On the occasion of the coronation ceremony of King Charles III. on Saturday, among other things, Canada unveiled its new royal crown, and the lily symbolizing Quebec was removed.
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The royal crown is a heraldic emblem, that is, above the coat of arms. Its new design was approved by the King in April 2023, on the advice of Justin Trudeau, and “incorporates elements that emphasize the monarchy’s Canadian identity,” we read on the Governor-General of Canada’s website.
Today, the Canadian government unveiled a new heraldic Canadian crown, replacing the traditional St. Edward’s Crown used on Canada’s coat of arms, police and military insignia.
The design replaces religious symbols (crosses and lilies) with maple leaves and a snowflake. #cdnpoli pic.twitter.com/lw04dC0zOZ
— Canadian Crown 🇨🇦 (@Canadian_Crown) May 6, 2023
Similarities with the old crowns
The structure, consisting of a golden circle and two intersecting arches surrounded by pearls, corresponds to the Tudor crown, i.e. the English royal crown from the time of Henry VIII.
The new design also includes a red hood lined with ermine fur.
Canadian specialties
The new Royal Canadian Crown features the maple leaf, which has represented the country and people since the 19th century.
At the top is now a snowflake, indicative of Canada as a Nordic country, inspired by the Canadian diadem, making a direct connection to the insignia of the Order of Canada.
Around the edges, the crown is decorated with triangular peaks and indentations, also reminiscent of the diadem and referencing the country’s mountains and river valleys.
The wavy blue band evokes the lakes and rivers and the three oceans that delineate the borders. It therefore underscores the importance of the environment to Canadians and Indigenous teachings who view water as the elixir of life that nourishes the earth.
This new coat of arms was created by Cathy Bursey-Sabourin, Fraser Herald and Senior Artist with the Canadian Heraldic Authority.
The government also unveiled the new royal flag, a Canadian postage stamp and collectibles designed for the event.