On Christmas Day 1950, one of the most audacious political heists in British history went awry when a Scottish nationalist named Ian Hamilton dropped the famous Stone of Destiny while spiriting it away from Westminster Abbey in London. Also known as the Stone of Scone, the revered lump of sandstone split in two, and new research has finally traced the subsequent history of the various fragments of stone that were secretly circulated around the world. The rest of this article is behind a paywall. Please sign in or subscribe to access the full content.

The stone’s significance dates back to 1249 CE, when the medieval kings of Scotland began using the relic during coronations. However, less than half a century later, the Stone of Destiny was stolen by Edward I of England and taken to Wes

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