Last Update: April 23, 2023, 3:34 PM IST
The Kohinoor diamond is located on top of the Maltese cross and there has been a demand that the diamond be returned to India where it was mined and prepared (Image: PTI)
The Kohinoor, which means mountain of light in Persian, came into the possession of Queen Victoria from the treasury of Maharaja Ranjit Singh, a few years before she was crowned Empress of India.
The controversy surrounding the Buckingham Palace colonial-era Kohinoor diamond likely to be claimed by India would have prevented it from becoming a side story at King Charles III and Queen Camilla’s coronation ceremony next month, a royal expert has said. .
Camilla Tominey is Associate Editor of The Daily Telegraph and keeps an inside track on the British royal family as the newspaper’s royal expert.
In an interview with PTI, he reflected on the significance of Camilla choosing the traditional crown used for the Emperor’s consorts as the “Consort Crown” because of its being embedded with the Koh-i-Noor – known as the Koh-i-Noor. Also called At the crown jewels unveiled by the palace for the coronation ceremony on 6 May, it was confirmed that Queen Mary’s Crown has been chosen by Camilla.
Tominey said, “I think the palace was conscious of the Koh-i-Noor being controversial and so decided they didn’t want there to be a side story about the source of these diamonds.”
“basically, [the palace have] Decided to do the safe and sensible thing not to start a separate debate about the jewels in the crown,” Tommy said.
Earlier this month, the palace said minor changes and additions were being made to Queen Mary’s Crown, such as the inclusion of the Cullinan III, IV and V diamonds, which have been part of Queen Elizabeth II’s personal jewelery collection for many years. Were. The design is inspired by Queen Alexandra’s Crown of 1902 – which was originally studded with the Kohinoor, now enshrined in the crown of Queen Elizabeth II, the mother of Queen Elizabeth II since 1937.
Last month, Historic Royal Palaces, the charity that manages Britain’s palaces, said the infamous diamond would instead be part of a new Jewel House exhibition at the Tower of London, classified as a “symbol of victory” for the first time Is. According to its estimate, the diamond probably originated from the Golconda mines in South India and weighs 105.6 carats. It was once much larger but was re-cut in 1852 to improve its luster and to suit contemporary European tastes.
The Kohinoor, meaning mountain of light in Persian, came into the possession of Queen Victoria from the treasury of Maharaja Ranjit Singh, a few years before she was crowned Empress of India in the wake of the 1857 rebellion, and played an important role in the British coronation Had played until its conspicuous absence at the ceremony the following month of the past.
Camilla’s choice of Queen Mary’s crown also marks the first instance of an existing crown being used for the coronation of a monarch’s wife in modern times, with all previous crowns being made specifically for a new consort. It is among a series of departures from tradition made by Charles, 74, and Camilla, 75, in an effort to strike a more sustainable tone that resonates with the times and incorporate modern elements into the ceremony .
Another major modern aspect of the massive Christian religious ceremony at Westminster Abbey in London for the coronation on 6 May is the king’s reports of plans to reflect some multi-faith elements that would connect with the wider British public as well as the Indian diaspora. Are. According to reports, peers of the House of Lords from the Hindu, Muslim, Jewish and Sikh faiths will carry key coronation objects to the Abbey that day.
“I think the King wants it to be as diverse and inclusive as possible and that means that it is not just a service that represents people of faith but also people who are of different- belong to different religions. During his time as heir apparent he has done a lot on multi-faith. He has visited different places of worship, he has associated himself with different religious communities and so it is really surprising Not that they’ve decided that the coronation should reflect that,” Toomey said.
Charles chose a multi-faith theme for his first Christmas message as king in December 2022, referencing the work of churches, synagogues, mosques, temples and shrines across the UK.
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(This story has not been edited by News18 staff and is published from a syndicated news agency feed)
