A reaction over a controversial diamond in her late mother-in-law's beautiful diadem, which is reserved only for use by British queens, may cause the Queen Consort to forego wearing it for the coronation next year.
Although the renowned silver, gold, diamond, and pearl piece was created for George IV in 1820, only female family members have ever worn it.
Queen Elizabeth II's Controversial Crown
The costly item has 2,800 diamonds in total, with the 105-carat Koh-i-Noor diamond, one of the largest cut diamonds in the world, resting on the front cross. The enormous diamond reportedly came from India and was given to Queen Victoria by the country's last Sikh emperor, who was just 10 years old at the time.
The diamond's gifting, however, is contested, and there are requests to have the gem returned in at least three nations, including India. Following a statement by India's ruling party that wearing the diamond would bring back "sad memories of the colonial past," speculation over the crown the Queen Consort will don next year came to a screeching halt.
The Times reports that it is now believed Camilla Parker Bowles will likely decide not to wear the crown and that Buckingham Palace will choose a less expensive alternative rather than commissioning a new crown.
King Charles III, Queen Consort Camilla Coronation
Although palace officials maintain that no decision has been taken, it was previously reported that King Charles III wanted his wife to wear the controversial crown as a tribute to his late mother.
After Buckingham Palace declared that the date of the King and Queen's coronation will be May 6, 2023, the issue around the diamond erupted. According to a source close to the palace, "I would have expected they would err on the side of keeping India happy."
The Koh-i-Noor diamond may be taken out of the crown and replaced with another gem, but some people worry that doing so would cast doubt on the diamond's status as a legitimate gift. According to current reports, the palace is actively examining other ideas that date back as long as 200 years. A little-known crown that Queen Adelaide wore in 1831 is one of the possibilities, according to The Telegraph.
The crown, which is a piece of the Royal Collection, was taken down from the Tower of London's display earlier this year. The Diamond Diadem is another crown, which has been worn by the King and Queen Consort since Adelaide but has never been used at a coronation.
The King George IV Diamond Diadem, in the opinion of many people who are passionate about royal regalia, would be the ideal choice. It is composed of a slender band trimmed with pearls and a striking openwork frame set with 1,333 diamonds. It is made of silver and has a gold interior.
It features four unique "crosses-pattées"-the front cross is set with a four-carat light yellow brilliant diamond-as well as four sprays of roses, shamrocks, and thistles, the national symbols of England, Ireland, and Scotland.
The carefully crafted diamond sprays and crosses have not been disturbed, which is unusual because the stones would typically have been returned to Rundells following the coronation.
Since then, the Diamond Diadem has been a common item for queens regnant and their consorts. A "huge diplomatic grenade," according to William Dalrymple, co-author of 'Koh-i-Noor: The History Of The World's Most Famous Diamond.' Although the Imperial State Crown was used in the official ceremony, the late Queen loved the controversial crown so much that she wore it on the way to her own coronation in 1953.
She wore it while traveling to every state opening of parliament starting in 1952.
She confirmed that the Imperial State Crown was extremely heavy for her as a woman far into her 90s in 2019, therefore she ultimately decided to wear it for the duration of the event.
In an exclusive report published yesterday, The Daily Mail stated that Buckingham Palace is secretly reconsidering its initial decision to use the Queen Mother's coronation crown when Camilla Parker Bowles and her husband are crowned together in May due to political sensitivities.
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