The Crown of Charles, Prince of Wales was the crown used by Charles, Prince of Wales at his investiture as Prince of Wales in 1969. Though technically the Prince of Wales crown is a coronet, official state publications usually use the word crown to describe it. A crown is a symbolic form of headgear worn by a monarch or by a god, for whom the crown is traditionally one of the symbols of power and legitimacy (See Regalia for a broader treatment). ... The Prince Charles, Prince of Wales (Charles Philip Arthur George Mountbatten-Windsor; born Windsor, 14 November 1948), is the eldest son of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. ... The Prince of Wales Feathers. This Heraldic badge of the Heir Apparent is derived from the ostrich feathers borne by Edward, the Black Prince. ... Year 1969 (MCMLXIX) was a common year starting on Wednesday (the link is to a full 1969 calendar). ... Coin showing a coronet A coronet is a small crown consisting of ornaments fixed on a metal ring. ...

Background

When the former King Edward VIII of the United Kingdom went into exile as the Duke of Windsor in 1936, he took with him the Crown of George, Prince of Wales, a highly controversial – and illegal – act. This coronet had, since 1902, been used by successive Princes of Wales at their investitures, including his own investiture of 1911. Edward VIII (Edward Albert Christian George Andrew Patrick David Windsor; later The Prince Edward, Duke of Windsor; 23 June 1894 – 28 May 1972) was King of Great Britain, Ireland, the British Dominions beyond the Seas, and Emperor of India from the death of his father, George V (1910–36), on... Exile (band) may refer to: Exile - The American country music band Exile - The Japanese pop music band Category: ... The peerage title Duke of Windsor was created in the Peerage of the United Kingdom in 1937 for The Prince Edward, formerly King of the United Kingdom. ... 1936 (MCMXXXVI) was a leap year starting on Wednesday (link will take you to calendar). ... The Crown of George, Prince of Wales, manufactured in 1901-1902, is a single-arched silver-gilt crown made for the then Prince of Wales (the future King George V) to wear at the coronation of his father, King Edward VII. It was worn by Georges son, Edward, Prince... Coin showing a coronet A coronet is a small crown consisting of ornaments fixed on a metal ring. ... 1902 (MCMII) was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ... The Prince of Wales Feathers. This Heraldic badge of the Heir Apparent is derived from the ostrich feathers borne by Edward, the Black Prince. ... 1911 (MCMXI) was a common year starting on Sunday (click on link for calendar). ...

The 1911 coronet, as part of the British Crown Jewels was protected under British law, which forbids removal of the Crown Jewels from the United Kingdom under any circumstances. Even seemingly legitimate uses of the Crown Jewels outside of the United Kingdom were precluded because of this law. For example, a new crown – Imperial Crown of India – had to be manufactured for King George V to wear as Emperor of India at the Delhi Durbar because the Imperial State Crown, which he might normally have worn, could not be removed from the UK. The Crown Jewels or Honours of Scotland are treated separately. ... Artists painting of the Imperial Crown of India eThe Imperial Crown of India is housed with but not part of the British Crown Jewels. ... George V (George Frederick Ernest Albert; 3 June 1865 - 20 January 1936) was the first British monarch belonging to the House of Windsor, as a result of his creating it from the British branch of the House of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha. ... New Crowns for Old depicts Disraeli as Abanazer from the pantomime version of Aladdin offering Victoria an Imperial crown in exchange for a Royal one. ... Delhi Durbar means Court of Delhi which took place in 1911. ... The Imperial State Crown is one of the British Crown Jewels. ...

However it was judged impractical to charge the ex-king with in effect stealing part of the crown jewels. The crown was only returned to Britain following his death in 1972 and is now part of the Honours of the Principality of Wales on display in the principality. 1972 (MCMLXXII) was a leap year starting on Saturday. ... Coronet of 1969 The Honours of the Principality of Wales are the Crown Jewels used at the investiture of Princes of Wales. ... A principality is a monarchical feudatory or sovereign state, ruled or reigned over by a Monarch with the title of prince or princess (a synonym is princedom) or (in the widest sense) a Monarch with another title within the generic use of the term prince. ...

Creation of the new crown

The traditional crown being unavailable, and with the Crown of Frederick, Prince of Wales being viewed unusable due to age, the only option was the creation of a new Prince of Wales crown to be used for the investiture of the current Heir Apparent to the throne as Prince of Wales. (Charles had actually been created Prince of Wales in 1958 when he was 10 years old, but the formal investiture ceremony was not held until he was a couple of months short of his 21st birthday.) The Crown of Frederick, Prince of Wales is a crown manufactured in 1728 for Frederick, Prince of Wales, Heir Apparent of King George II of England. ... Contrasting with heir presumptive, an heir apparent is one who cannot be prevented from inheriting by the birth of any other person. ... Year 1958 (MCMLVIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Design

The new princely crown followed regulation laid down by King Charles II in having just two half arches, or more correctly one full arch, rather than the traditional four half-arches of British crowns. In the centre of the single arch a globe is attached, over which a cross stands. Within the frame, which is made of gold, is a velvet cap lined with ermine fur. Charles II (29 May 1630 – 6 February 1685) was the King of England, King of Scots, and King of Ireland from 30 January 1649 (de jure) or 29 May 1660 (de facto) until his death. ... Crown of Louis XV It has eight half-arches. ...

The frame itself, though based on traditional design, has a futurist look that was popular in 1960s design. It was produced by a committee under Antony Armstrong-Jones, 1st Earl of Snowdon, then husband of Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon. Snowdon later revealed that some non-traditional methods were used in the design, with the size of the golden globe on the arches based on the size of a golfball. The 1960s decade refers to the years from January 1, 1960 to December 31, 1969, inclusive. ... Antony Armstrong-Jones, photographed by Carl Van Vechten, 1958 Antony Charles Robert Armstrong-Jones, 1st Earl of Snowdon, GCVO (born 7 March 1930) is a British photographer and Emmy award-winning documentary filmmaker. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Greg Norman on the 18th tee at St Andrews. ...

The Prince of Wales's investiture occurred at Caernarfon Castle in Wales on July 1, 1969. The ward of Caernarfon Castle, showing (from left to right) the Black Tower, the Chamberlains Tower, and the Eagle Tower. ... July 1 is the 182nd day of the year (183rd in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 183 days remaining. ... Year 1969 (MCMLXIX) was a common year starting on Wednesday (the link is to a full 1969 calendar). ...

Usage

The coronets or crowns of Princes of Wales are rarely used. It is unknown if the Crown of Frederick, Prince of Wales was ever actually worn by Frederick, Prince of Wales and the Crown of George, Prince of Wales was only worn rarely by George, Prince of Wales, later King George V, and Edward, Prince of Wales, later King Edward VIII and then the Duke of Windsor. The current Prince of Wales has not worn his coronet since his investiture, though he could at any stage opt to do so. The Crown of Frederick, Prince of Wales is a crown manufactured in 1728 for Frederick, Prince of Wales, Heir Apparent of King George II of England. ... The Prince Frederick, Prince of Wales (Frederick Louis; 1 February 1707 – 31 March 1751) was a member of the British Royal Family, the eldest son of King George II. He was born into the House of Hanover and, under the Act of Settlement passed by the English Parliament, Frederick was... The Crown of George, Prince of Wales, manufactured in 1901-1902, is a single-arched silver-gilt crown made for the then Prince of Wales (the future King George V) to wear at the coronation of his father, King Edward VII. It was worn by Georges son, Edward, Prince... George V (George Frederick Ernest Albert; 3 June 1865 - 20 January 1936) was the first British monarch belonging to the House of Windsor, as a result of his creating it from the British branch of the House of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha. ... Edward VIII (Edward Albert Christian George Andrew Patrick David Windsor; later The Prince Edward, Duke of Windsor; 23 June 1894 – 28 May 1972) was King of Great Britain, Ireland, the British Dominions beyond the Seas, and Emperor of India from the death of his father, George V (1910–36), on...

The crown was given on loan to the National Museum and Gallery of Wales by Queen Elizabeth II in 1974. The National Museum and Gallery of Wales (Welsh: Amgueddfa ac Oriel Genedlaethol Cymru) is a museum and art gallery in Cardiff, Wales. ... Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Windsor; born 21 April 1926) is Queen of sixteen sovereign states, holding each crown and title equally. ... 1974 (MCMLXXIV) was a common year starting on Tuesday. ...

Princess of Wales

While Queens consort wear a crown alongside the King, the wife of the Prince of Wales does not do so. So neither the late Diana Spencer, first wife of the current Prince of Wales, nor his current wife Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, possessed crowns.^[1] Lady Diana Spencer is a name shared by several members of the Spencer family, an aristocratic English family related to the Churchills of Blenheim Palace. ... HRH The Duchess of Cornwall The Duchess of Cornwall (Camilla Rosemary Mountbatten-Windsor, formerly Parker Bowles, née Shand) (born 17 July 1947) is a member of the British Royal Family. ...

A princess who is the Heiress Presumptive to the British throne when there is no Heir Apparent, is not created Princess of Wales and so does not wear any of the Honours of the Principality of Wales.^[2] It is however open to the monarch to grant an heiress presumptive a right to wear a coronet. An Heir Presumptive (capitalised) is the person provisionally scheduled to inherit a throne, peerage, or other hereditary honor, but whose position can be displaced by the birth of an Heir Apparent or of a new Heir Presumptive with a better claim to the throne. ... Look up monarch in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ...

Future usage

Since 1831, successive Queens consort of the United Kingdom have each had a new consort crown created for them. In contrast, only three Prince of Wales crowns exist. The 1911 crown was worn by two Princes of Wales, and would probably in 1968 had the Duke of Windsor (the previous holder of the title) not illegally removed the crown from Britain and kept it among his private possessions. King George V of the United Kingdom and his consort, Queen Mary A queen consort is the wife and consort of a reigning king. ... Crown of Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother. ... The peerage title Duke of Windsor was created in the Peerage of the United Kingdom in 1937 for The Prince Edward, formerly King of the United Kingdom. ...

The Crown of George, Prince of Wales (given that its relative youth and rare usage means that it is still suitable to be worn) could be used at the next investiture. However, the current Crown of Charles, Prince of Wales could also be used. Alternatively it could be decided to create new Wales crown for him.

Footnote

1. ↑  Prior to her marriage both Clarence House and the Lord Chancellor confirmed that Camilla would automatically and legally be Princess of Wales, but had chosen to be referred to as Duchess of Cornwall.
2. The only possible exception occurred in 1525 when King Henry VIII gave his only surviving child to that point, Mary Tudor certain Royal Prerogatives due to a Prince of Wales, including a Royal Court, and called her Princess of Wales. There is no record of either the existence of a Prince of Wales's crown in at that time, nor of a formal patent granting the title.[3]