How 窃盗 of 24st 石／投石する of Scone 誘発するd one of the biggest manhunts in British history - and the big 役割 it will play at King Charles' 載冠（式）／即位（式） (if it gets here 滑らかに)

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It was on Christmas Day in 1950 when four young robbers struck at the heart of the English 君主国 - 誘発するing one of the biggest manhunts in British history.?

Having snuck into Westminster Abbey by a 味方する door, the group of excitable Scottish 国家主義者s had only one treasured 反対する in their sights: the 石／投石する of Scone.?

After prising it from underneath the 載冠（式）／即位（式） 議長，司会を務める - where King Charles will sit at his 宗教上の 儀式 in May - they 目的（とする）d to 素早い行動 it 支援する to Scotland.??

Until then, the 古代の artefact had been in London since 1296 - 妨げる／法廷，弁護士業?a period when it was moved for 安全な keeping during the Second World War.

But, 存在 unprepared for its heftiness - it 重さを計るd 24 石／投石する - the 行動主義者s dropped it and it broke in two when it 攻撃する，衝突する the 床に打ち倒す.?

The 石／投石する of Scone was stolen by four Scottish 国家主義者s from Westminster Abbey in 1950. It was 設立する in April the に引き続いて year at Arbroath Abbey. Above: A policeman stands with the 石／投石する and the saltire that it was draped in by the thieves?

The two parts of the 石／投石する did then make it to Scotland, as police 調査／捜査するd frantically.

Today it 現れるd that 後継の Scots First 大臣 Hamza Yousaf will ignore 前任者 Alex Salmond's call to stop the 石／投石する from leaving Edinburgh for Charles's 載冠（式）／即位（式）.

But it is also likely that the 石／投石する will be making its last 旅行 south, 予定 to the fact that the 載冠（式）／即位（式） 議長，司会を務める - which dates from 1300 - is in a poor 明言する／公表する of 修理 but will still need to 持つ／拘留する the 極端に 激しい 石／投石する.

The 石／投石する will play a 重要な 役割 at the 載冠（式）／即位（式）.?

It will first have to be brought 負かす／撃墜する from Scotland and then put 支援する under the 載冠（式）／即位（式） 議長，司会を務める in a 手続き that will take several hours to 確実にする both 反対するs are not 損失d.

Although no 詳細（に述べる）s have yet been 解放（する）d on how the 石／投石する will make the 旅行 to England, Scotland 長官 Alistair Jack has 以前 said that the 閣僚 Office and?Department for Culture, マスコミ and Sport are working with the Scottish 政府 and Historic 環境 Scotland on the move.

The 石／投石する will be beneath King Charles when he sits in the 議長，司会を務める and is anointed by the 大司教 of Canterbury.

During the anointing, a canopy will be placed over the King and the 議長，司会を務める by four Knights of the Garter.?

Charles will then be 手渡すd the Sword of 申し込む／申し出ing and then the 君主 Sceptre and Golden Orb before 存在 栄冠を与えるd with St Edward's 栄冠を与える.??

Last October, one of the 禁止（する）d of thieves who stole the 石／投石する - 国家主義者 Ian Hamilton - died 老年の 97, 誘発するing 尊敬の印s from 人物／姿／数字s 含むing the then First 大臣 Nicola Sturgeon.

He stole the 石／投石する along with 工学 students Gavin Vernon and Alan Stuart and science teacher Kay Matheson.

The thieves were part of the Scottish Covenant 協会, movement that 手配中の，お尋ね者 Scotland to be 独立した・無所属 from the UK.

The 石／投石する, also known as the 石／投石する of 運命, is treasured by Scots 予定 to the fact that it was used at the 載冠（式）／即位（式）s of Sc ottish kings until 1296, when King Edward I's 軍隊s 掴むd it.

After the 石／投石する was broken in the 1950 （警察の）手入れ，急襲, the?国家主義者s used Mr Hamilton's raincoat to drag the larger chunk to a waiting car and then placed the smaller piece in another 乗り物.

The 石／投石する of 運命 is seen under King Edward I's 載冠（式）／即位（式） 議長，司会を務める in 1996, の直前に it returned to Scotland?

The 石／投石する of 運命 is seen under King Edward I's 載冠（式）／即位（式） 議長，司会を務める in the 1970s, after it had been 設立する and returned to Westminster Abbey

The 石／投石する was finally 設立する 安全な in April 1951. It had been placed on the altar at Arbroath Abbey, draped in a Saltire. Above: The 石／投石する is carried out of the Abbey by the 当局

The 石／投石する was stolen by students Ian Hamilton, Gavin Vernon and Alan Stuart and science teacher Kay Matheson. Left to 権利:?Alan Stuart, Kay Matheson, Ian Hamilton and Gavin Vernon

In 1996, to 示す the 700th 周年記念日 of the 石／投石する's 初めの 除去 from Scotland, it was returned to Scotland ? with the 同意 of the Queen ? and placed in Edinburgh 城 on St Andrew's Day. Above: The Duke of York 手渡すing over the 王室の 令状 for the 安全な keeping of the 石／投石する of 運命 to the then Scottish 長官 Michael Forsyth in 1996

By the time of the Queen's 載冠（式）／即位（式） in 1953, the 石／投石する had returned to Westminster Abbey. Pictured: The 石／投石する is seen beneath the 載冠（式）／即位（式） 議長，司会を務める as the Queen 持つ／拘留するs the Sword of 申し込む／申し出ing

The 石／投石する was returned to Scotland in a 儀式 in 1996. It was placed into an adapted Land Rover that was driven through the streets in 前線 of 観客s

Thousands turned out to 証言，証人／目撃する the 儀式 in 1996. Above: A 観客 with a light-hearted 掲示

Mr Hamilton later 明らかにする／漏らすd that he and his co-conspirators 遭遇（する）d a policeman on the night of their （警察の）手入れ，急襲, after they parked their car 近づく the Abbey in 反抗 of the 当局.

CLICK TO READ MORE: The 700-year-old 載冠（式）／即位（式） 議長，司会を務める that has been used for the 栄冠を与えるing of 君主s since the 14th century is getting a makeover ahead of Charles' big day?

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宣伝

The officer 恐らく said to them, 'there's not a policeman in London would 逮捕（する） you tonight.'?

But, 24 hours later, he and every other officer in London - was engaged in trying to 回復する the 石／投石する, before the manhunt spread to the whole country.?

For the first time in 400 years, the 国境 between England and Scotland was の近くにd as police 課すd road 封鎖するs.

The two parts of the 石／投石する were 最初 hidden 分かれて - one was in the Midlands and another was buried in a field in Kent.

The pieces were later 再会させるd in Scotland and joined 支援する together by a stonemason.

The police 跡をつけるd the ギャング（団） 負かす／撃墜する when they discovered that Mr Hamilton had taken out 調書をとる／予約するs about the 石／投石する and Westminster Abbey from Glasgow Mitchell Library.

He later 認める: 'I'd 研究d the whole 商売／仕事 there. They checked the 記録，記録的な／記録するs and 設立する I had borrowed every 調書をとる／予約する on Westminster Abbey.'

The 石／投石する was finally 設立する 安全な in April 1951. It had been placed on the altar at Arbroath Abbey, draped in a Saltire.?

However, Mr Hamilton and his fellow thieves were not 起訴するd for the 罪，犯罪, after the then 総理大臣 Clement Atlee was advised that punishing them would 証明する 深く，強烈に 人気がない in Scotland.

The 石／投石する was returned to Westminster Abbey soon after it was discovered, and when Queen Elizabeth II was 栄冠を与えるd in 1953, it was there beneath the 載冠（式）／即位（式） 議長，司会を務める - as it had been in the 載冠（式）／即位（式） of her father George VI and every 君主 before that for nearly 700 years.?

Conservator Krista Blessley 作品 on the 復古／返還 of a 載冠（式）／即位（式） 議長，司会を務める, at Westminster Abbey in February

In 1996, to 示す the 700th 周年記念日 of the 石／投石する's 初めの 除去 from Scotland, it was returned to Scotland ? with the 同意 of the Queen ? and placed in Edinburgh 城 on St Andrew's Day.?

Nearly two years before the 1950 窃盗 took place, Glasgow University students had 需要・要求するd that the 石／投石する should be returned by January 14, 1949, 'or else'.?

It 誘発するd the 当局 to place a policeman on guard at the Abbey. But by Christmas 1950, the 対策 had been relaxed.

Mr Hamilton would go on to 完全にする his 熟考する／考慮するs at Glasgow University before later becoming a KC.

He remained 政治上 active throughout his life, joining 労働 before running for the SNP in the 1994 and 1999 選挙s.?

In 1884, the 石／投石する 生き残るd another 窃盗 陰謀（を企てる） that was hatched by Irish 国家主義者s, who believed the 石／投石する had been the 所有物／資産／財産 of Ireland since before the birth of Jesus Christ.

The 陰謀（を企てる） was 失敗させる／負かすd when one of the conspirators 明らかにする／漏らすd all to the police.

The Daily Mail's 初めの ニュース報道 of the 窃盗 of the 石／投石する 報告（する）／憶測d how the 国境 between Scotland and England was の近くにd for the first time in 400 years

The Mail then told how the 石／投石する was 設立する at Arbroath Abbey, where it had been draped in a Saltire

によれば legend, the 石／投石する was used by the Biblical Jacob as a pillow when he had a 見通し of angels at Bethel.

It is then said to have made its way from the 宗教上の Land through Egypt, Sicily, Spain and Ireland before reaching Scotland.?

By the 9th century, it had been taken to the town of Scone, where Scotland's kings were 栄冠を与えるd.?

The last 君主 to be 栄冠を与えるd on the 石／投石する north of the 国境 was John de Balliol, in 1292.?