How Much Are the Crown Jewels Worth—And Who Owns Them Now?
If you’ve ever seen any of the British crown jewels, you know they’re not exactly subtle. They are sparkle-set to the max: crowns encrusted with thousands of diamonds, gold scepters, jewel-studded orbs and ornate brooches. And what you might not realize is that Queen Elizabeth’s personal stash of jewelry is completely separate from this collection. So what’s in both collections, exactly, and just how much are the crown jewels worth?
It’s hard to put a number on it, since these jaw-dropping pieces are steeped in centuries of history and royal tradition. “The crown jewels are a priceless collection that represents the history and continuity of the British monarchy,” says royal historian and author Carolyn Harris, PhD. “They’re significant to the entire nation of the United Kingdom.” That said, we do have some numbers for you.
Reader’s Digest spoke with Harris and Lauren Kiehna, a historian and the writer of the blog The Court Jeweller, to dive into the glittering world of royal bling. Read on to find out all the details about them, including what happened to them after Queen Elizabeth died and where they are now.
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What are the British crown jewels?
The British crown jewels aren’t just fancy accessories—they’re a symbol of the monarch’s right to sit on the throne. According to Harris, this legendary collection includes more than 140 royal ceremonial objects and 23,000 gemstones, many of which have been dazzling monarchs since 1660. The crown jewels include coronation regalia, crowns acquired by various monarchs, royal robes, tiaras, swords, church bling, banqueting plates, medals, insignia and even christening fonts—because why not baptize royal babies in style?
But don’t get any ideas about trying them on because only three people on Earth are allowed to touch the crown jewels:
- The current monarch
- The Archbishop of Canterbury
- The official crown jeweler (currently, Mark Appleby, who was appointed by Queen Elizabeth II in 2017)
Everyone else? Hands off.
Where are the crown jewels kept?
For more than 800 years, the crown jewels have resided in the Tower of London, Harris says. And they’re kept under close watch, leaving the fortress only for official portraits and ceremonial events, like coronations, royal baptisms and the opening of British Parliament.
But good news—you can see them up close if you happen to be in the area. They are on display for the public, behind bombproof glass and protected by armed guards, inside the Tower, in the aptly termed Jewel House. If you’re visiting London, this should definitely be on your must-do list.
How much are the British crown jewels worth?
“The precise value of the crown jewels is difficult to measure because the value comprises both the worth of the individual gems—there are 23,578 precious stones—and the historical value of the collection,” Harris explains. “The crown jewels are estimated to be worth more than £3 billion (or nearly $4 billion in U.S. dollars), but they have never been formally assigned a financial value.” Other rough estimations in recent years have put the their value anywhere from $1.2 billion to $5.8 billion in U.S. currency.
Here are the most well known (and valuable) of the bunch, with estimations of what each is worth in U.S. dollars, according to experts.
St. Edward’s Crown
Worth: Approximately $57 million
One of the most important pieces in the collection, St. Edward’s Crown leaves the Tower of London only for coronation ceremonies. King Charles III wore the St. Edward’s Crown during his coronation in May 2023—fitting, since his namesake had a hand in its creation.
Charles II commissioned the crown in 1661. It is made of nearly 5 pounds of solid gold set with more than 444 precious and semiprecious stones. The velvet cap features an ermine trim, and a diamond-set cross pattée sits atop a sphere at the intersection of the arches.
When Queen Elizabeth wore it at her coronation in 1953, it was only for a few moments, since the crown was so heavy and cumbersome. “You can’t look down to read the speech—you have to take the speech up,” Elizabeth told the Smithsonian Channel. “Because if you did, your neck would break and [the crown] would fall off.”
Imperial State Crown
Worth: Approximately $3.4 billion to $5.7 billion
After his coronation, King Charles III wore the Imperial State Crown as he rode in the Gold State Coach for the procession back to Buckingham Palace. Previously, this crown was placed on the coffin of the late Queen Elizabeth II in tribute. It’s also appropriate for other state occasions, including the annual opening of Parliament.
According to the Historic Royal Palaces charity, the Imperial State Crown is made of gold and set with 2,868 diamonds, 17 sapphires, 11 emeralds, 269 pearls and four rubies. It contains some of the most famous gems in the world, including the Black Prince’s ruby, the 104-carat Stuart sapphire and the 105.6-carat Cullinan II diamond.
It was made for the coronation of Elizabeth’s father, King George VI, in 1937, replacing the crown made for Queen Victoria in 1838.
The Sovereign’s Sceptre with Cross
Worth: Approximately $430 million
The golden, jewel-encrusted scepter has been a staple of coronations since Charles II got the royal treatment in 1661. Most recently, it made an appearance on King Charles III’s big day. It weighs 3 pounds and is dripping in 333 diamonds, 31 rubies, 15 emeralds, seven sapphires and other precious gems.
Its showstopping jewel, however, is the Great Star of Africa, a 530.2-carat diamond. This monster gem comes from a 3,000-carat African diamond gifted to King Edward VII in 1905 as a birthday present. Amsterdam’s Royal Asscher jewelers then sliced it into nine massive stones and nearly 100 smaller ones.
Today, those nine big diamonds, aka the Cullinan diamonds, are split between the crown jewels and the late Queen Elizabeth II’s personal collection. But Cullinan I—the largest and flashiest, which is worth a cool $400 million alone—has been set in the royal scepter since 1910. It sits right on top, underneath the emerald crown, making up the entire center of the “handle.”
The Sovereign’s Orb
Worth: Unknown
The Sovereign’s Orb is a hollow gold sphere with a band of emeralds, rubies and sapphires. Topped with a cross, it serves to remind the monarch that their power comes from God. During the coronation, the sovereign holds the orb in their right hand.
When Charles I had the orb made in 1661, he spent £1,150 on it. That’s the equivalent of nearly $290,000 today. But the orb itself is worth much more because of its historical significance and the value of its gold and gemstones.
How much is Queen Elizabeth’s personal jewelry collection worth?
The crown jewels aren’t the only gems stoking envy around the world: There’s also Queen Elizabeth II’s private jewelry collection. It includes diamond tiaras, necklaces and brooches, and experts estimate its worth is in the millions.
“Nearly every piece of jewelry in the queen’s collection has significance, including sentimental gifts from family members, diplomatic presents from foreign leaders and anniversary tributes from organizations and individuals,” says Kiehna. “She owned and wore jewels that belonged to Queen Adelaide, Queen Victoria, Queen Alexandra, Queen Mary and Queen Elizabeth, the queen mother.”
Here’s a look at some of her most valuable jewels.
The King Faisal Diamond Necklace
Worth: Approximately $10 million
Legendary jeweler Harry Winston designed this dazzling 84-carat diamond necklace, which was gifted to Queen Elizabeth II in 1967 by King Faisal of Saudi Arabia during a state visit to the U.K. The necklace features a mix of baguette, brilliant and pear-shaped diamonds set in platinum, adding up to a jaw-dropping 84 carats of sparkle.
While the queen frequently wore the piece, she also generously lent it out on occasion. Both Princess Diana and Sophie, Countess of Wessex, wore the stunning necklace at royal events, proving that even in the world of diamonds, sharing is caring. Its most recent appearance was back in 2012, when Sophie donned it for a pre-wedding gala dinner in honor of the Hereditary Grand Duke Guillaume of Luxembourg and Countess Stéphanie de Lannoy.
Today, the Faisal Necklace remains one of the most valuable and historically significant pieces in the royal collection.
The Nizam of Hyderabad Necklace
Worth: Approximately $80 million
The Nizam of Hyderabad, the ruler of a former Indian state, gifted Queen Elizabeth this stunning platinum necklace, set with 300 diamonds, in 1947. That’s the year India—a former British colony—gained independence and was partitioned into India and Pakistan.
The Nizam of Hyderabad Necklace is one of the most valuable necklaces in the queen’s collection.
The Lover’s Knot Tiara
Worth: Approximately $1 million to $2 million
Who could forget that iconic tiara with diamonds and dangling pearls? Originally belonging to Queen Mary, the stunning headpiece was inherited by Queen Elizabeth II and gained worldwide fame when she famously loaned it to Princess Diana, who wore it on multiple occasions—most notably on her wedding day in 1981. The Cambridge Lover’s Knot tiara then took a bit of a royal hiatus before making a dazzling comeback years later, when Princess Kate wore it eight times between 2015 and 2023, to various diplomatic functions.
This tiara is such a big deal that the Royal Canadian Mint even honored it with a collector’s coin. Yes, this piece of jewelry is so famous that it has its own currency.
The Diamond Diadem
Worth: Approximately $6.9 million
If Queen Elizabeth was known for one thing (other than her royal corgis), it was her A-plus accessories game. She wore this item on the way to her coronation in 1953, and it certainly made a statement. The heirloom, which belonged to King George IV, is made of silver and gold and set with 1,333 diamonds and 169 pearls. If you look closely, you’ll see a rose, a thistle and two shamrocks in the design—the national emblems of England, Scotland and Ireland.
The Williamson Pink Diamond Brooch
Worth: Approximately $33.9 million
Ever notice the queen wearing a platinum brooch in the shape of a flower? If you can look past the bling—it features more than 200 diamonds—you’ll notice the pink diamond in the center. This, as you’ve probably guessed, is the Williamson Pink Diamond.
This brooch holds the largest pink diamond in the world, valued at about $28.7 million, Kiehna says. The diamond was discovered in 1947 in a Tanzania mine owned by Canadian geologist John Williamson. He gave the queen the uncut, 54.5-carat diamond as a wedding gift, though she later had it cut and added to a diamond brooch.
Who gets to wear the jewels?
The crown jewels are part of the Royal Collection—which, contrary to popular belief, the monarch doesn’t personally own. Instead, they’re held in trust for the nation. That said, there’s ongoing debate over whether Britain should even have possession of some of these British monarchy treasures, as many were acquired (or, let’s be honest, stolen) from countries Britain once colonized.
Still, the royals don’t let just anyone play dress-up with the crown jewels. Experts expected—and were correct—that King Charles III would don the same crowns that graced English monarchs for centuries during his coronation. Queen Camilla, formerly the Duchess of Cornwall, was crowned alongside him at Westminster Abbey. While past queen consorts often had custom crowns made, Camilla wore Queen Mary’s Crown, keeping with royal tradition while avoiding controversy over the Koh-i-Noor diamond, a contentious colonial-era gem embedded in previous consort crowns.
As for Queen Elizabeth II’s personal jewelry collection? The queen’s will was private, but experts believe it has also passed to Charles. But don’t expect him to hoard the bling—he’s already following his mother’s lead, loaning pieces out rather than gifting them outright.
Some recent appearances:
- For King Charles III’s coronation, Camilla followed tradition and wore the Coronation Necklace and Earrings, a set of jewels made for Queen Victoria that has been worn by queens at every coronation since 1901. Made in 1858, the necklace features 25 cushion diamonds and a 22-carat pendant known as the Lahore diamond. The matching earrings feature two large cushion-cut diamonds and two smaller diamonds to form drop-shaped pendants.
- When King Charles III attended the State Opening of Parliament in the United Kingdom in 2024, he wore the Imperial State Crown. Queen Camilla wore the George IV State Diadem, originally commissioned for King George IV’s coronation in 1820 and now traditionally worn by queens and queen consorts in procession to coronations and state openings of Parliament.
- Princess Kate wore a four-strand pearl choker with a diamond clasp alongside a set of Bahrain pearl-drop earrings, both part of the late queen’s collection, to the queen’s state funeral.
So why does Charles get all the jewels? Simple: Under British law, the monarch is exempt from inheritance tax. If the collection were split among other royals, they’d have to pay hefty taxes—so, from a financial standpoint, keeping it all in the king’s hands just makes sense.
About the experts
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Why trust us
Reader’s Digest has published hundreds of stories on the British royal family, providing a behind-the-scenes look at the fascinating facets of the monarchy. We regularly cover topics including the latest royal news, the history and meaning behind time-honored traditions, and the everyday quirks of everyone’s favorite family members, from Queen Elizabeth’s daily snack to Prince William’s confessions about his home life. We’re committed to producing high-quality content by writers with expertise and experience in their field in consultation with relevant, qualified experts. We rely on reputable primary sources, including government and professional organizations and academic institutions as well as our writers’ personal experiences where appropriate. For this piece on how much the crown jewels are worth, Lori Ioannou tapped her experience as an award-winning journalist who often covers money and global issues. We verify all facts and data, back them with credible sourcing and revisit them over time to ensure they remain accurate and up to date. Read more about our team, our contributors and our editorial policies.
Additional reporting by Charlotte Hilton Andersen and Kimberly Holland.
Sources:
- Carolyn Harris, PhD, historian and professor of history at the University of Toronto School of Continuing Studies; email interview, March 13, 2025
- Lauren Kiehna, historian and writer of The Court Jeweller; interviewed, September 2022
- AU Precious Metals: “Britain’s Crown Jewels: How Much Are They Worth?”
- Historical Royal Palaces: “The Crown Jewels Up Close”
- Royal.uk: “The Royal Collection”
- Royal.uk: “The Crown Jewels”
- Royal Asscher: “The Cullinan”
- Market Realist: “Queen Elizabeth II Has Died But Her Most Valuable Jewels Will Pass On”
- Royal Canadian Mint: “1 oz. Pure Silver Coin”
- Independent: “Queen’s Diamond Diadem to go on show at Buckingham Palace”
- Something About Rocks: “What is the Imperial State Crown?”
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