The historic centrepiece of the Crown Jewels had been removed, according to Buckingham Palace, to allow for modification work to begin before the ceremony on May 6. The movement of the priceless crown was kept hidden until it arrived safely. Since the 13th century, versions of the St Edward’s Crown are thought to have been used at the moment of coronation for British and English monarchs. The current crown was created in 1661 for Charles II as a replacement for the mediaeval crown, which was melted down in 1649. The original was thought to date back to Edward the Confessor, England’s last Anglo-Saxon king, in the 11th century. The St Edward’s Crown appears in the United Kingdom’s royal coat of arms, the Royal Mail logo, and military badges. St Edward’s Crown, the historic centrepiece of the Crown Jewels, has been removed from the Tower of London to allow for modification work to begin ahead of the Coronation on Saturday May 6 2023,” Buckingham Palace said in a statement on Saturday. The coronation will be held in Westminster Abbey eight months after the monarch’s accession and the Queen’s death.
