Crown Jewels to be projected on to Tower of London to tell story of coronations
The jewels will be projected on to the famous London landmark in autumn before touring the length and breadth of the country
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.The Crown Jewels will be projected on to the Tower of London before touring UK landmarks under plans to tell the story of coronations to thousands of people.
The jewels will be projected on to the famous London landmark in autumn before touring the length and breadth of the country.
The Crown and Coronation display, produced by Historic Royal Palaces and Luxmuralis, aims to explore the history of coronations in an immersive musical and visual show.
The Government has also announced new screening sites for the King and Queen Consort’s coronation, bringing the total to 57, with more than 100,000 people expected to watch the ceremony live in their home towns.
To mark the coronation weekend, communities are being encouraged to come together for street parties on the Sunday after the service at Westminster Abbey on Saturday 6 May.
More than 32,000 coronation big lunch packs have been ordered, with around 50,000 neighbourhood events planned, which are set to be attended by millions of people.
There will also be hundreds of thousands of opportunities to take part in The Big Help Out on the Bank Holiday Monday granted to celebrate the coronation.
The project aims to ensure the coronation leaves a lasting legacy in communities by inspiring and recruiting a new generation of volunteers.
Opportunities include the chance to volunteer with the Scouts, Royal Voluntary Service, Guide Dogs and the smallest local volunteering groups.
Culture Secretary Lucy Frazer said: “The coronation marks the beginning of a new chapter in our magnificent national story.
“It promises to be full of memorable experiences for the whole country, with millions of us bearing witness to a moment of history for the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth.
“Every part of the United Kingdom should have a chance to see and feel the joy of the coronation, and this giant light projection will give communities the chance to see precious centuries-old royal treasures up close over the next year.
“With less than a month to go until coronation weekend, there are countless opportunities for people to be part of it – whether it’s watching the service on a big screen in your community, hosting your own Big Lunch for family, friends and neighbours or volunteering in The Big Help Out to give something back.”
Lindsey Brummitt, programme director at the Eden Project, home of The Big Lunch, said: “It is a fantastic way to celebrate where you live, be part of history and even fundraise for a charity or cause you care about.
“Bust out the bunting, knock on a neighbour’s door and get to know one another a little better over a tasty snack – it’s such an easy way to be part of everything.”
The Tower of London will also delve deeper than ever before into the history of the Crown Jewels with a new exhibition.
The display in the Jewel House, where the priceless collection is kept under armed guard, will explore the origins of some of the precious objects for the first time, including the controversial Koh-i-noor diamond.
It marks the first major change to the home of the Crown Jewels for more than a decade and will open to the public just weeks after the coronation.