to the royal collection. It was made in 1937 for the coronation of King George VI and was later used by his wife, Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother, for her own coronation. The crown is made of platinum and gold and is adorned with diamonds, including the Koh-i-Noor diamond, which is one of the largest diamonds in the world. The crown also features a large sapphire in the center.

The Crown of Queen Mary

Queen Consorts had been receiving new crowns for their coronations for the last 300 years, but Queen Consort Camilla reused the Queen Mary Crown for her husband’s “slimmed down” affair, reports Page Six. The stunning headpiece was created for King George V’s wife, Queen Mary, in 1911. The crown was mounted with more than 2,200 diamonds and originally housed the controversial Koh-i-Noor diamond, which was later replaced by the 94.4-carat pear-shaped Cullinan III and 63.6-carat Cullinan IV diamonds. Elizabeth II referred to these two diamonds as “Granny’s chips” and also wore them as broaches. The Queen Mary Crown was last worn by Queen Mary herself in 1952, shortly before she passed away.

The Crown of Queen Alexandra

Queen Alexandra, wife of Edward VII and great-grandmother of Queen Elizabeth II, wore a unique crown for her coronation in 1902. She was the first queen consort after Queen Victoria's long reign and decided to have her own crown. It had eight half arches and was flatter than the usual British crown. Her crown featured her own diamonds, which were eventually removed, and included the famous 105-carat Koh-i-Noor diamond at the center.