Camilla, the Queen Consort will not be wearing the Koh-i-Noor diamond for coronation
Image by Sion Touhig/Getty Images
Reports have stated that Camilla, the Queen Consort of the UK, will not be wearing the crown featuring the disputed 105-carat Koh-i-Noor diamond for coronation, as it has caused a lot of debate over several years.
The diamond, which was stolen from India during the British colonial rule and presented to Queen Victoria, has been demanded by India to be returned.
Koh-i-Noor is one of the largest cut diamonds in the world and is set in a crown which was worn by King Charles’s grandmother during her coronation.
Other countries like Pakistan and Afghanistan, who were under the British rule, have also claimed ownership of the diamond.
Camilla, will instead wear the crown of Queen Mary which was commissioned and worn by the consort of King George V for the 1911 coronation.
Buckingham Palace said in a statement, “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 also said that the Queen Mary crown will be reset with the Cullinan III, IV and V diamonds, in tribute to the late Queen Elizabeth as they were part of her personal collection.
The palace added that four of the crown’s eight detachable arches will also be removed. The crown, which was on display at the Tower of London, was removed for the modification work to be carried out.
The queen consort’s crown had not been re-used since the 18th century.
