A giant replica of the crown that will be used in King Charles’s coronation on Saturday has gone on display at Marble Arch.
The 16ft replica crown – weighing 300kg and incorporating 36 different coloured glass stones – will remain in place until Thursday (May 11). It is also adorned with lights which create an illuminated nighttime display.
St Edward’s Crown was removed from the Tower of London where it is typically kept in December, so it could be resized ahead of the King’s coronation, when it will be placed upon King Charles III’s head by the Archbishop of Canterbury.
Visitors can take photos with the replica crown at Marble Arch, which has been installed by Marble Arch London BID.
The arch - designed by John Nash in 1826 - has a strong association with coronations and the processions of new monarchs to and from Westminster Abbey over nearly 200 years.
Despite being moved from its original location at Buckingham Palace to its current home in the early 1850s, Marble Arch played a key role in the coronation processions of the current King’s grandfather, King George VI in 1937 and his mother, Queen Elizabeth II in 1953.
Kay Buxton, chief executive of Marble Arch London BID, said: “We could think of no better way to pay tribute to King Charles III’s coronation than to install this fantastic and stunningly realistic attraction for all to enjoy as they venture to this part of London in the days before and after this very special Royal occasion.
“We look forward to welcoming the thousands of visitors expected in London in the days around the Coronation weekend and hope they are able to enjoy the wide variety of attractions we have in this part of London.”
The replica crown is located near Speakers’ Corner, a short stroll from the Hyde Park screening sites where the ceremony and procession will be shown on four large screens on Saturday 6 May.
Versions of the St Edward’s Crown are thought to have been used at the moment of coronation for British and English monarchs since the 13th century.
The current crown was made for Charles II in 1661, as a replacement for the medieval crown which had been melted down in 1649.
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The original was thought to date back to the 11th-century royal saint, Edward the Confessor, the last Anglo-Saxon king of England.
It is St Edward’s Crown that appears in the royal coat of arms of the United Kingdom, the Royal Mail logo and in badges of the Armed Forces.
