Camilla wears Lahore Diamond at coronation: How the stone was 'stolen'

The coronation of Britain’s King Charles III and Queen Camilla is done and dusted. It was an historic over two-hour ceremony where the world witnessed a new king and queen being crowned amid rituals, traditions and a whole lot of jewellery and regalia. Amid all this, Queen Camilla shone brightly – largely because of the sparkly jewellery she adorned for her moment and the crown she opted for. Queen Camilla followed in her husband’s footsteps of sustainability and chose the Queen Mary’s Crown, albeit without the controversial Kohinoor diamond. This move by the British Royal Family to steer clear of the famous Kohinoor diamond was hailed by many as ‘nimble diplomacy’ after calls to return the gem to India has grown louder in the recent years, especially after the demise of Queen Elizabeth II. However, the royal ceremony on Saturday (6 May) once again threw spotlight on the royal family’s colonial loot and one piece of jewellery that was spoken more about was Queen Camilla’s iconic necklace, called the Coronation Necklace. All about the dazzling necklace Queen Camilla on 6 May dazzled in a very special necklace as she travelled to Westminster Abbey with her husband, King Charles III, for their historic coronation. For the occasion, the 75-year-old wore the iconic Coronation Necklace, which dates back to 1858. Originally designed by Garrard for Queen Victoria, it’s since been worn by every queen for every coronation, most recently for the late Queen Elizabeth II when she was crowned in 1953. The necklace consists of 25 graduated brilliant diamonds with a 22.48 carat diamond pendant, known as the Lahore Diamond. [caption id=“attachment_12568402” align=“alignnone” width=“640”] The Coronation Necklace has 25 graduated brilliant diamonds with a 22.48 carat diamond pendant, known as the Lahore Diamond. Image Courtesy: Royal Collection Trust[/caption] The neckpiece has a complicated royal history. It is said that Queen Victoria commissioned this piece after she lost many of her jewels after legal wranglings with her uncle. As per royal historians, when Queen Victoria inherited the British throne from her father, the Hanoverian crown passed to her uncle – King Ernst August I – because the state did not recognise female leaders. This led to a tussle between the two sovereigns for the jewellery belonging to Queen Charlotte, Queen Victoria’s grandmother. After more than a decade of legal battles, the courts decided in favour of the Hanoverians rather than Queen Victoria. It was then that a devastated Queen Victoria commissioned the new necklace and the earrings and this came to be called the Coronation Necklace. According to the Royal Collection Trust, the necklace was made at a cost of £65, using twenty-eight stones (three of which were subsequently removed) taken from two of the Queen’s Garter badges and a sword hilt.

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For the centrepiece of the necklace, the Lahore Diamond was selected. The massive stone, said to be 22.48-carats, was originally part of the Lahore Treasure in the Punjab region of present-day Pakistan until 1849 before British colonists took it over. Some argue that it was presented to Queen Victoria in 1851, while others say that it was stolen during King Albert’s invasion of the Lahore Fort in 1858 – thus making it controversial. [caption id=“attachment_12568392” align=“alignnone” width=“640”] Queen Elizabeth II of Great Britain accompanied by her husband Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, waving to the crowd from the Buckingham Palace balcony, in London, on 2 June 1953, after being crowned at Westminster Abbey. File image/AFP[/caption] Reason for calling it Coronation Necklace This necklace became Queen Victoria’s more preferred pieces; she was pictured in it more than any other piece of jewellery. And since then it has become a regular feature around the monarch’s necks. Queen Alexandra was the first to wear the necklace in a coronation ceremony in 1902. This was followed by Queen Mary in 1911 and Queen Mother Elizabeth also wore it in 1937. In 1953, Queen Elizabeth also wore the Coronation Necklace as her primary pieces of jewellery on her Coronation Day. She also continued to wear the set throughout her reign, for various special occasions like state dinners. [caption id=“attachment_12568462” align=“alignnone” width=“640”] Queen Camilla looks up from the balcony of the Buckingham Palace after her coronation, in London. The necklace she wore made its coronation debut in 1902 when Queen Alexandra proudly adorned it. AP[/caption] Colonial ‘loot’ Apart from the Lahore Diamond, the coronation also featured other jewels that have been ‘stolen’ from past British colonies. The Sovereign’s Sceptre with the Cross, which King Charles carried at the coronation, features the Great Star of Africa or Cullinan I diamond. According to the Royal Collection Trust, the Cullinan diamond was presented to King Edward VII (the British monarch at the time) in 1907, two years after its discovery in a private mine in South Africa’s old Transvaal province.

However, many South Africans reject this narrative and have demanded for the stone to be returned home. Apart from the Great Star of Africa, a smaller diamond known as Cullinan II is set in the Imperial State Crown, which King Charles wore at the ceremony. In recent times, there has been growing calls from across former British colonies to return the ‘stolen’ jewels and artefacts. It is left to be seen if the British monarchy does return it, though it seems very unlikely. With inputs from agencies Read all the Latest News, Trending News, Cricket News, Bollywood News, India News and Entertainment News here. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.