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Queen Consort Camilla ’s coronation crown will pay tribute to her late mother-in-law Queen Elizabeth . King Charles III ’s wife will be crowned at the coronation on May 6 with Queen Mary’s Crown.
“The choice of Queen Mary’s Crown by Her Majesty is the first time in recent history that an existing crown will be used for the Coronation of a Consort instead of a new commission being made, in the interests of sustainability and efficiency,” Buckingham Palace noted.
Minor changes and additions will be made to the crown to keep “with the longstanding tradition that the insertion of jewels is unique to the occasion, and reflects the Consort’s individual style.”
The crown will be reset with the Cullinan III, IV and V diamonds, which were part of Queen Elizabeth’s personal jewelry collection. They were often worn by the late Queen as brooches.
Four of the crown’s eight detachable arches will also be removed to create a different impression to when the crown was worn by Queen Mary. The crown was made by Garrard’s for the 1911 coronation of George V.
According to the palace, “This is the first time a Queen Consort’s Crown has been re-used since the 18th century, when Queen Caroline, consort of George II, wore Mary of Modena’s crown.”
While Camilla will be using Queen Mary’s Crown, Charles will be crowned with St. Edward’s Crown during the coronation. The King will also wear the Imperial State Crown during the service. The coronation is taking place May 6 at London’s Westminster Abbey. The palace has previously said that the service “will reflect the Monarch’s role today and look towards the future, while being rooted in longstanding traditions and pageantry.”