DID YOU KNOW?

Cyphers have been used by British monarchs since the reign of Henry VIII. For her cypher, Queen Elizabeth II favoured a stylized representation of St Edward’s Crown—the official coronation crown dating from the coronation of King Charles II in 1661—over the Tudor Crown. The Tudor Crown was a more elaborate headpiece used by monarchs from the time of Henry VII or Henry VIII until the English Civil Wars; it was dismantled by the Parliamentarians in 1649 and the crown jewels were sold, but it has endured as an important heraldic symbol.

Named after Saint Edward the Confessor, St. Edward’s Crown was made for the coronation of King Charles II in 1661 and continues to serve as the coronation crown. Its design is based on the original medieval crown that had been melted down by the Parliamentarians in 1649. Due to its hefty weight (2.23 kilograms), St. Edward’s Crown is traditionally carried (not worn) during the coronation procession and remains on the altar until the moment of coronation.