The crown was placed on Charles III's head by Justin Welby, the Archbishop of Canterbury, who is considered the religious leader of the Church of England. He placed the "Crown of St. Edward" on the king's head, which is one of Britain's royal crowns.
This is the only time that Charles III will wear this crown during his lifetime. The crown was made in 1661 for the coronation of Charles II. So far, six British kings have worn this crown. Meghan, Harry's wife, did not attend the coronation ceremony. In his recently published memoir, Prince Harry revealed the disagreements he has with some members of the royal family, including his brother William.
The Coronation of King Charles III: all the latest details
Sparkling with nearly 3,000 stones, including 2,868 diamonds, 273 pearls, 17 sapphires, 11 emeralds, and five rubies, the piece weighs in at a hefty 2.3lbs (1.06kg). Some jewellery experts have estimated it to be worth between £3 billion and £5 billion, with the 317-carat Cullinan II (the diamond at the centre of the piece) alone being estimated at £400 million. That said, several specialists have decided that putting a price on the crown’s worth is ‘nigh on impossible’. Royal expert Alastair Bruce has previously stated that the Crown Jewels collection (of which the crown is apart) was beyond monetary value.
The colonial legacy of the monarchy's crown jewels
The royal jewels are a legacy of Britain's colonial era, and after the death of the Queen, several countries demanded the return of these looted jewels to their own country.
One of the jewels believed to be featured in the Queen’s sceptre, “The Great Star of Africa,” is a 530-carat jewel that was reportedly stolen from South Africa in 1905 and estimated to be worth $400 million. The Imperial State Crown also reportedly includes a 317-carat diamond known as “The Second Star of Africa.” Both jewels were cut from the same diamond known as “The Cullinan Diamond.”
Queen Elizabeth II owns the largest clear-cut diamond in the world known as “The Great Star of Africa” the 530 carats gem was mined in South Africa back in 1905. It was stolen from South Africa. It has an estimated worth of $400 million…The British claim The Great Star of Africa was given to them as a symbol of friendship and peace, yet it was during colonialism. The British then renamed it “Thomas Cullinan.”
Indians also want their diamond back. The 105.6-carat Kohinoor diamond is currently set in a crown worn by the late mother of Queen Elizabeth, for her coronation in 1937 as queen consort. The crown was worn again during Queen Elizabeth’s coronation in 1953 and is on display at the Jewel House in the Tower of London.
Not my king
During the coronation of the King and Queen of Britain, a relatively large group of anti-monarchy protesters in London's Trafalgar Square, where the ceremony was broadcast live on large screens, cheered on the coronation.
The sound of the coronation ceremony was broadcast loudly from speakers in the square. Every time the word "king" was mentioned in the ceremony, the protesters shouted, "Not My King".
They also protested in various parts of the ceremony by cheering on and expressing their objection.
When after the anointing of the king by the Archbishop of Canterbury, the sentence "God Save the King" was announced, the protesters yelled louder than ever before and shouted the slogan "Not My King".
The massive cost of King Charles' coronation
Buckingham Palace hasn't released the official price tag on Prince Charles' coronation, but according to BBC it's expected to cost between £50 to 100 £million, although they report "that figure does not originate from an official source."
So, who's footing the bill? The BBC reports that because it's a "state event" the coronation is being paid for by the UK government as well as Buckingham Palace, via the Sovereign Grant and Privy Purse. So it's at least in part being paid for by the British taxpayers, which apparently 52% of Londoners were not thrilled about.
The BBC spoke to one person who said "We're struggling for heating and eating and they're splashing all this money out," while another countered with "if it brings something to our economy, let's go for it."
Absurd theatre
A lavish and futile theater was held while people in different cities in England chanted "We Don't Want a King". Three incompetent governments in less than a year have resigned and replaced and England has broken the record for the highest inflation rate in Western Europe. Every month teachers, doctors, and nurses in England go on strike and students and patients are left stranded.
The statistics of the sixth-largest economy in the world tell the story of a significant increase in emergency food distribution and intensified poverty in the country over the past year. Rent prices in London have skyrocketed, with renting a room reaching £1,000 per month; an amount higher than 50% of a citizen's income. One person from every 5 households in England had skipped meals or not eaten for a whole day in January (International Food Foundation report).
Some vulnerable English women have been forced into sexual relationship due to the cost-of-living crisis (The Guardian), and 6,500 rapes have been recorded in English hospitals (Daily Mail). The price rise of some food items has been seven times faster than wage increases, and the cost crisis is getting even worse (Daily Mirror).
By: Sadra Torabi
First published in Tehran Times
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