由緒ある「聖エドワード王冠」、改良へ チャールズ英国王戴冠式に向け

【ロンドンＡＦＰ＝時事】英バッキンガム宮殿は３日、ロンドン塔に展示されている英王室の至宝「聖エドワード王冠」について、チャールズ国王の戴冠式に向けて「改良」のため展示から外されたと発表した。（写真は「大英帝国王冠」。バッキンガム宮殿提供）
　王冠は純金製で、ルビー、アメシスト、サファイア、ガーネット、トパーズ、トルマリンがちりばめられている。内側は白テンの毛皮で縁取られたベルベット帽となっている。高さは３０センチ以上あり、２．２３キロの重さがある。
　名前の由来となったエドワード懺悔（ざんげ）王のオリジナルの王冠は、清教徒革命でチャールズ１世が処刑された後、議会派によって溶かされた。現在の王冠は１６６１年、チャールズ２世の戴冠式のために作られたものだ。
　ただ、この王冠は重すぎるため、戴冠式でのみ使用されてきた。最後に使用されたのは１９５３年の故エリザベス女王の戴冠式だった。
　チャールズ国王が着用するのも戴冠の瞬間だけで、ウェストミンスター寺院を出る時は「大英帝国王冠」をかぶる。ダイヤモンド２０００個で飾られたこちらの王冠は、１９３７年にエリザベス女王の父ジョージ６世の戴冠式のために作られたもので、議会開会式でも着用する。
　チャールズ国王の戴冠式は来年５月６日、ウェストミンスター寺院で執り行われる。【翻訳編集ＡＦＰＢＢＮｅｗｓ】
〔ＡＦＰ＝時事〕（2022/12/07-13:11）

Britain's 17th-century St Edward's Crown, the centrepiece of the Crown Jewels, has been removed from display to be altered for the coronation of King Charles III, Buckingham Palace said on Saturday.
The solid gold crown, encrusted with rubies, amethysts, sapphires, garnet, topazes and tourmalines, will undergo modification work for Charles III's coronation at Westminster Abbey on May 6 next year, the palace said.
The crown is the centrepiece of the Crown Jewels, a large collection of royal regalia housed in the Tower of London that attracts more than a million visitors per year.
It has a purple velvet cap with an ermine band, is just over 30 cm (one foot) tall and very heavy.
It was last worn by Queen Elizabeth II, at her coronation in 1953.
Charles III, 74, will be crowned along with his wife, Queen Consort Camilla.
The ceremony will be followed by a national holiday on May 8.
The crown was made for King Charles II in 1661 to replace a mediaeval crown though to date back to Edward the Confessor.
- 2,000 diamonds -
The original had been melted down by parliamentarians after the execution of Charles I.
For hundreds of years afterwards, the crown was only carried in coronation processions because it was too heavy to wear.
It was altered to make it lighter for the coronation of King George V in 1911 but still weighs 2.23 kilogrammes (nearly five pounds).
Charles III will only wear it at the moment he is crowned.
When he leaves Westminster Abbey, Charles will wear the more modern Imperial State Crown, also used for occasions such as the opening of parliament.
Set with over 2,000 diamonds, the Imperial State Crown was created in 1937 for the coronation of King George VI, the father of Elizabeth II.
The coronation traditionally takes place some months after a new sovereign has ascended to the throne, following a period of national and royal mourning, and intense preparation.
Charles immediately became king when his mother died on September 8. He also took over as head of state of 14 Commonwealth countries, including Australia, Canada and New Zealand.
Concerned about public perceptions, he has reportedly requested a less lavish ceremony than the festivities held for Elizabeth II in 1953.
The queen, who was 96, died at her Balmoral estate in Scotland after a year of declining health. She reigned for a record 70 years.