Hundreds of thousands of people flocked to London to say their last goodbyes to Queen Elizabeth II at her state funeral on Monday.

The King and his siblings walked behind the coffin as it left Westminster Abbey following the funeral, while other royals followed behind by car.

In a personal touch, the wreath adorning the Queen’s coffin had a handwritten note penned by King Charles, which read: “In loving and devoted memory.”

The Queen’s coffin later arrived at Wellington Arch at the corner of Hyde Park, before being transferred into a hearse for the journey to St George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle where a committal service will be held at 4pm.

The Crown Jewels have been on display throughout the Queen’s funeral, with the Imperial State Crown lying on top of the coffin.

The crown, which was also sitting on top of the coffin during the Queen’s lying-in-state, will today be separated from her for the final time and will next be seen at King Charles’ coronation.

Here’s what you need to know about the crown and what will happen to it under King Charles’ reign.

What is the Imperial State Crown?

The Imperial State Crown is the crown that the monarch wears after they leave Westminster Abbey following the coronation.

It is made of gold and comprises a collection of impressive gemstones, including 2,868 diamonds, 269 pearls, 17 sapphires, 11 emeralds and four rubies.The most famous jewels in the collection include the Black Prince’s Ruby, the Stuart Sapphire, and the Cullinan II diamond.

The Queen wore the crown after her coronation in 1953 and every year to the State Opening of Parliament. In 2021 when she did not attend the opening, the crown was still present, instead being carried during the ceremony on a red pillow.

The crown has been sitting on top of the Queen’s coffin during the lying-in-state and her state funeral, alongside the Sovereign’s Sceptre with Cross and the Sovereign’s Orb.

The crown was made for the coronation of the Queen’s father, King George VI, in 1937, replacing the crown made for Queen Victoria in 1838.

St Edward’s Sapphire, which is set in the centre of the topmost cross, is said to have been worn in a ring by St Edward the Confessor and discovered in his tomb in 1163.

The Imperial State Crown is kept in the Tower of London with the monarch’s Crown Jewels.

What crown will King Charles wear?

The throne immediately passed to the Queen’s eldest son Charles after her death and he will formally be crowned king at a coronation ceremony which is expected to take place in spring or summer next year.

During the coronation, the Archbishop of Canterbury will place St Edward’s crown (also known as the Imperial State Crown) on the head of King Charles.

As well as St Edward’s crown, King Charles will be presented with the coronation ring, nicknamed the wedding ring of England, which is placed on the fourth finger of the monarch’s right hand, plus a sceptre dating to 1661.

The ring, which has been used since 1831, is a symbolic sapphire ring with baguette-cut rubies in the form of a cross over the face, representing the cross of St George and the Scottish flag.

Will King Charles wear the same crown as the Queen at his coronation?

Yes, King Charles II will wear the St Edward’s Crown at the end of his coronation ceremony next year. It is the same crown that was formerly worn by Queen Elizabeth II at her coronation in 1953.

Named after Saint Edward the Confessor, versions of the crown have traditionally been used to crown British monarchs at their coronations since the 13th century, with the present version made for Charles II in 1661.

The solid gold crown from the crown jewels at the Tower of London is 30 centimetres tall, weighs 2.23 kilograms and is studded with 444 precious and semi-precious stones gemstones, with a purple velvet centre and white fur trim.

After 1689 it was not used to crown a monarch for more than 200 years, but the tradition was revived in 1911 by George V, and all subsequent monarchs – except Edward VIII – have been crowned using St Edward’s Crown.

When not in use, St Edward’s Crown resides in the Crown Jewels collection which is on public display in the Jewel House at the Tower of London.

Will the crown be resized for King Charles?

In 2018, the Queen revealed that she had the St Edward’s Crown resized for her own coronation.

It is expected – although not yet confirmed – that the crown will be resized again for King Charles. It has also been suggested that it will be customised by royal jewellers, with The House of Garrard or Mark Appleby of Mappin & Webb likely to be involved in customising the crown.