If you’ve ever seen any of the British crown jewels, you know they’re not exactly subtle. They include crowns encrusted with thousands of diamonds, gold scepters, jewel-studded orbs, and ornate brooches. What you might not realize is that Queen Elizabeth’s stash of jewelry is completely separate from this collection. So, what’s in both collections and just how much are the jewels worth? The British crown jewels aren’t just fancy accessories—they’re a symbol of the monarch’s right to sit on the throne. The 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. Only three people on earth are allowed to touch the crown jewels: The current monarch (King Charles III), the Archbishop of Canterbury, and the official crown jeweler, which is currently Mark Appleby, who was appointed by Queen Elizabeth II in 2017. For more than 800 years, the crown jewels have resided in the Tower of London, leaving the fortress only for official portraits and ceremonial events like coronations, royal baptisms, and the opening of British Parliament. So, how much are they worth? The crown jewels are estimated to be worth nearly $4 billion, but they’ve never been formally assigned a financial value.
