Crown of Wilhelm II
The Crown of William II, also known as the Hohenzollern Crown, is the 1888 crown made for William II, German Emperor, in his role as King of Prussia. It was only used for heraldic purposes. A Crown of the German Empire was never made.
Design
The crown itself contains a large sapphire, supporting a diamond-studded cross, plus 142 rose-cut diamonds, 18 diamonds and 8 large pearls. It comprises eight half-arches.
After the establishment of the Republic
When William abdicated in 1918 he was permitted to retain the family jewels, which included the Hohenzollern crown. To protect it from theft and destruction, during the Second World War it was hidden in a wall in the crypt of a church. After the war it was returned to the Hohenzollern family.
It is now kept at the family residence of the Hohenzollern Castle.