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| Stone of Scone in the Coronation Chair (Wikipedia) |
The Stone of Scone (or the Stone of Destiny), is an oblong block of red sandstone used traditionally the coronation of the Monarchs of Scotland and, after the 13th century for the coronation of the monarchs of England, Great Britain and the United Kingdom. It was seized by Edward I's forces from Scone in 1296 and never returned. In the 17th century a wooden platform was added, which is seen in the image above - and is knowns as the Coronation Chair. When King Charles III was crowned, this was the chair he sat in. When used in coronations, the stone is transported to Westminster Abbey in London. Since 1996 it has been kept in Edinburgh Castle with the Scottish Crown Jewels.
There are various legends surrounding the stone. Some even suggests the stone is a fake, the real stone being hidden somewhere in Scotland still. In 1914 the stone was damaged during a bombing by a suffragette - where a bomb was placed, loaded with nuts and bolts (sharpnel). A corner of the chair was damaged. During World War 2, the stone was evacuated from London and hidden with maps sealed and sent to Canada to Prime Minister Mackenzie William King and one to the Lieutenant Governor of Ontario. The stone was stolen in 1950 and returned to Scotland. It was recovered (or perhaps a copy of it was) and returned to London. The stone was returned in July 1996 to Scotland.
The stone is a national symbol of the United Kingdom and of Scotland. In 2020 the Scottish Government announced the stone would be relocated to Perth. Whether the Scottish Government has the authority to do that is an interesting question. The stone is empowered by Royal Warrant to be held in safekeeping by the Commissioners for the Keeping of the Regalia.
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Stone of Scone being Carried out from Edinburgh Castle (By UK Government Scotland - From Twitter account of UK Government Scotland, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=131369460) |