King's crown moved from Tower of London ahead of 'muted' coronation
4 December 2022, 17:55
The King's crown has been moved from the Tower of London to a secret location ahead of Charles's coronation in May.
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St Edward's Crown weighs more than 2kg and contains 444 precious and non-precious stones. It is made of 22-carat gold.
Normally the centrepiece of the Crown Jewels at the Tower of London, the accessory has been moved to an undisclosed location ahead of the coronation on May 6, 2023.
The affair is expected to be a muted one in a statement of purpose for the King's "slimmed-down" monarchy.
It's thought the King’s ceremony will last just one hour. The Queen’s, in June 1953, lasted more than three.
It has also been suggested that the guest list will be slashed from 8,000 to around 2,000.
VIPs will be allowed a more relaxed dress code of suits instead of ceremonial gowns, provisional blueprints suggested in October.
The king will be 74 when he is crowned, making him the oldest monarch in British history.
Before him King William IV was 64 when he took the crown in 1890.
A palace source told the Daily Mirror two months ago: “The King is very aware of the struggles felt by modern Britons so will see his wishes carried through that although his coronation ceremony should stay right and true to the long-held traditions of the past, it should also be representative of a monarchy in a modern world.
“The King has long been an advocate of a streamlined of slimmed-down monarchy and this project could certainly be said to fit with his vision."
