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Historic crown to be modified for Charles III coronation

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Agence France-Presse

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="Britain" s="" King="" Charles="" III="" arrives="" at="" Llandaff="" in="" September="" Neil="" Hall="" src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2022/overseas/12/04/charles.jpg"/><figcaption>Britain&#x27;s King Charles III arrives at Llandaff Cathedral, in Cardiff, Britain, 16 September 2022. <em>Neil Hall/EPA-EFE</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>LONDON — Britain&#x27;s 17th-century St Edward&#x27;s Crown, the centrepiece of the Crown Jewels, has been removed from display to be altered for the coronation of King Charles III, Buckingham Palace said on Saturday.</p><p>The solid gold crown, encrusted with rubies, amethysts, sapphires, garnet, topazes and tourmalines, will undergo &quot;modification work&quot; for Charles III&#x27;s coronation at Westminster Abbey on May 6 next year, the palace said. </p><p>The crown is the centrepiece of the Crown Jewels, a large collection of royal regalia housed in the Tower of London that attracts more than a million visitors per year.</p><p>It has a purple velvet cap with an ermine band, is just over 30 cm (one foot) tall and very heavy.</p><p>It was last worn by Queen Elizabeth II, at her coronation in 1953.</p><p>Charles III, 74, will be crowned along with his wife, Queen Consort Camilla.</p><p>The ceremony will be followed by a national holiday on May 8.</p><p>The crown was made for King Charles II in 1661 to replace a mediaeval crown though to date back to Edward the Confessor.</p><div><strong>2,000 diamonds</strong></div><p>The original had been melted down by parliamentarians after the execution of Charles I.</p><p>For hundreds of years afterwards, the crown was only carried in coronation processions because it was too heavy to wear.</p><p>It was altered to make it lighter for the coronation of King George V in 1911 but still weighs 2.23 kilogrammes (nearly five pounds).</p><p>Charles III will only wear it at the moment he is crowned.</p><p>When he leaves Westminster Abbey, Charles will wear the more modern Imperial State Crown, also used for occasions such as the opening of parliament.</p><p>Set with over 2,000 diamonds, the Imperial State Crown was created in 1937 for the coronation of King George VI, the father of Elizabeth II.</p><p>The coronation traditionally takes place some months after a new sovereign has ascended to the throne, following a period of national and royal mourning, and intense preparation.</p><p>Charles immediately became king when his mother died on September 8. He also took over as head of state of 14 Commonwealth countries, including Australia, Canada and New Zealand.</p><p>Concerned about public perceptions, he has reportedly requested a less lavish ceremony than the festivities held for Elizabeth II in 1953.</p><p>The queen, who was 96, died at her Balmoral estate in Scotland after a year of declining health. She reigned for a record 70 years.</p><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO:</strong></div><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/2r4X6klwaIc?enablejsapi=1" width="560"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more News on <a href="https://www.iwanttfc.com/#!/browse/Genres/News/tag_id_genres/id_news" target="_blank">iWantTFC</a></div>

Britain's 17th-century St Edward's Crown has been removed from display to be altered for the coronation of King Charles III, Buckingham Palace said.