One of the world’s largest diamonds, stolen from India in the 19th century, will not appear in the queen consort’s crown in the upcoming coronation of King Charles III in May. Experts believe the decision to not include the jewel is a step to preserve international relations between England and India who recently overtook its former colonizer to become the world’s fifth-largest economy.
As the world prepares for the official ceremony to crown Charles as the leading monarch over Great Britain and Northern Ireland, conversations regarding the 105.6-carat Koh-i-Noor Diamond have dusted up, wondering if the British will include the jewel in the pomp and circumstance of the day, the New York Times reports.
On Tuesday, Feb. 14, Buckingham Palace announced Camilla, Charles’ wife, will not wear the crown worn in 1937 by Queen Elizabeth for her coronation as queen consort to King George VI. That crown prominently features the controversial jewel, but Camilla will opt to wear a less opulent crown. One that belonged to Queen Mary, the queen consort from 1910 to 1936.
“The choice of Queen Mary’s crown by her majesty is the first time in recent history that an existing crown will be used for the coronation of a consort instead of a new commission being made, in the interests of sustainability and efficiency,” the palace said.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, a spokesperson for the political party, said, “the use of the crown jewel Koh-i-Noor” would bring “back painful memories of the colonial past,” and questions about how it came into British possession.
Lauren Kiehna, a writer and historian on royal jewelry, said, “The Koh-i-Noor is a real, serious sticking point. I would imagine that Charles and Camilla would be keen to avoid additional criticism when possible, and Charles particularly has always seemed sensitive to the fact that jewels can carry significant symbolism.”
The history of the Koh-i-Noor is one of colonial…
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