A legendary stone that was "liberated" in a famous heist will play a key role in the coronation of King Charles III
The Stone of Destiny, an ancient symbol of the Scottish monarch, was moved south from Edinburgh to London ahead of this week's coronation.
It will be placed beneath the 700-year-old coronation chair that King Charles III will be seated on during the ceremony.
Over centuries, the stone has become a powerful symbol of England's suppression over its neighbour, and more recently of Scottish patriotism.
The Stone of Destiny was captured by English forces under King Edward I in 1296 and moved to Westminster Abbey in London.
It was placed beneath the coronation chair and used in every coronation since 1308.
The stone made world headlines in 1950 when a gang of Scottish students 'liberated' an ancient royal symbol during a daring heist at Westminster Abbey.
Ian Hamilton, Gavin Vernon, Kay Matheson and Alan Stuart stole the Stone of Destiny on Christmas Day in 1950 from the famous London abbey.
They saw themselves as patriots who were taking back an important piece of Scotland's heritage by returning it to its true home north of the English border.
During the theft, the gang dropped the stone , causing it to split into two pieces, but they still eluded police patrolling outside Westminster Abbey.
After authorities discovered the Stone of Destiny was missing they closed the England-Scotland border for the first time in 400 years, but it was too late.
Three months later, the stone turned up 800km away at Arbroath Abbey in Scotland.
While condemned by English authorities, the heist was immensely popular among Scots and became the subject of 2008 film, Stone of Destiny.
The four students were interviewed by police but and were identified as the culprits, but were not prosecuted.
The stone was returned to Westminster Abbey in time for the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II in 1953.
But it was permanently moved to Scotland in 1996 and installed at Edinburgh Castle, where it has been on public display.
Last year following the death of Queen Elizabeth II, Buckingham Palace announced it would travel south again for the coronation of King Charles III.
The life of King Charles III in pictures
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