THREE CROWNS

Greymouth Evening Star, 22 February 1937, Page 2

THREE CROWNS

WHICH FOR QUEEN ELIZABETH? The problem of a crown for Queen Elizabeth' is among the questions yet to be solved in connection with the Coronation regalia, states a London writer. The Quec-n does not possess a crown of her own, and there is no crown for her as Queen-Consort available among the State jewels at the Tower. Of six there, two —St. Edmund’s Crown and the Imperial State Crown —are used for the crowning of the Sovereign in England and a third is used for India. The three Queens’ crowns consist of Queen Mary’s, used at the Coronation of 1911,’and two “old-fashioned” ones made for Mary of Modena, wife of James IL These are not considered suitable for a modern Queen. There is no record of what became of the crown of Queen Adelaide, wife of William I. Twentieth century consorts, Queen Alexandra and Queen Mary, have had crowns made for them. One alternative would be for Queen Mary’s crown to be used for the crowning of Queen Elizabeth. This magnificient diadem is light and beautiful, and contains the world’s most famous diamonds. the Koh-i-noor, and one of the lesser portions of the Cullinan, or Star of Africa, a larger part of which is in the King’s State crown. Another solution would be to make a new crown for the Queen out of the many priceless gems in the Royal collections. The crowns of both the King and Queen will have to be fitted. Velvet and fur “caps”—the narrow edgings on which the metal rests —will be made to hte exact measuremeents of their heads.