who controls/owns the Crown?

"The Crown" is a technical legal term. As explained in the Wikipedia article, it differentiates between the Queen as a woman called Elizabeth, and the workings of government.

So it effectively means the government acting on her behalf. For example, if you commit a crime and get taken to court, it is the Crown who brings the charge. In Canada, it will be a Crown attorney who does it. In England and Wales it will be the Crown Prosecution Service, in Scotland the Procurator Fiscal... all different names to signify that the government is bringing the charge. Compare that with the USA, where that actually IS stated in the name of the case, such as "State of New York v. [the accused]".

In the UK there are, because it doesn't actually have a written constitution all in one document, many things that are still a matter of royal prerogative, such as the power to issue passports and the power to declare war. In practice, the government exercises these powers.

So who controls "the Crown" is the government in your particular country. In Canada, the buck stops with Stephen Harper and his Cabinet.

The Crown Estate controls the property - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crown_Estate

Both inherited and elected powers control the Crown.The monarchical government, which reigns through Parliament, the elected government, are in control. British monarchy is constitutional, which means that powers are shared between the monarch and Parliament.

The Queen. The crown and even Buckingham Palace is said now to be in ownership of the state but it isn't really, since nobody has any use of them apart from the royals. Saying the state owns such things is just fakery probably to appease thick republicans.

HM Queen Elizabeth II currently owns it.

- The Queen alone, as Head of the Armed Forces, may declare war or peace

- The Queen alone may conclude treaties

- The Queen (as commander-in-chief) may choose and appoint officers of all ranks

- The Queen may convoke, adjourn, remove, and dissolve Parliament

- The Queen may appoint a Prime Minister of her own choosing

- The Queen may dismiss the Prime Minister and his Government

- The Queen can choose and appoint all judges, councillors, officers of state, etc.

- The Queen may initiate criminal proceedings, and she alone can bestow a pardon

- The Queen may refuse the Royal Assent

- The Queen may refuse to dissolve Parliament when requested by the Prime Minister

- The Queen can choose and appoint all Archbishops, Bishops, and ecclesiastical dignitaries

- The Queen may exercise the refusal of the “Queen’s Consent” (direct Monarchical assent is required for a bill affecting the prerogative, hereditary revenues or the personal property or interests of the Crown to be heard in Parliament).

- Since the Sovereign is “first in honour, dignity and in power--and the seat and fountain of all three,'' the Queen may bestow all public honours, including creating peerages or bestowing Orders of Chivalry

The Queen’s non-political (ceremonial) roles include the following:

- Perform the ceremonial and official duties of Head of State

- Represent Britain to the rest of the world

- Provide a focus for national identity and unity

- Provide stability and continuity in times of change

- Recognise achievement and excellence (by means of awards, medals or orders)

- Encourage public and voluntary service

- Support charities and foundations and highlight their causes

The Crown Jewels are owned by the government. The royal family does not own them, they are allowed to use them on state occasions such as the opening of Parliament, for example.