The coronation crown of UK monarchs

The St. Edwards Crown is the official coronation crown for monarchs of the United Kingdom.

Much of the modern day crown dates back to the one constructed in 1661 for the coronation of King Charles II. Built around a velvet cap with ermine border, the crown is constructed from solid gold and set with 444 precious stones.

Queen Victoria and Edward II chose not to use the St. Edwards Crown at their coronation because of its 2.2kg weight, opting instead for the lighter imperial crown.

In 1671, army officer Thomas Blood made a daring attempt to steal the crown from the Tower of London, in the process flattening it with a mallet in order to conceal it in a bag.