The upcoming coronation of King Charles III promises to display a remarkable collection of artifacts and the most exquisite gems from around the globe. These items not only captivate the eyes but also establish a tangible and symbolic connection with the bygone era.
Here's a sneak peek of some noteworthy pieces that will be on display.
St. Edward's Crown
Crafted in 1661 specifically for the coronation of King Charles II, the solid gold crown that will adorn the head of Charles III is an awe-inspiring masterpiece.
Adorned with over 400 precious gemstones, including rare rubies and sapphires, this regal piece weighs a whopping two kilograms.
Eddie LeVian, the chief executive of Le Vian jewellery brand, highlighted the significance of the gems in the crown, stating, "It is not just that they're precious jewels..., these are some of the finest gems that came from mines that are extinct today.
"As those mines ran out, the new mines were not producing those qualities and even back when they were, these were the best of the best. They're priceless."
The Imperial State Crown
Another spectacular piece that will grace King Charles III's head during his coronation is the Imperial State Crown. Commissioned in 1937 for King George VI's coronation, this crown boasts an impressive array of precious gems, including 2,868 diamonds, 269 pearls, 17 sapphires, and 11 emeralds. Of particular note is the front-facing gem, which is the second-largest stone ever cut from the famous Cullinan diamond.
Queen Mary's Crown
During the coronation of Camilla as queen consort, she will be crowned with Queen Mary's Crown, which has a rich history. However, it is worth noting that the crown will not feature the controversial Koh-i-Noor diamond that once served as its centrepiece.
India claims ownership of this legendary diamond, and it has been a source of controversy for years. Instead, the Koh-i-Noor diamond will be substituted with precious stones sourced from the Cullinan diamond and the royal collection.
LeVian, whose ancestors protected the Koh-i-Noor when it was in the possession of the shah of Persia in the 18th century stated, "She has wisely chosen to be a role model.”
The Cullinan diamond
Discovered in South Africa in 1905, the Cullinan diamond held the distinction of being the largest ever mined, weighing an astounding 621 grams in its raw and uncut form. Two years later, in 1907, the Transvaal government presented this magnificent gem to King Edward VII on his 66th birthday as a symbol of reconciliation following the end of the Second Boer War (1899-1902).
The Sovereign's Sceptre with Dove
Symbolic of the Christian Holy Ghost, the sceptre is designed as a gold rod with a globe, cross, and dove perched atop it. Referred to as "the Rod of Equity and Mercy," this sceptre is closely linked to the spiritual duties of the monarch.
The Sovereign's Sceptre with Cross
In addition to the sceptre symbolizing the monarch's spiritual role, Charles will wield a second sceptre that represents the monarch's temporal power and commitment to good governance.
This sceptre features the largest colourless cut diamond in existence, known as the Cullinan I or the "First Star of Africa."
Weighing an impressive 106 grams, this diamond takes pride of place at the top of the sceptre.
The Sovereign's Orb
Representing the monarch's authority and the Christian world, the orb is a striking gold piece of jewellery encircled by a band of precious stones such as diamonds, emeralds, rubies, sapphires, and pearls. Atop the orb rests a magnificent amethyst and a cross, adding to the orb's symbolism and significance.
Cross of Wales
As part of the ceremony, a silver cross containing fragments believed by the Vatican to be from the cross on which Jesus Christ was crucified will be on display. The fragments, of the “True Cross” gifted by Pope Francis, have been meticulously fashioned into a small cross and seamlessly incorporated into the overall design. The tiny cross is visible through a rose crystal gemstone, adding to the ceremony's spiritual significance.
Rod with Dove
Although animal rights groups have called for it to be retired, Queen Camilla will hold an ivory sceptre during the ceremony. The sceptre, topped with a dove, has been a part of every queen consort's regalia since 1685. In addition to the ivory sceptre, Camilla will also carry a gold sceptre with a cross perched on top.
The gold Ampulla
The eagle-shaped vessel is a vital part of the coronation ceremony, as it holds the sacred oil used to anoint the monarch. The eagle's head is removable, allowing for the oil to be carefully poured into the vessel.
The vessel's design is inspired by a legend that dates back to medieval times, where it is believed that the Virgin Mary appeared to the English saint Thomas Becket, presenting him with a golden eagle and oil to be used in the anointing of future English kings.
The Spurs
One of Britain's most ancient coronation items, made of gold, leather, velvet, and gold thread, are the spurs used to represent knighthood. This tradition dates back to the coronation of Richard I in 1189 and was used to fasten the spurs to the king's feet during the ceremony. However, for queens, the spurs were presented and placed on the altar instead.
Coronation ring
Dating back to the coronation of King William IV in 1831, the ring is a significant part of Britain's coronation regalia. However, it was not worn by Queen Victoria during her coronation in 1838 due to her small finger size.
Purple Robe of Estate
The monarch's cypher, wheat ears, and olive branches are embroidered on a silk robe that took 12 seamstresses from the Royal School of Needlework 3,500 hours to make.
The Coronation Chair
The two-metre-high oak chair, commissioned by King Edward I in 1300, is considered the oldest piece of furniture in the UK. It is also known as the Coronation Chair, as it has been used in every British coronation since 1308.
The chair incorporates the Stone of Destiny, an ancient symbol of Scotland's monarchy that Edward I seized in 1296. The 152kg stone was taken from London's Westminster Abbey by Scottish nationalists in 1950 and later reappeared in Arbroath Abbey, Scotland. It was formally returned to Scotland in 1996, but will be brought back to London for the ceremony.
She shot down the 'global actor' tag with a definitive, almost weary, clarity.
Her first major jewellery purchase was a self-funded diamond from an early film pay cheque.
She's deep in the trenches of her pirate film The Bluff and the Citadel sequel.
The Bulgari partnership works because it, unlike many, shouts out Indian craftsmanship.
Despite the Hollywood slate, the SS Rajamouli film in India is absolutely confirmed.
Look, Priyanka Chopra is done explaining herself. On a quick stop in Mumbai, sandwiched between Hollywood schedules and a glittering Bulgari event, someone dared to ask the question again. You know the one. Global or Indian? Her answer wasn't just sharp; it was a sigh of finality. For an Indian actor in Hollywood, the constant need to define her identity is just noise. And she's done listening to it.
Priyanka Chopra shuts down global tag and doubles down on Indian actor pride Instagram/bvlgari
What’s her deal with Bulgari?
This isn’t some random cheque for her. You can tell it actually means something. She gets a real kick from how Bulgari gives India its due, shouting out the craftsmanship and the gemstones. Then she hit us with a classic story. Her first serious jewellery buy was a two-carat diamond, funded entirely by the signing amount from one of her earliest films. Her mum called it her "becoming a woman" moment. Try finding that level of meaning in a standard brand partnership.
This is where she doesn’t mess about. When the whole "global actor" thing came up, her answer was a verbal mic drop. "I’m Indian, and I’m an actor. That makes me an Indian actor," she stated. No fluff, no diplomatic answers. She talked about loving her job and following the work, but the core of it all never budges. It’s a refusal to have her identity rewritten by a map.
Priyanka Chopra embraces Indian actor title while juggling Hollywood and SS Rajamouli projectsGetty Images
So what’s next for Priyanka Chopra?
The woman isn't resting. She's fresh off a boat, literally, having wrapped The Bluff, this pirate flick with the Russo Brothers. "Exceptional" is the word she uses, and with her, that's not just PR talk. Then, no rest, she's straight back into the messy, big world of Citadel for another season. Oh, and the globetrotting SS Rajamouli’s film? It’s confirmed. She's in. So yeah, she's operating on a different plane of existence altogether.
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Strictly Come Dancing brings back Cynthia Erivo to guide celebrities in Wicked-inspired Movie Week performances
Erivo returns to the BBC dance show in a new role.
She will advise contestants during Movie Week.
The professional dancers are doing a Wicked performance.
She previously served as a guest judge.
The move ties in with her new film release.
Strictly Come Dancing has called in Cynthia Erivo for special duties. The award-winning performer will act as a guest mentor when the show holds its Movie Week. This marks a fresh job for Erivo on the programme after she previously served as a judge. She is expected to guide the celebrities through their big screen themed routines.
Strictly Come Dancing brings back Cynthia Erivo to guide celebrities in Wicked-inspired Movie Week performances Getty Images
What does a guest mentor do?
This is a new position created for the series. Erivo will visit the couples during their practice sessions. She will give them tips on how to sell a performance. Her job is to help them look more like film stars on the dance floor. When the live show happens, she will also join the judging panel to watch the results.
Cynthia Erivo takes over mentoring on Strictly Come Dancing to boost celebrities for high-stakes Movie Week Getty Images
Why choose Cynthia Erivo?
She knows her way around the Strictly ballroom. Producers brought her in to cover for judges before. People still talk about how she spoke to Rose Ayling-Ellis using sign language. That moment showed she understands how to connect with performers. She also has a new Wicked film in cinemas right now, which makes the timing work well.
Yes, the professional dancers have prepared something special. They will perform to As Long As You're Mine from the musical. Erivo sings that song in the movie version. The number will likely feature costumes and sets from the production. It should serve as a major moment during the broadcast.
The Movie Week episode airs this Saturday evening on BBC One. The competition is starting to get serious now. Some couples are already struggling to impress the judges. Having Erivo there might give someone the boost they need to avoid elimination this weekend.
PRIME MINISTER Keir Starmer on Thursday (2) called for a "robust" response by the head of London's under-fire Metropolitan Police after a BBC undercover report showed officers using excessive force and making racist and misogynistic comments.
"I've not yet seen the footage, but I've had it described to me, and it's shocking, and I'm glad the commissioner is responding. He needs to be very robust in his response," Starmer told reporters ahead of a meeting with European leaders in Copenhagen.
BBC reporter Rory Bibb spent seven months until January 2025 working in a civilian role as a detention officer in the custody suite of Charing Cross police station in central London.
The resulting BBC Panorama documentary, aired on Wednesday (1), exposed officers making misogynistic, racist and Islamophobic remarks, as well as using excessive force.
Metropolitan Police chief Mark Rowley condemned the behaviour as "completely reprehensible".
Anyone viewing the footage would be "upset and angry... seeing the racism, the misogyny, and the sort of relishing in using excess force on people who've been arrested", he said, adding that he was working urgently to have the officers dismissed.
He said that following contact with the BBC ahead of the programme 10 officers and staff had been suspended.
"They are suspended, they are not anywhere near the public any more, but I want them off the payroll and gone as quickly as possible," he told BBC radio.
The custody team at the Charing Cross station featured in the report has been disbanded, according to Rowley.
During the reporter's time undercover, "officers called for immigrants to be shot, revelled in the use of force and were dismissive of rape claims," the BBC said in a statement.
Several male police officers were secretly filmed making shocking statements, including that a detainee who had overstayed his visa should have "a bullet through his head", and that migrants from Algeria and Somalia were "scum".
The reputation of UK policing has been in tatters since the 2021 kidnap, rape and murder of marketing executive Sarah Everard by a serving Met officer who was later jailed for life.
In another shocking case, an officer from the same unit last year received 36 life sentences for a "monstrous" string of 71 sexual offences, including the rapes of 12 women.
In the year to March 2024, nearly 600 officers in England and Wales were sacked.
The Met alone in January 2023 revealed that 1,071 officers in the 40,000-strong force of staff and officers had been under investigation for domestic abuse and violence against women and girls.
England and Wales has a police workforce of more than 147,000 across the 43 forces.
Lahore-based alt-jazz band fuses South Asian classical, jazz, and hip-hop.
Sarangi virtuoso Zohaib brings centuries-old tradition into modern grooves.
UK debut at Union Chapel won over South Asian diaspora audiences.
Barbican show promises richer textures, extended improvisation, and cinematic moments.
Collaboration with legends like Ustad Noor Bakhsh bridges generations and heritage.
Let's get one thing straight: you can't pin Jaubi's sound down. It's a mash-up, sure: Hindustani classical rhythms, the freefall of jazz, hip-hop's grounding beat. But for them, it's never about genre. It's all gut feeling. Speaking exclusively to Eastern Eye ahead of their Barbican show on 3 October, the Lahore-based band opened up about their philosophy, their roots, and why improvisation feels like a conversation, not a performance.
Why “whatever” is more than a name, it’s their musical philosophy
It all starts with the name: Jaubi. It's Urdu for "whatever." Or "whoever."
"It's a philosophy," they say. "It means that when we sit down to create, we're not thinking, this has to be jazz, or this needs to sound like traditional South Asian classical music. We're just expressing what feels true in that moment." In an industry that feeds on neat boxes, that's not just a name; it's a rebellion.
This philosophy manifests in a sound that connects cosmic dots. It's the yearning of John Coltrane crashing into the beat science of J Dilla and the narrative flow of Nas. At its heart is the soulful cry of the sarangi, played by Zohaib, a seventh-generation carrier of that rare lineage.
So how do you honour centuries of tradition while plugging it into a modern context?
"We're conscious of honouring the tradition," they explain. The goal isn't forced modernisation. "The goal isn't to modernise the sarangi, but to create a dialogue between past and present, showing it can exist alongside a bassline or drum loop without losing its soul. In that way, the tradition is protected by being kept alive and relevant, not locked away."
Jaubi brings centuries-old sarangi to modern beats
The intimate, human centre of Nafs at Peace
This dialogue is captured perfectly on their album Nafs at Peace. The album cover, a photo of Ali Riaz Baqar's mother praying, is its intimate, human centre. The title track sonically maps an inner journey. "It begins sparse and unsettled—loose rhythms, open spaces, almost like a mind in turmoil... By the end, everything locks together in harmony. It's not triumphant, but a calm and quiet resolution."
This raw, honest sound wasn't lab-grown. Their seminal session with UK jazz figure Tenderlonious and pianist Marek Pędziwiatr was a one-day, improvised gamble.
Jaubi: the band proving South Asian music can break every rule
"We weren't sure how these worlds would meet: Marek's piano, Tenderlonious' sax, our tabla, guitar, and sarangi." The initial anxiety was palpable. But then, the first notes. A response. An instinctive conversation began. "About halfway through the day, we hit a deep groove, a moment where everyone locked in and that's when we knew it was working. From there, the sessions flowed effortlessly."
For Jaubi, the path of a song is never pre-destined. "The melody always leads for us and everything else builds around it," they say of their writing process. "When I write, I usually start with a melodic idea... From there, the vibe naturally takes shape. We never force it into a category but we just follow where the melody wants to go."
Lahore’s sound goes global with Jaubi’s improvisation
Finding a sense of pride in heritage
This 'whatever' philosophy is resonating powerfully far from home. Nobody knew how their UK debut at Union Chapel would go over. But the reaction? It cracked the place open. "The response was overwhelming, particularly from the South Asian diaspora. Many people came up after the show saying it felt like hearing the sounds of their childhood reimagined in a new way." One conversation crystallised their mission: "Someone who said they'd never seen the sarangi on a stage like that before. They felt proud and emotional, like their heritage was being celebrated rather than just preserved."
Now, they're preparing for the Barbican. "We are expanding the live setup with richer textures, more percussion, deeper bass, and space for extended improvisation. It will feel bigger and more immersive, almost cinematic at times." The moment they want to etch into memory? "If there is one moment I hope people carry with them, it is A Sound Heart. When we play it live, there is a point where everything aligns, and you can feel the whole room breathing with the music."
Sharing the bill with legends like Ustad Noor Bakhsh and Amrit Kaur is a lesson in itself. "Playing alongside them feels like being part of a living tradition… What we take away most is their sense of presence. They do not rush, they let the music breathe. It reminds us to listen closely and to focus on expression rather than complexity."
Jaubi: redefining South Asian music, one note at a time
Looking to the future
This entire journey is rooted in Lahore, a city they describe as "alive with sound right now," pointing to a vibrant underground scene and artists like Maanu, Natasha Noorani, and the Mekaal Hasan Band.
Looking ahead, the legacy they want, true to their name is about opening doors. "In the next decade, we hope Jaubi's legacy is about possibility." It always comes back to doors left unlocked. A way for traditions to breathe new air, for jazz maps to include Lahore, and for some kid somewhere to think, "I can do that too."
Their final word on it? "We want younger musicians to feel free to experiment, whether they pick up a centuries-old instrument or make beats on a laptop. If our journey inspires even a few people to take risks and create something honest, then we have done our job."
Catch them on 3 October at the Barbican. Listen for the point where it all clicks into place. It's the sound of "whatever" finding its perfect, unforgettable voice.
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India's Mohammed Siraj (R) celebrates with Yashasvi Jaiswal (L) after taking the wicket of West Indies' captain Roston Chase during the first day of the first Test cricket match at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on October 2, 2025. (Photo by R.SATISH BABU/AFP via Getty Images)
RED-HOT Mohammed Siraj and Jasprit Bumrah led India's bowling charge with seven wickets between them as the hosts dismissed the West Indies for 162 on day one of the first Test on Thursday (2).
A depleted West Indies won the toss in Ahmedabad but the Indian attack struck regular blows at the start of the two-match series to bowl out the visitors in 44.1 overs in the second session.
Siraj returned figures of 4-40 to extend his tally of Test wickets to 27 this year, having played a key role in India's 2-2 draw in England.
After an initial first spell of 3-19 in seven overs, Siraj returned in the second session to get one more wicket and was ably supported by Bumrah.
Number seven Justin Greaves top-scored with 32 before being bowled by Bumrah.
Skipper Roston Chase (24) and Shai Hope attempted to revive the innings after the West Indies slipped to 42-4 in the first hour of play.
India's Jasprit Bumrah (R) celebrates with Yashasvi Jaiswal (L) after taking the wicket of West Indies' Justin Greaves during the first day of the first Test cricket match at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on October 2, 2025. (Photo by R.SATISH BABU/AFP via Getty Images) www.easterneye.biz
Left-arm wrist spinner Kuldeep Yadav bowled Hope for 26 to end the 48-run fifth-wicket stand at the stroke of lunch.
Kuldeep got his second to wrap up the innings as early tea was called.
Earlier, Siraj drew first blood when he got Tagenarine Chanderpaul caught behind down the leg side for a duck with wicketkeeper Dhruv Jurel taking a good catch.
Bumrah had opener John Campbell caught behind for eight.
The decision was denied by the umpire but replays suggested the ball grazed the bat and India reviewed in their favour.
Siraj kept up the onslaught as he bowled Brandon King for 13 when the batsman attempted to leave an incoming delivery.
West Indies were swept 3-0 at home by Australia this year and were bowled out for 27 in the third match, the second-lowest score in Test history.
They have been forced into late changes after injuries to pace bowlers Alzarri Joseph and Shamar Joseph, and are a pale shadow of the team that once dominated cricket.