The Crown Jewels: Where They Are Kept and What to See in the Jewel House

Around 140 objects and 23,578 stones, from St Edward's Crown to the Koh-i-Noor and the Cullinan diamonds, kept in the Jewel House at the Tower of London and still used at coronations and state occasions.

Visit

The Jewel House is on standard admission. Tower of London tickets.

Location

The Waterloo Block, inside the Tower of London walls, EC3N 4AB.

Visit duration

Two or three hours for the whole Tower. Plan your visit.

Collection

About 140 objects, set with around 23,578 stones.

What Are the Crown Jewels?

The Crown Jewels are the objects used to crown a British monarch and to carry out the great ceremonies of state: crowns, sceptres, orbs, swords and the rest of the coronation regalia. There are about 140 of them, set with around 23,578 precious and semi-precious stones, and they belong to the monarch in right of the Crown, which means they pass from one reign to the next and are never sold. When they are not in use they sit in the Jewel House at the Tower of London, in the Waterloo Block that Elizabeth II opened in 1994.

St Edward's Crown and the Regalia Remade for Charles II

Almost nothing in the Jewel House is medieval, and the reason is the Civil War. After Charles I was executed in 1649, Parliament had most of the coronation and state regalia melted down and struck into coins, with the gemstones and pearls removed first. Centuries of royal objects disappeared in a few months.

A few things escaped. A medieval silver-gilt anointing spoon, the Coronation Spoon, and three early Stuart swords survived and came back to the Crown. The spoon is the oldest object in the collection, and it is still the one used to anoint a new monarch at the coronation.

When the monarchy returned, Charles II needed a full set in a hurry. The pieces made in 1660 and 1661 form the core of the Crown Jewels today: St Edward's Crown, two sceptres, an orb, an ampulla and a pair of spurs. St Edward's Crown, solid gold and weighing 2.23 kilograms, is the one placed on the monarch's head at the moment of crowning, a tradition George V revived in 1911.

Colonel Blood, the 1671 Theft and the Jewel House Today

The Crown Jewels first went on public show in 1669, in the Jewel House at the Tower, looked after by an elderly deputy keeper who lived on the site. It was a far more trusting arrangement than anything you will see today, and two years later it nearly cost the Crown its regalia.

In 1671 Thomas Blood, an Irish-born army officer who had sided with Parliament, attacked the 77-year-old deputy and made off with a crown, a sceptre and an orb. He was caught before he got far, and then, to general astonishment, Charles II pardoned him and gave him land and a pension.

The jewels have been guarded far more closely ever since. Today they sit in the Jewel House in the Waterloo Block, a former barracks, opened by Elizabeth II on 24 March 1994 and reopened after a £2.5 million refit in 2012. A travelator carries visitors past the main cases, and photography is not allowed anywhere inside.

The Crowns, the Sceptre and the Diamonds to Look For

The Imperial State Crown

Made in 1937 for George VI, it carries 2,868 diamonds, along with 273 pearls, 17 sapphires, 11 emeralds and 5 rubies. It also holds three of the collection's most famous stones: the 317-carat Cullinan II, the 170-carat Black Prince's Ruby and St Edward's Sapphire.

The Sovereign's Sceptre and the Cullinan Diamond

The sceptre belongs to the Charles II set, but its great diamond was added in 1910: Cullinan I, which at 530 carats is the largest clear-cut diamond in the world. It was cut from the same rough stone as Cullinan II in the Imperial State Crown.

The Koh-i-Noor Diamond

The 105.6-carat Koh-i-Noor is set in the Crown of Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother, on display in the Jewel House. It passed to Queen Victoria under the Last Treaty of Lahore in 1849, and India, Pakistan, Iran and Afghanistan have all claimed it since.

The Sovereign's Orb

A hollow gold sphere about 16.5 centimetres across, decorated with 375 pearls and 365 diamonds as well as rubies, emeralds and sapphires. It was made for Charles II in the same rush as St Edward's Crown and is handed to the monarch during the coronation.

Tower of London: An Iconic and Intriguing Location!

Highlights

Explore an iconic landmark steeped in political intrigue and royal history.

Discover the newly restored Medieval Palace showcasing stories of monarchs and their households.

See the Crown Jewels, a highlight of the exhibition.

Admire the White Tower with Henry VIII’s oversized armor and London’s oldest church, St John’s Chapel.

Experience thrilling narratives about the Tower’s past, including imprisonment and executions.

Seeing the Crown Jewels on Your Visit

The Jewel House is part of standard Tower of London admission, so there is no separate ticket to buy. Arrive in your 30-minute slot and head for the Waterloo Block, then let the travelator carry you past the crowns and the Cullinan diamonds. The rest of the fortress, from the White Tower to the walls, is on the same ticket.

Crown Jewels Questions

Where are the Crown Jewels kept?

In the Jewel House in the Waterloo Block at the Tower of London, a former barracks that opened as the Jewel House in 1994.

Can you see the Crown Jewels?

Yes. The Jewel House is included with standard Tower of London admission. Photography is not allowed inside.

How much are the Crown Jewels worth?

They have never been given an official value. Press estimates run into billions of pounds, but the jewels are held in trust for the nation and are never sold.

Who owns the Crown Jewels?

The reigning monarch, in right of the Crown, so they pass with the throne rather than belonging to the king personally.

Where is the Koh-i-Noor diamond?

Set in the Crown of Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother, on display in the Jewel House at the Tower of London.

How old are the Crown Jewels?

Most date from 1660 and 1661, when Charles II replaced the regalia melted down after 1649. The Coronation Spoon is medieval and survived the melt.

Who tried to steal the Crown Jewels?

Colonel Thomas Blood, in 1671. He was caught, then pardoned by Charles II.

Are the Crown Jewels still used?

Yes. St Edward's Crown is used at the moment of coronation, and pieces leave the Jewel House for state occasions.