The Crown Jewels

Explore the history of the Crown Jewels at the Tower of London.

Introduction

The Crown Jewels are part of the Royal Collection and have been associated with the coronation of English kings and queens for a number of centuries.

• Late 11th century onwards - William the Conqueror and his successors began storing royal treasure at the Tower

• Mid 14th century - Secret jewel chambers like that under St John's Chapel in the White Tower were used to store the monarchs most prized possessions

• 16th century - On the orders of Henry VII, a purpose built Jewel House was erected

• 1649 - The Crown Jewels were forcibly seized by Parliament, following victory in the English Civil War

• 1661 - New regalia made for Charles II's coronation

• 1669 - The Jewel House was demolished and the regalia stored in the Martin Tower

• 1869 - The Crown Jewels were moved to Wakefield Tower

• 1967 - The Crown Jewels were placed in the new Jewel House in the Waterloo Barracks

Important personalities

Colonel Thomas Blood

On 6 May 1671 Colonel Thomas Blood made his daring attempt to steal the Crown Jewels.

The former Keeper of the Jewels, Mr Talbot Edwards, recounted how Blood had first visited the Tower three weeks before the actual robbery, disguised as a parson with his ‘wife’. Edwards showed his guests the Crown Jewels and later invited them into his apartments to rest.

A few days later Blood and his wife returned with a present of gloves for Mrs Edwards and a friendship quickly developed. On the evening of 6 May, Blood and three friends arrived for dinner and Edwards was persuaded to show them all the Crown Jewels.

Edwards was then brutally attacked, bound and gagged. Blood and his associates quickly made off but the alarm was sounded and the thieves quickly captured.

Audacity saved Blood. He would only confess to Charles II who promptly pardoned him and even granted him Irish estates worth £500 a year.

Did you know...

King Edward VII

To the present day the monarchy has continued to acquire jewels and other precious objects and these are housed in the current Jewel House.

One of the most significant acquisitions has been the Cullinan Diamond which was presented to Edward VII on his 66th birthday in November 1907. The diamond, a gift from the Prime Minister of the Transvaal in South Africa, General Louis Botha, was presented ‘as a token of loyalty and attachment of the people of Transvaal to His Majesty’s person and throne’.

The diamond was subsequently cut into nine further stones.

Cullinan I and II, the two largest, were formally presented to Edward VII on 21 November 1908 and exhibited at the Tower of London as ‘The Star of Africa’ and the ‘Second Star of Africa’. Cullinan II was set in the front band of the Imperial State Crown in 1909 and remains in the most recent version made in 1937. Edward’s son, George V, subsequently had Cullinan I inserted in the head of the Sovereign’s Sceptre.

Only Cullinan I and II form part of the Crown Jewels; the remainder of the stones (Cullinan III-IX) are part of the Queen’s personal collection.