The splendour of Coronations and the Crown Jewels will be brought to life like never before in a new immersive light show launching at the Tower of London this November.
Crown and Coronation has been created by Historic Royal Palaces – the charity that cares for the Tower of London – in partnership with Luxmuralis – as part of an artistic collaboration between artist Peter Walker and composer David Harper.
It will bring the spectacle, significance and shared experience of Coronations to life, demonstrating the pivotal role of the Crown Jewels, part of the Royal Collection, within the ceremony. Following a nine-day run at the iconic fortress, the show will embark on a UK wide tour, taking the story of the Crown Jewels across the country to be enjoyed at some of the most famous landmarks and locations.
The show will feature stunning imagery spanning across the centuries. Visitors will journey through more than 1000 years of history, encompassing the reigns of some of the most famous English monarchs including William the Conqueror, Elizabeth I, and Queen Victoria. Just like medieval and Tudor rulers, visitors will be swept up in the spectacle of the coronation procession and transported from the Tower of London to Westminster Abbey – where coronations have taken place since 1066.
Visitors will have the chance to marvel at detailed footage of the Crown Jewels, the objects at the very heart of the coronation ceremony, projected onto the famous White Tower. Following this, visitors will be granted special access to see the Crown Jewels themselves after hours, without the usual crowds.
In 2024, the light show will embark on a UK-wide tour, sharing this remarkable collection with more people than ever before. For those who can’t visit the Crown Jewels in person, they can now experience these awe-inspiring objects via stunning images and a dramatic soundscape, projected at iconic landmarks and locations such as Exeter Cathedral (9 – 13 January), Carlisle Castle and Cathedral (15 – 17 February), Winchester Cathedral (5 – 9 March) and Canterbury Cathedral (24 – 28 September).
The light show launches just months after the world witnessed the Crown Jewels in use at a Coronation for the first time in 70 years. Earlier this year, Historic Royal Palaces unveiled a transformed Jewel House, exploring more stories than ever before about the history and significance of the collection. The Tower has been home to the collection for nearly 400 years and the Crown Jewels were returned back on display following their use in the 6 May ceremony.
Charles Farris, Public Historian for the History of the Monarchy at Historic Royal Palaces, said:
“The Crown Jewels hold deep religious, historic, and cultural significance, and we are really excited to be bringing this magnificent collection to people around the UK in this historic coronation year. Through spectacular imagery projected throughout the historic inner ward of the Tower of London, and an emotive soundscape, Crown and Coronation will immerse visitors in the rich history of the British monarchy, Coronations, and the Crown Jewels. After a highly anticipated run at the Tower of London we look forward to taking the show on tour around some of the most iconic buildings in the UK in 2024.”
Peter Walker, Sculptor and Artist at Luxmuralis added:
“We are delighted to be working with Historic Royal Palaces on this spectacular light show, which will transform one of the world’s most remarkable buildings into an articulating and evolving display of historic images, awash with light and accompanied by compositions which chart changes to music over the period.
“The Tower of London has been the setting for almost 1000 years of historic moments, but for the very first time it will also become the canvas upon which that history and heritage is portrayed. It is equally important that we then take this work around the country, and we are delighted to be re-curating the artwork for some of the UK’s most remarkable locations.”
The re-presentation of the Jewel House at HM Tower of London, in the Coronation year of Their Majesties King Charles III and Queen Camilla, was made possible through a partnership between Historic Royal Palaces and Garrard.
CROWN AND CORONATION RUNS FROM 17 – 25 NOVEMBER 2023
Crown and Coronation tickets: Adults: £19.50 / Children: £12.50 / Members get a 10% discount
UK TOUR DATES 2024
Exeter Cathedral, 9 – 13 January 2024
Carlisle Castle and Cathedral, 15 – 17 February 2024
Winchester Cathedral, 5 – 9 March 2024
Canterbury Cathedral, 24 – 28 September 2024.
The UK tour is set to continue throughout 2024 and 2025, with further venues to be announced.
