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What crown will King Charles III wear during the coronation? 

St Edward’s crown is used at the moment of coronation.
/ Source: TODAY

At King Charles III's coronation on May 6, he will officially be crowned the country's sovereign in a religious service at Westminster Abbey. But the ceremony will actually involve two crowns.

The first is St Edward's Crown, which will be placed atop his head by the Archbishop of Canterbury at the moment of coronation. The crown is lined with rubies, amethysts, sapphires, garnet, topazes and tourmalines and is topped with an orb and a cross to represent Christianity.

St Edward's Crown at Westminster Abbey, on June 4, 2013 in London.
St Edward's Crown.Jack Hill / WPA Pool via Getty Images file

The other crown that Charles will wear at his coronation is the Imperial State Crown, also known as the Crown of State.

At the end of the ceremony, Charles will exchange St Edwards Crown for the Imperial State Crown. Unlike St Edward’s Crown, the Imperial State Crown is also used for other formal occasions, such as the ceremony that marks the beginning of a session of Parliament.

The Imperial State Crown sits on top of Queen Elizabeth II's coffin on Sept. 14, 2022 in London.
The Imperial State Crown sits on top of Queen Elizabeth II's coffin on Sept. 14, 2022 in London.Max Mumby / Indigo / Getty Images file

The two crowns will be a sight to see at Charles' coronation and are one of many crown jewels that will be featured in the ceremony.

Here's your guide to the regalia that will play a part in Charles' coronation.

St Edwards Crown

St Edwards Crown is built from solid gold and weighs nearly 5 pounds. Because of its weight, monarchs, including Queen Elizabeth II, had to practice wearing it before their coronations, according to NBC News.

While the crown looks regal with its velvet cap and its headband made of ermine, St Edward’s Crown is actually a replacement for the original medieval crown, believed to have originated with St Edward the Confessor, the last Anglo-Saxon king of England, in the 11th century.

When the monarchy was abolished in 1649, the original crown was destroyed, along with most of the other crown jewels. But in 1661, St Edward’s Crown was made for Charles II’s coronation after the restoration of the monarchy.

Several elements of St Edward's Crown hearken back to the original crown's design, including its four crosses, two arches and four fleurs-de-lis.

Imperial State Crown

While this specific headpiece was made for the coronation of King George VI in 1937, the term "imperial state crown" originated in the 15th century, when each monarch would design a crown meant to signify that England was not subject to any other power.

This crown is similar to a crown designed for Queen Victoria in 1838 by the crown jewellers of the time, Rundell, Bridge & Rundell.

Sovereign’s Sceptre with Cross

Inside this scepter, one of two that Charles will use at the coronation, is the Cullinan I diamond, a 530.2-carat gem, also known as the First Star of Africa, which is the largest colorless cut diamond in the world.

The scepter was made in 1661 for Charles II and is enameled with rubies, emeralds, sapphires and diamonds. It is one of the centerpieces of the crown jewels and represents the monarch’s governing power.

Sovereign’s Sceptre with Dove

The second scepter is a plain gold rod, topped with an enameled dove on top of a gold cross. The dove symbolizes the Holy Ghost and the piece is used to represent the monarch’s spiritual role.

Made in 1661 by the crown jeweller, Robert Vyner, this scepter has come to be known as "the Rod of Equity and Mercy."

The Sovereign’s Orb

The Sovereign's Orb was made in 1661 and is meant to represent the monarch’s power and symbolize the Christian world.

The orb measures about 11 inches tall and weighs three pounds. The sphere is constructed from hollow gold and is adorned with emeralds, rubies, sapphires, diamonds, pearls, an amethyst and a glass stone.

The Sovereign's Ring

During Charles’ coronation, the Archbishop of Canterbury will place a ring on Charles’ fourth finger on his right hand.

The Sovereign’s Ring is meant to symbolize the monarch’s wedding to the nation. It features a blue octagonal sapphire in a gold setting overlaid with rubies.

The ring was originally made for the coronation of King William IV in 1831 and has been used at all ceremonies since King Edward VII's in 1901.

Spurs

While made in 1661 for Charles II, the use of spurs dates back to King Richard I's coronation in 1189. A spur is a spiked device worn on a horse rider's heel used to urge the animal forward.

The spurs in the ceremony, made out of gold, leather and velvet, symbolize knighthood.

Sword of Offering

The Sword of Offering is composed of a steel blade, mounted in gold and lined with jewels in the shape of a rose, thistle, shamrock, oak leaves, acorns and a lion's head. It was made in 1820 and first used at the coronation of King George IV.

During the ceremony, the Archbishop blesses the sword and hands it to the monarch with the order that it be used to protect good and punish evil.

The Armills

The two Armills are bracelets made of gold that have been referred to as the "bracelets of sincerity and wisdom" in previous ceremonies. They are thought to be symbolic of knighthood, military leadership and the bond uniting the sovereign to the people.

Dating back to 1661, they've been used at every coronation until King George VI’s in 1937. Queen Elizabeth II commissioned new armills for her coronation in 1953, but Charles will use the pair last used by his grandfather, George VI.