Coronation Crown of George IV
Encyclopedia
The Coronation Crown of George IV was the coronation crown
of King George IV of the United Kingdom
. It was used in the coronation
in 1821. It has remained unworn since 1823.
As the Prince of Wales
and as Prince Regent
George had been an extravagant figure, with controversial art
istic tastes. When he became king, George planned an innovation in British
coronations. Instead of having separate coronation and state crown
s, he decided to have one crown
with which he would both be crowned and would use on state occasions such as the State Opening of Parliament
.
Alongside a change of crown, he also planned to redesign the crown. Traditionally English
and British
crowns were decorated with fleurs-de-lis
, symbolising the previous claim of English monarch
s that they were also King of France. George decided to abandon the fleurs, and replace them with symbols representing Scotland
(the thistle
), England
(the rose
) and Ireland
(the shamrock
). Part of his ungoing use of symbols of each of the kingdoms was to see him wearing a kilt
in Scotland and to pay the first visit to Ireland of a reigning monarch since kings James II
and William III
fought for the crown in Ireland in 1690.
However the plan to remove the fleur-de-lis and introduce the thistle, rose and shamrock, was abandoned after objections from the College of Heralds.
, each joined to the band with a cross pattee
into which diamonds were set. The four half-arches met together at a jewelled monde
, on top of which a cross
sat. Like the State Crown of George I
, but unlike St. Edward's Crown
, the four half-arches were pulled upright rather than allowed to curve downwards at the monde.
The gold and silver crown frame was designed by Philip Liebart of Rundell, Bridge and Rundell. It contained an innovative design that made the frame almost invisible behind the crown's jewels. 12,314 jewels diamonds were set in the crown.
After standing empty of jewels for nearly 180 years it has now been rejewelled with diamonds loaned by De Beers
. It is on display in the Tower of London
.
Coronation crown
A coronation crown is a crown used by a monarch when being crowned. In some monarchies, monarchs did not wear the one crown but had a number of crowns for different occasions; a coronation crown for the moment of coronation, and a state crown for general usage in state ceremonial...
of King George IV of the United Kingdom
George IV of the United Kingdom
George IV was the King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and also of Hanover from the death of his father, George III, on 29 January 1820 until his own death ten years later...
. It was used in the coronation
Coronation
A coronation is a ceremony marking the formal investiture of a monarch and/or their consort with regal power, usually involving the placement of a crown upon their head and the presentation of other items of regalia...
in 1821. It has remained unworn since 1823.
Origins
Prince of Wales
Prince of Wales is a title traditionally granted to the heir apparent to the reigning monarch of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the 15 other independent Commonwealth realms...
and as Prince Regent
Prince Regent
A prince regent is a prince who rules a monarchy as regent instead of a monarch, e.g., due to the Sovereign's incapacity or absence ....
George had been an extravagant figure, with controversial art
Art
Art is the product or process of deliberately arranging items in a way that influences and affects one or more of the senses, emotions, and intellect....
istic tastes. When he became king, George planned an innovation in British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
coronations. Instead of having separate coronation and state crown
State crown
A state crown is the working crown worn by a monarch on recurring state occasions such as State Openings of Parliament, as opposed to the coronation crown with which they would be formally crowned....
s, he decided to have one crown
Crown (headgear)
A crown is the traditional symbolic form of headgear worn by a monarch or by a deity, for whom the crown traditionally represents power, legitimacy, immortality, righteousness, victory, triumph, resurrection, honour and glory of life after death. In art, the crown may be shown being offered to...
with which he would both be crowned and would use on state occasions such as the State Opening of Parliament
State Opening of Parliament
In the United Kingdom, the State Opening of Parliament is an annual event that marks the commencement of a session of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It is held in the House of Lords Chamber, usually in November or December or, in a general election year, when the new Parliament first assembles...
.
Alongside a change of crown, he also planned to redesign the crown. Traditionally English
Kingdom of England
The Kingdom of England was, from 927 to 1707, a sovereign state to the northwest of continental Europe. At its height, the Kingdom of England spanned the southern two-thirds of the island of Great Britain and several smaller outlying islands; what today comprises the legal jurisdiction of England...
and British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
crowns were decorated with fleurs-de-lis
Fleur-de-lis
The fleur-de-lis or fleur-de-lys is a stylized lily or iris that is used as a decorative design or symbol. It may be "at one and the same time, political, dynastic, artistic, emblematic, and symbolic", especially in heraldry...
, symbolising the previous claim of English monarch
Monarch
A monarch is the person who heads a monarchy. This is a form of government in which a state or polity is ruled or controlled by an individual who typically inherits the throne by birth and occasionally rules for life or until abdication...
s that they were also King of France. George decided to abandon the fleurs, and replace them with symbols representing Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
(the thistle
Thistle
Thistle is the common name of a group of flowering plants characterised by leaves with sharp prickles on the margins, mostly in the family Asteraceae. Prickles often occur all over the plant – on surfaces such as those of the stem and flat parts of leaves. These are an adaptation that protects the...
), England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
(the rose
Rose
A rose is a woody perennial of the genus Rosa, within the family Rosaceae. There are over 100 species. They form a group of erect shrubs, and climbing or trailing plants, with stems that are often armed with sharp prickles. Flowers are large and showy, in colours ranging from white through yellows...
) and Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
(the shamrock
Shamrock
The shamrock is a three-leafed old white clover. It is known as a symbol of Ireland. The name shamrock is derived from Irish , which is the diminutive version of the Irish word for clover ....
). Part of his ungoing use of symbols of each of the kingdoms was to see him wearing a kilt
Kilt
The kilt is a knee-length garment with pleats at the rear, originating in the traditional dress of men and boys in the Scottish Highlands of the 16th century. Since the 19th century it has become associated with the wider culture of Scotland in general, or with Celtic heritage even more broadly...
in Scotland and to pay the first visit to Ireland of a reigning monarch since kings James II
James II of England
James II & VII was King of England and King of Ireland as James II and King of Scotland as James VII, from 6 February 1685. He was the last Catholic monarch to reign over the Kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ireland...
and William III
William III of England
William III & II was a sovereign Prince of Orange of the House of Orange-Nassau by birth. From 1672 he governed as Stadtholder William III of Orange over Holland, Zeeland, Utrecht, Guelders, and Overijssel of the Dutch Republic. From 1689 he reigned as William III over England and Ireland...
fought for the crown in Ireland in 1690.
However the plan to remove the fleur-de-lis and introduce the thistle, rose and shamrock, was abandoned after objections from the College of Heralds.
Design
The crown, as finally made, followed closely the standard shape and design of English and British crowns. It contained four half-archesHalf-arch (crown)
A half-arch is the piece of gold, silver or platinum, usually decorated with jewels, that links the circlet of a hoop crown to the globe at the top of the crown.-British tradition of 4 half-arches:...
, each joined to the band with a cross pattee
Cross pattée (crown)
Many crowns worn by monarchs have jewelled cross pattée symbols mounted atop the band. Most crowns possess at least four such crosses, from which the half arches rise...
into which diamonds were set. The four half-arches met together at a jewelled monde
Monde (crown)
A monde is a ball-like object located near the top of a crown. It is the point at which a crown's half arches meet. It is usually topped off either with a national or religious symbol, for example a cross in Christian countries....
, on top of which a cross
Cross (crown)
A cross is the decoration located at the highest level of a crown on top of the monde. Its usage traditionally symbolised the Christian nature of the monarchy of that country, though not all crowns even in monarchies associated with Christianity used a cross as its top decoration, with some French...
sat. Like the State Crown of George I
State Crown of George I
The State Crown of George I was the state crown manufactured for King George I of Great Britain.When George I became King of Great Britain and King of Ireland in 1714 it was decided to replace the previous state crown , created for King Charles II in 1661, by a new crown, as the old one was judged...
, but unlike St. Edward's Crown
St. Edward's Crown
St Edward's Crown was one of the English Crown Jewels and remains one of the senior British Crown Jewels, being the official coronation crown used in the coronation of first English, then British, and finally Commonwealth realms monarchs...
, the four half-arches were pulled upright rather than allowed to curve downwards at the monde.
The gold and silver crown frame was designed by Philip Liebart of Rundell, Bridge and Rundell. It contained an innovative design that made the frame almost invisible behind the crown's jewels. 12,314 jewels diamonds were set in the crown.
Usage
George IV was determined to have his crown made the official crown of England, in preference to St. Edward's Crown. However two years of pressure on his government failed to ensure that the hired jewels that decorated the crown were bought outright by the state. In 1823 he conceded defeat. The hired jewels were returned and the crown left an empty shell. It was never again worn by him or by any future monarch.After standing empty of jewels for nearly 180 years it has now been rejewelled with diamonds loaned by De Beers
De Beers
De Beers is a family of companies that dominate the diamond, diamond mining, diamond trading and industrial diamond manufacturing sectors. De Beers is active in every category of industrial diamond mining: open-pit, underground, large-scale alluvial, coastal and deep sea...
. It is on display in the Tower of London
Tower of London
Her Majesty's Royal Palace and Fortress, more commonly known as the Tower of London, is a historic castle on the north bank of the River Thames in central London, England. It lies within the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, separated from the eastern edge of the City of London by the open space...
.