Within hours of Buckingham Palace’s announcement of the death of Queen Elizabeth II, the word “Kohinoor” was trending in India in thousands of tweets about the crown jewels.
Several tweets using the term, including dozens of responses to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s tribute to the late Queen, called on Britain to return the Kohinoor diamond – one of the world’s largest and most controversial – to its country of origin.
The diamond has been at the center of political and legal controversy in India amid controversies over its ownership, with claims coming not only from India but also from Pakistan.
This remains a point of contention in relations between India and Britain as many Indians believe that a diamond found in India in the 14th century was “stolen” during colonial rule.
The diamond passed through the hands of many rulers including Rajputs, Mughal princes, Iranian warriors, Afghan rulers and Punjabi Maharajas before actually ending up in the British crown jewels.
According to the UK Royal Palace, Kohinoor was discovered from the Golconda mines in central southern India before being handed over to the British monarchy in 1849.
It became part of Queen Victoria’s crown jewels, along with hundreds of other gems that are said to have cultural, historical and symbolic values and remain part of the royal collection.
The crown, which also has a purple velvet cap and ermine trim, was created in 1937 for Queen Elizabeth, the wife of King George VI, to be worn at her husband’s coronation on 12 May 1937.
It is studded with 2,800 diamonds in its platinum frame. The band consists of alternating groups of diamonds forming a cross and a rectangle, surrounded by single rows of brilliantly cut diamonds.
To whom will Kohinoor go now?
Britain’s longest-reigning Queen Elizabeth-II died on Thursday at the age of 96 after a seven-decade-long reign, and the now-precious Kohinoor diamond-studded crown will go next in line. The question is who will wear the Kohinoor now? Many suggest that the Kohinoor-studded crown will go to the next emperor, King Charles III. However, according to the ascension history of the Kohinoor, the diamond will go to the next queen, who in this case is the queen consort Camilla Parker Bowles.
The Kohinoor diamond is currently in the platinum crown worn by Queen Elizabeth II during her reign as Emperor of England.
In February this year, the Queen announced that Camilla Parker Bowles would become Queen Consort when Charles took the reins of the monarchy in England.
Now with the demise of Rani, there is every possibility that Camilla will wear the Kohinoor.
The Kohinoor is often referred to as the world’s most precious diamond, weighing around 105.6 carats. Diamond was found in India in the 14th century. Talking about the history of diamond, this precious diamond was found in Guntur of Andhra Pradesh during the reign of Kakatiya dynasty.
In a Hindu temple in Warangal it was used as an eye of the deity after which it was looted by Malik Kafur (Alauddin Khilji’s general). After it was handed over to several rulers of the Mughal Empire, the Sikh Maharaja Ranjit Singh took it over at Lahore, after which he came to Punjab.
The diamond was given to Queen Victoria in 1849 following the annexation of Punjab during the rule of Dilip Singh, son of Maharaja Ranjit Singh.
The Kohinoor diamond is currently housed in the Queen’s Crown, is stored in the Jewel House in the Tower of London and is accessible to the public.
The Kohinoor diamond is currently set in a platinum crown made for Queen Elizabeth (later known as the Queen Mother) for the 1937 coronation of King George VI. It is on display in the Tower of London.