The Silk Imperial Crown of Russia was presented as an official coronation gift
of the Russian Empire to
Nicholas II at his coronation in 1896. The last emperor to rule in Russia, Nicholas II was the first and
only monarch to be presented with such a monumental coronation gift.
It was not intended as ceremonial regalia for the use of Nicholas II and all future
emperors but as a memento of the coronation event for Nicholas II’s private use and enjoyment.
The Silk Imperial Crown is about the same size as the great Imperial crown. It is so designated
because it is formed of reinforced red velvet silk identical in quality and color to that used in
the regalia crown which was placed on the emperor's head in the coronation ceremony.
For reasons of Imperial protocol, a second Silk Imperial Crown was made for the royal court in Copenhagen. This second Silk Imperial Crown was presented directly by the emperor in a private ceremony to his maternal grandfather, King Christian IX of Denmark, when Nicholas II & Alexandra visited Copenhagen in 1896. The second Silk Imperial Crown is housed in the private royal collection at Christiansborg Palace in Copenhagen, while the emperor's official imperial coronation gift is in a private collection. The second Silk Imperial Crown may be seen by appointment. Soviet foreign minister Andrei Gromyko was granted a private viewing of it during a visit to Copenhagen in 1964.
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