Charles and Camilla during an event at Buckingham Palace last November
Britain
Camilla will avoid a diplomatic crisis … and will not wear a diamond crown that India is demanding to return
Britain’s Buckingham Palace said Camilla, consort of King Charles, will wear Queen Mary’s tiara during the coronation ceremony in May, avoiding the 105-carat Koh-i-Noor diamond tiara that India is demanding its return.
The Koh-i-Noor, one of the largest diamonds in the world, was seized by the East India Company during the colonial era and presented to Queen Victoria. The diamond was set in a tiara that was last worn by Charles’ grandmother at her coronation.
The crown containing the Koh-i-Noor diamond is placed on the coffin of the late Queen Elizabeth during her funeral service
Pakistan, which was part of British-ruled India, and Afghanistan have both claimed ownership of the diamond since India’s independence in 1947.
Camilla will wear the crown of Queen Mary, which was worn by the consort of King George V at the coronation ceremony in 1911. Buckingham Palace said that the crown is undergoing some changes to install jewelry that suits the occasion and reflects Camilla’s taste.
“Her Majesty’s selection of Queen Mary’s Crown marks the first time in modern history that an existing crown will be used at the coronation of a consort, rather than commissioning a new one, for the sake of sustainability and efficiency,” the palace said in a statement.
Queen Mary’s crown
Charles automatically became king of 15 kingdoms, including Canada, New Zealand and Australia, upon the death of his mother, Queen Elizabeth, in September, but he and his wife Camilla will be formally crowned on May 6 at London’s Westminster Abbey.
The palace said the Queen Mary’s tiara would be set with the third, fourth and fifth cut Cullinan diamonds, in honor of the late Queen Elizabeth. These pieces were part of the Queen’s personal collection and were often worn as brooches.
The palace stated that four of the crown’s eight detachable brackets would be removed. The crown is no longer on display in the Tower of London for modifications.
The last time a queen consort’s crown was worn was in the 18th century.
