Dublin Castle.Getty
In July 1907, just days before King Edward VII was due to arrive in Dublin, the priceless Irish Crown Jewels vanished from a supposedly secure safe within the walls of Dublin Castle.
Despite high-level investigations and public scandal, the jewels were never recovered, and no one was ever charged.
Now, over a century later, the Daily Mail’s new podcast "Queens, Kings, and Dastardly Things" reopens the cold case, uncovering fresh insights and revisiting old suspicions in what remains one of Ireland’s greatest unsolved mysteries.
The theft of the Irish Crown Jewels in 1907 remains one of Ireland's most enduring mysteries. Valued at approximately $20 million today, these ceremonial ornaments of the Order of St. Patrick vanished from Dublin Castle just days before King Edward VII's planned visit.
Sir Arthur Vicars, the Ulster King of Arms, was responsible for safeguarding the jewels. However, due to a design oversight, the safe intended for the jewels was too large for the strongroom door and was instead placed in Vicar's library. The jewels were last seen on June 11, 1907, and their absence was discovered on July 6, 1907.
The investigation into the theft was fraught with controversy. Vicars accused his deputy, Francis Shackleton, brother of explorer Ernest Shackleton, of the crime. Although Shackleton was exonerated, suspicions persisted, especially given his close association with Captain Richard Gorges, a man with a questionable reputation. Theories about the theft range from personal vendettas and political motives to attempts to conceal scandals within the British administration.
Read more
The mystery has recently been revisited in the Daily Mail's podcast series "Queens, Kings, and Dastardly Things," where historians Robert Hardman and Professor Kate Williams delve into the enigmatic disappearance of the jewels. Their exploration sheds new light on the case, examining the various theories and the societal context of early 20th-century Ireland.
Despite numerous investigations and widespread speculation, the Irish Crown Jewels have never been recovered, leaving behind a legacy of intrigue and unanswered questions.