Queen Elizabeth wore her full ceremonial robes when she delivered her speech at Parliament's State Opening. But many wondered why she wasn’t wearing the Imperial State Crown. Instead, Her Majesty opted for the State Diadem Tiara.
It’s not quite hard to understand why Queen Elizabeth didn’t wear the jewel-encrusted Imperial State Crown, especially for those who have seen it. (Check out the picture here, if you haven’t). With Her Majesty being 93 years old, it is very hard for her to carry the huge crown on her head for a long time.
“The crown, which was commissioned for the Queen's father, George VI's, coronation in 1937, boasts nearly 3,000 diamonds, 17 sapphires, 11 emeralds, and around 270 pearls - in addition to the large diamond, ruby, and sapphire that adorn the back and front,” the BBC report stated. The publication also noted that the Imperial State Crown weighs about a kilo.
Last year, Queen Elizabeth commented about the weight of the crown. "You can't look down to read the speech, you have to take the speech up because if you did your neck would break - it would fall off," she said. “So there are some disadvantages to crowns, but otherwise they're quite important things."
Royal commentator Richard Fitzwilliams said that the decision behind the Queen not wearing the Imperial State Crown is quite understandable, considering Her Majesty’s age and schedule. "There's no question that it's just a matter of accommodating advancing age in as dignified a way as possible," he said.
Meanwhile, Queen Elizabeth’s age may also hinder her from attending her granddaughter’s wedding next year. Prince Andrew’s daughter Princess Beatrice and her fiance Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi are tying the knot in 2020 and being the grandmother of the to-be bride, the public is expecting Her Majesty to attend the ceremony. However, her presence may not be completely confirmed yet.
Princess Beatrice’s fiancé is from Italy, and there is a chance that the couple may consider tying the knot there. At her age, the Queen is not in the perfect condition to travel overseas. Princess Beatrice’s grandfather Prince Philip is 98 years old; it is safe to say that he will also not be attending the wedding if held outside London.
However, it is worth noting that there are no new details about Princess Beatrice and Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi’s upcoming nuptials as of this writing.
