THE coronation of King Charles III will showcase unusual relics and the world's finest jewels, which not only bedazzle but provide a physical and symbolic link with the ancient past.
Here are some items to look out for.
St Edward's Crown
The piece used to crown Charles is solid gold, includes 400 gemstones such as rubies and sapphires, weighs more than two kilograms and was made in 1661 for the coronation of King Charles II.
"It is not just that they're precious jewels..., these are some of the finest gems that came from mines that are extinct today," Eddie LeVian, chief executive at jewellery brand Le Vian, told AFP.
"As those mines ran out, the new mines were not producing those qualities and even back when they were, these were the best of the best. They're priceless."
The Imperial State Crown
Charles will also wear the Imperial State Crown, which was commissioned for King George VI's coronation in 1937 and bears 2,868 diamonds, 269 pearls, 17 sapphires and 11 emeralds.
The second-largest stone cut from the Cullinan diamond adorns the front.
Queen Mary's Crown
Queen Mary's Crown will be used to crown Camilla queen consort, but will not contain the controversial Koh-i-Noor diamond that originally formed its centre piece.
Instead, the legendary stone, which India claims ownership of, will be replaced with stones from the Cullinan diamond and the royal collection.
"She has wisely chosen to be a role model," said LeVian, whose ancestors guarded the Koh-i-Noor when it was owned by the shah of Persia in the 18th century.
The Cullinan diamond
It was the largest diamond ever mined when discovered in South Africa in 1905, weighing 621 grams in its uncut state.
The Transvaal government presented it to King Edward VII on his 66th birthday in 1907 as a gesture of reconciliation after the Second Boer War (1899-1902).
The Sovereign's Sceptre with Dove
A gold rod with a globe, cross and dove at the top, the sceptre's design symbolises the Christian Holy Ghost.
Also known as "the Rod of Equity and Mercy", it is associated with the monarch's spiritual role.
The Sovereign's Sceptre with Cross
Charles will also hold a second sceptre that represents the monarch's temporal power and good governance.
The largest colourless cut diamond in the world, the Cullinan I, reigns at the top. It weighs 106g and is known as the "First Star of Africa".
The Sovereign's Orb
The orb represents the monarch's power and the Christian world.
The gold piece of jewellery is surrounded by a band of diamonds, emeralds, rubies, sapphire and pearls and topped with amethyst and a cross.
Cross of Wales
The ceremony will also feature a silver cross containing shards said by the Vatican to be from the cross used to crucify Jesus Christ.
Pope Francis gave the two tiny fragments of the "True Cross" as a gift.
They have been fashioned into a tiny cross and incorporated into the overall design, visible behind a rose crystal gemstone.
Rod with Dove
Queen Camilla will hold an ivory sceptre during the ceremony, despite calls not to use it by animal rights groups.
The staff, topped by a dove, has been used by every queen consort at previous coronations since 1685. She will also hold a gold sceptre surmounted by a cross.
The gold Ampulla
The eagle-shaped vessel holds the consecrated oil used in coronation ceremonies.
The eagle's head comes off to allow oil to be poured into the vessel.
The design is based on a legend that the Virgin Mary appeared to medieval English saint Thomas Becket and handed him a golden eagle and oil to anoint future English kings.
The Spurs
Gold, leather, velvet and gold thread make up one of the most ancient parts of Britain's royal coronation paraphernalia.
The use of spurs to represent knighthood in coronations dates back to the coronation of Richard I in 1189.
Spurs were traditionally fastened to the king's feet during coronation ceremonies but presented and placed on the altar for queens.
Coronation ring
The ring dates back to the 1831 coronation of King William IV. Queen Victoria did not wear it for her coronation in 1838 as her fingers were too small.
Purple Robe of Estate
Twelve seamstresses from the Royal School of Needlework took 3,500 hours to make it.
The robe is made of silk and embroidered with the monarch's cypher, wheat ears and olive branches.
The Coronation Chair
Commissioned by King Edward 1 in 1300, the two-metre-high oak chair is believed to be the oldest piece of furniture in the UK.
It incorporates the so-called Stone of Destiny, the ancient symbol of Scotland's monarchy that Edward I seized in 1296.
Scottish nationalists took the 152kg stone from London's Westminster Abbey in 1950 and it later reappeared in Arbroath Abbey, Scotland. It was formally returned to Scotland in 1996 but will be brought back to London for the ceremony. – AFP, April 30, 2023
