Anurag Kumar
The Stone of Scone, the coronation stone upon which British monarchs have been crowned for centuries, arrived in London on Saturday in a special conveyance made from Scottish oak, in advance of King Charles’ coronation the following week.
Also known as the Stone of Destiny and considered a sacred, historic symbol of Scotland’s monarchy and nationhood, it has been removed from its permanent residence at Edinburgh Castle for the first time since 1996 in preparation for Charles’ coronation on May 6 at Westminster Abbey.
According to a statement from Westminster Abbey, a service was conducted on Saturday evening to commemorate the arrival of the royal family.
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Joseph Morrow, the heraldic authority for Scotland, stated at the ceremony, “(The stone) now returns to this location by order of King Charles III as an act of unity and a symbol of friendship.”
The origins of the stone are uncertain, but it is believed that it was used to inaugurate Scottish kings as early as the ninth century.
On Christmas Day in 1950, Scottish nationalists stole the stone from Westminster, but it was recovered a few months later on the high altar of Arbroath Abbey in Scotland, 500 miles (800 kilometers) away.
However, it was permanently relocated to Scotland in 1996 and will return there following Charles’ coronation.
