Opulent Jewelry Looks From the Coronation of King Charles III

King Charles III's recent coronation held at Westminster Abbey in London had a guest list that surpassed 2,000, with numerous high-profile royals from various parts of the world in attendance. Since fine jewels and royalty go hand in hand, it's no surprise that the British royal family and other royals at the crowning ceremony pulled out all the stops with their lavish jewelry worn for the coronation. As expected, the jewelry worn by King Charles III, Queen Consort Camilla, the Princess of Wales, and other attendees at the coronation featured storied royal heirlooms created by Garrard & Co., the first official Crown Jeweler appointed back in 1843. The women of the Royal Family used symbolic jewelry and fashion to pay tribute to their predecessors. Here are the most outstanding jewelry looks from the May 6 crowning ceremony.

King Charles III

At the ceremony, King Charles was granted the Coronation Ring, also known as the Sovereign's Ring. The ring, created for William IV's coronation in 1831, features an octagonal blue sapphire encircled with round diamonds set in gold and overlaid with five rubies arranged in a cross, representing the cross of St. George. This piece represents the King's dedication and loyalty to the Commonwealth and his vow to serve the people for the duration of his life by God-given decree. In addition to this ring, the King donned his signature pinky ring for the occasion. The St. Edward's Crown worn by King Charles was created in 1661 and features an assortment of precious gemstones, including rubies, amethysts, sapphires, garnets, topazes, and tourmalines. Following the coronation ceremony, King Charles III greeted the public from the balcony of Buckingham Palace, in a tradition akin to that of his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, at her coronation in 1953. He wore the Imperial State Crown, created by Garrard in 1937. The Imperial State Crown, which weighs approximately 2 pounds, is adorned with 2,868 diamonds, 269 pearls, 17 sapphires, 11 emeralds, and four rubies, including the Black Prince's Ruby, Stuart Sapphire, and the Cullinan II diamond. It is a significant piece among the Crown Jewels set—an extraordinary collection of jewelry considered one of the most spectacular in the world.

​Queen Camilla

Camilla wore Queen Mary's Crown, lavishly set with 2,200 mainly brilliant-cut diamonds and featuring a detachable rock crystal replica of the Cullinan IV. The crown, created by Garrard for Queen Mary's coronation in 1911, was used for the coronation of a consort for the first time in modern history. During the crowning, Camilla was given her queen consort ring, which showcases a central octagonal ruby surrounded by 14 cushion-cut diamonds, resting on a gold shank embellished with 14 graduated rubies. It represents the union between the queen consort and the king, and their commitment to the people. The ring holds historical significance, last worn by Elizabeth, the Queen Mother, during her husband King George VI's coronation in 1937. Camilla was also adorned with sparkly earrings and the iconic Coronation Necklace, which Garrard originally made for Queen Victoria in 1858. The necklace contains 25 graduated brilliant diamonds from various sources, including the Lahore Diamond, a 22.48-carat pear-shaped diamond pendant, a relic of Britain's 19th-century colonial legacy. The necklace was initially created for Queen Victoria and has been worn ever since by every queen during their coronation. 

​Kate Middleton

​Catherine, the Princess of Wales, paid homage to the female members of the royal family who preceded her by wearing their coronation jewels, which included a pair of diamond and South Sea pearl earrings that once belonged to Princess Diana, her late mother-in-law. Additionally, she wore a three-strand diamond necklace worn by Queen Elizabeth II, who passed away this past September. The necklace, known as the George VI Festoon Necklace, was originally commissioned by King George VI for his eldest daughter in 1950. Catherine completed her ensemble with a custom Alexander McQueen dress and an ornate, custom floral crystal and silver headpiece by British milliner Jess Collett and Alexander McQueen.

Princess Eugenie

​At her uncle's crowning, King Charles's niece was decked out in diamonds. She wore a diamond collar necklace and diamond drop earrings crafted by Garrard to complement her Fendi outfit.

​Princess Beatrice

In keeping with her sister Eugenie, Princess Beatrice also chose to wear Garrard jewelry for King Charles's coronation. She sported a pair of hoop-shaped earrings adorned with pink sapphire, rubellite, and pink opal gemstones, which beautifully accompanied her magenta dress and gold headpiece.

​Zara Tindall

​For her uncle King Charles’ coronation, British equestrian Zara Tindall accented her light blue ensemble with her mother Princess Anne's diamond ribbon and tassel brooch and diamond earrings set in white gold by Calleija Jewelers of London.

​Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh

​The Duchess of Edinburgh accessorized her flowing white gown with stunning drop earrings featuring diamonds and sapphires for the coronation. A custom-made headpiece by Jane Taylor London, consisting of handcrafted satin leaves, cast silver snowdrops, and Swarovski crystals graced the duchess’ head.

​Queen Letizia, of Spain

​Queen Letizia of Spain wore a pair of large, round diamond earrings with her vibrant bubblegum-pink ensemble custom designed by Carolina Herrera.

​Queen Suthida of Thailand

​Queen Suthida of Thailand accessorized her elegant blue-and-gray outfit with a large diamond-and-sapphire necklace with matching drop earrings and a diamond brooch. Her yellow sash was also adorned with jewels, and she carried a gold-embellished black box-style bag to complete her look.

Queen Azizah of Malaysia

Queen Azizah of Malaysia complemented her vibrant goldenrod ensemble for the coronation with a contemporary diamond fringe necklace and a bevy of diamond brooches. Among them was a diamond ribbon brooch, which she also wore during Queen Elizabeth II's funeral.

Crown Princess Mary of Denmark

​The Danish princess accessorized her regal-hued purple wrap dress with a pair of drop earrings featuring turquoise with white diamonds and a matching family heirloom turquoise and diamond brooch that was gifted to her from her mother-in-law Queen Margrethe II as a birthday present last year. Turquoise is known to be a beloved precious stone among Danish royalty.

You don't need for crown jewels to create your own royal-inspired look. At Ritani, not only do we proudly offer a diverse collection of jewelry, but we also specialize in designing customized jewelry pieces. If you have a specific look in mind, contact us today and let us know what you are looking for — we can create the exact jewelry pieces you want!