A history full of mystery and drama
The earliest origins of the Stone of Destiny are unknown, with many rumours citing either biblical or Scottish origins.
It has been used to crown countless Scottish, English and British monarchs over the years, and was last used in 1952 for the coronation of HM Queen Elizabeth II.
Also known as the Stone of Scone, a replica of the 152 kilogram relic can be seen on Moot Hill in the grounds of Scone Palace.
One legend of the stone suggests it is actually the biblical Jacob’s Pillow, which was taken by the prophet Jeremiah to Ireland, before an early Scottish king then took the stone across the Irish Sea to Argyll.
The legend also suggests the stone was taken by the missionary Columba when he visited Iona in 563AD.
A more recent geological survey of the stone, carried out when it was returned to Scotland at a conservation centre in Edinburgh in 1996, showed the sandstone used to make the stone had been quarried from the vicinity of Scone.
Over the years, it has been used in London, Scone, Iona and Dunadd.
It is understood Kenneth Macalpin, one of the earliest Scottish kings, was crowned on the Stone of Destiny in 841.
The last Scottish king to the crowned on the Stone of Destiny was John Balliol in 1292.
That year, the stone was taken by King Edward I of England, who built it into a coronation throne.
For over 700 years the stone and the coronation throne sat in St Edward the Confessor’s Chapel in London’s Westminster Abbey, with many English and British monarchs being crowned upon it.
However, some also say monks hid the real Stone of Destiny from the English king after they heard he was marching towards Scone, which would mean the stone he took was a fake.
Since then, it remained in London and was used to crown English monarchs, and from 1707 onwards, British monarchs.
One of the most eventful episodes during this time came in 1914, when suffragettes detonated a bomb in the chapel to make a stand for votes for women.
Part of the coronation throne was damaged by this bomb.
In more recent times, the most famous episode came when the stone was stolen by four Scottish students on Christmas Day in 1950.
Ian Hamilton, Kay Matheson, Alan Stuart and Gavin Vernon took the stone from Westminster Abbey on Christmas Day.
They extracted the artefact from the coronation throne, and in doing so ended up breaking off part of the stone - although this damage could have been caused by the suffragettes’ bomb in 1914.
The stone was then driven to Kent and buried in an empty field.
When the four students returned to the field, they found a Romany camp had been set up - however, they managed to retrieve the stone and drive it back to Scotland.
On return to Scotland, the stone was doused in whisky and repaired in secret in Glasgow.
It was then moved to Arbroath Abbey, the location of the signing of the Declaration of Arbroath in 1320, which declared Scottish independence.
The stone was then discovered at the abbey three months later draped in a Saltire.
It was taken back to Westminster Abbey by police.
Speaking of the famous theft, Ian Hamilton, one of the students involved, said: “When I lifted the stone in Westminster Abbey, I felt Scotland’s soul was in my hands.”
A film was even made about this escapade in 2008 featuring Robert Carlyle, aptly named ‘The Stone of Destiny’.
Another unsuccessful attempt by a lone Glasgow student was made to steal the stone in the late 1970s as well.
Although the stone was not stolen in this instance, the abbey’s surveyor of fabric became concerned about it being taken in the future, and hid part of an authenticity document inside the stone to prove it was genuine.
The idea to permanently move the stone to Scotland was actually mooted by the daughter of Michael Forsyth, secretary of state for Scotland.
During a consultation, many places were given as having the ‘real’ Stone of Destiny, including a pub in Glasgow.
It was agreed the stone would be moved to Edinburgh in 1996, and a van was sent down to London to pick it up.
As well as journeying south to pick up the stone, the van also transported the Sarcophagus of St Andrews, a ninth century Pictish piece discovered in St Andrews Cathedral, which was being loaned to the British Museum as the centrepiece of an exhibition on the heirs of Rome.
A scaffold was built around the coronation throne and it took six hours for the Stone of Destiny to be safely removed from the throne.
This was done from 8pm on November 13 until 2am on November 14 under the escort of armed police.
The Stone of Destiny was then taken to a conservation centre in Edinburgh for research to be carried out on it.
It was during this research the authenticity document hidden inside the stone was discovered in a wax seal and lead tube.
Over 10,000 people lined the Royal Mile in Edinburgh to see the stone being transported to the crown room in Edinburgh Castle on St Andrew’s Day, 1996.
Ever since, the stone has sat in the castle - but the time has now surely come for the stone to be returned to Perthshire.
Under law, the Stone of Destiny must be returned to Westminster Abbey for all future coronations.