Crown of Princess Blanche

They are heavily jewelled versions of the fleur de lys (lily flower) that was popular for medieval crowns.

[5] The nuptial crown is first documented in the inventory of King Richard II of England as having 12 fleurons, but a rosette was missing.

[6] It was recorded again in a 1399 list of royal jewels being moved across London which had been owned by the deposed Richard II and others.

It may have been produced in Bohemia, but elements such as beading on the stems suggest Paris, though the maker might have been a French or French-trained goldsmith working in Prague.

After his accession to the English throne, Henry wanted to make important alliances in order to maintain and legitimize his rule.

In 1402, prior to the wedding of Blanche and Louis III, it was restored by a London goldsmith, who added a twelfth rosette and replaced the missing emerald and pearls on the fleurons.

[10] In 1988, the crown featured in the Age of Chivalry exhibition at the Royal Academy of Arts in London – the first time it had returned to England since 1401.