The 'cursed' legacy of the Kohinoor and its link to King Charles

The Kohinoor diamond, which is known as one of the biggest cut diamonds in the world, has a rich history spanning centuries. Originating in South India, the precious diamond found its way to the British Royals, where it currently adorns the Crown Jewels of the United Kingdom. Contrary to its Persian meaning “mountain of light,” the precious gem is considered cursed and brings bad luck to any male monarch who claims it. The debate over the alleged curse of the Koh-i-noor has been reignited after the recent announcement of King Charles III’s cancer diagnosis. Here’s all we know about it. [caption id=“attachment_13704752” align=“alignnone” width=“640”] Britain’s King Charles III, right, arrives to receive a royal salute from members of the military in the gardens of Buckingham Palace, following his coronation, in London. AP[/caption] The story behind Kohinoor Though its precise origins are still unknown, the Kohinoor is thought to have been discovered in the Kollur Mines in the Golconda region, now situated in Telangana. Because of its enormous size and unmatched beauty, the diamond went on to become a prized possession, which sparked wars between kings vying to own it as a power symbol. It was originally positioned in a Hindu goddess’ shrine to act as her eye, according to Wion News. The diamond was passed between dynasties after being acquired by the Khilji dynasty in 1310. In 1526, Babur became the owner of the Kohinoor. In 1628, Shah Jahan gave the order to have a Peacock Throne made, with a Kohinoor implanted as the centrepiece. Nader Shah, the Persian emperor, seized the Peacock Throne and the Kohinoor diamond during his invasion of Delhi in 1739, and he wore them on an armband. After Maharaja Ranjit Singh toppled the Afghan Durrani dynasty in 1813, the diamond remained in Afghanistan for a considerable amount of time until the Kohinoor was brought back to India. The Kohinoor, though, was not to remain in India for very long. The British asked the British East India Company to bring the Kohinoor to England as soon as they learned of Ranjit Singh’s passing in 1839. According to the Economic Times, the 11-year-old son of Ranjit Singh, Prince Duleep, was forced to sign the Treaty of Lahore, which gave the British Empire possession of the Kohinoor. What is the curse of the diamond? Across empires and civilisations, the 105.6-carat diamond has a chequered history of tragedy befalling its male possessors. Legend has it that any male monarch or prince who claims ownership of the precious gem either loses power or dies. The Kohinoor is often associated with the fall of the Khilji Empire, the Tughlaq Empire, the Mughal Empire, the Durrani dynasty, and the death of Ranjit Singh. During the Revolt of 1857, the East India Company — which was in charge of shipping the Kohinoor to England — was also nearly destroyed. It’s believed no male heir to the kingdom has ever worn it since the British knew about the “curse of Kohinoor.” It has only ever been worn by women of the British Royals. The Kohinoor was placed within Queen Alexandra’s crown for the first time, and Queen Victoria wore it as a brooch. According to the Royal Trust Collection, Queen Elizabeth II wore it during her 1953 coronation, and the Queen Mother wore it during her 1937 coronation. To prevent a controversy, Queen consort Camilla chose not to wear it during her and King Charles’ coronation ceremony in 2022. The Kohinoor curse is now being linked to King Charles’ cancer diagnosis, which occurred 17 months after he assumed the British throne and may have contributed to his health issues. Even after centuries after its discovery, it remains one of the most famous diamonds in the world, and many people still believe the myths and traditions surrounding it to be true. With inputs from agencies