The movement of the Stone has been shrouded in secrecy over fears some may try to stop it from being moved to England
The Stone was originally moved to Scotland in 1996 under Conservative Prime Minister John Major with an official handover ceremony taking place on 30 November 1996, St Andrew’s Day.
In order to remove it from the Coronation Chair, officials had to use a running pulley and place it onto a purpose-built handbarrow before driving it to Scotland using police and army vehicles.
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Nearly 27 years on, reports suggest similar methods will be used for its journey to London and for its reunion with the Coronation Chair.
A spokesman for Historic Environment Scotland (HES) told the Mail: “The Stone will be placed into the Coronation Chair using a similar method to that used in 1996 for its removal, but with enhancements where techniques and technology have improved.
“Our specialist teams from HES and Westminster Abbey will work collaboratively to achieve the installation to ensure the safety of both objects.”
The Stones’ journey to London has been shrouded in secrecy over fears someone may try to steal it, something successfully attempted in the past.
In December 1950, four students from Glasgow drove down in two Ford Anglias and successfully stole the Stone from the Abbey.
However, as they tried to remove the stone, they dropped it, causing it to break into two pieces. While one piece was hidden in a coat, the other piece was carried by the rest. One piece was placed into each of the Anglias.
From that point on, the paths of the two pieces diverged. The larger portion of the stone was buried in a field in Kent while the car containing the smaller part of the stone was left with a friend of the students in the Midlands.
On discovering the Stone was missing, the border between England and Scotland was closed for the first time in around four hundred years.
Two weeks later, the two pieces of stone were recovered from their respective hiding places and brought to Glasgow where they were repaired by a professional stonemason.
The stonemason, one Baillie Robert Gray, reportedly placed a brass rod containing a piece of paper inside the Stone. It is not known what Mr Gray wrote
The Stone was eventually recovered in April 1951 when police received a message that it was sitting on the site of the High Altar at Arbroath Abbey.
The Stone was subsequently returned to Westminster Abbey in February 1952, nearly a year later.
Sixty years later, King Charles III is reported to have said he would have been happy for the Stone to stay in Scotland for his Coronation.
