Crown Jewels: St Edward's Crown

The crown jewels are the most famous of the nation's treasures. They're part of the royal collection and held in trust by the monarch for the nation. They include over 100 extraordinary items including orbs, scepters and crowns. All are closely connected with the status and role of the monarch. St Edward's crown is the historic gold crown used at the moment of coronation. It was made for the coronation of Charles II in 1661 as a replacement for the medieval crown melted down in 1649 after the execution of Charles I. The lost medieval crown dated back to the 11th century and belonged to the royal saint Edward the Confessor. It has been used at the coronation of every monarch since Charles II. The crown's frame is solid gold. It weighs just over 2 kilograms and is decorated with rubies, amethysts and sapphires. St Edward's crown is only used once in a monarch's reign. It is the most significant of the crown jewels because of its role in coronation.