The British crown jewels are worth even more money than you might imagine. Here’s who inherited these treasures, along with Queen Elizabeth II’s private jewelry collection.
By Lori Ioannou
Mar. 27, 2025
Readers Digest
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.”
Tap here to see so many more crown jewels, and to find out what they are worth – in Readers Digest!
