Following the passing of Queen Elizabeth II, UK’s longest-reigning monarch, many Indians are demanding the return of the fabled diamond called Kohinoor or Koh-i-noor that was put in a crown created for the late queen’s mother.
Indian Twitterati started demanding that the 105-carat oval-shaped jewel, the name of which translates to “Mountain of Light”, be brought back to its place of origin shortly after Queen Elizabeth’s demise.
Kohinoor is the focal point of the Queen Mother’s crown, and is said to be one of the most expensive jewels in existence. The diamond was found in India’s Golconda mines in the 14th century, and over the centuries, it changed ownership several times. Kohinoor’s return has been asked by the Indian government on numerous occasions, notably once in 1947. Britain, however, has continually disputed the claims.
Read: Queen Elizabeth is featured on several currencies. Now what?
Who gets the crown with Kohinoor after Queen Elizabeth’s death?
Several latest reports state that Queen Consort Camilla will now wear the crown with the illustrious diamond. She will be anointed at the same time as King Charles III.
Will Britain ever return the Kohinoor to India?
There are reportedly no intentions to return the gem. Former British Minister for Asia and the Pacific Alok Sharma stated, “The UK government believes that there aren’t any legal grounds for recovery of the diamond,” during a visit to India in 2016.
How Kohinoor went to Britain from India
There is a certain time when the Kohinoor first appears in the written record. Shah Jahan, the Mughal emperor, ordered a magnificent, gem-encrusted throne in 1628. The ornate creation took its design cues from the throne of Solomon, the legendary Hebrew king who appears in the annals of Islam, Judaism, and Christianity, according to the Smithsonian Magazine.
Read: King Charles III officially announced Britain’s monarch, ceremony aired live for the first time
The Kohinoor diamond and the Timur Ruby were two very large gems that would eventually become the most valuable of all the precious stones that decorated the throne. The diamond was set in the head of a gleaming gemstone peacock at the very top of the throne.
Such wealth caught the interest of other kings in Central Asia, such as Nader Shah of Persia.
Invasion of Delhi by Nader Shah in 1739 claimed tens of thousands of lives and depleted the Mughal Empire’s finances. Nader supposedly grabbed the Peacock Throne as part of his loot, but he took out the Kohinoor diamond and the Timur Ruby to wear on a wristband, the Smithsonian Magazine feature adds.
Read: What’s next for the UK as King Charles III starts his reign
The Kohinoor diamond would spend 70 years away from India, in what would eventually become Afghanistan. In one tragedy after another, it changed hands between several kings, including one who blinded his own son and another who was overthrown and had his head covered in molten gold.
After years of conflict, the diamond made its way back to India and was acquired by the Sikh king Ranjit Singh in 1813. Singh’s specific affinity for Kohinoor solidified the gem’s aura of status and power. Following Ranjit Singh’s passing in 1839, the crown was held by four different people during a period of four years. At the end of all the chaos, just a boy named Duleep Singh and his mother Rani Jindan remained in line for the crown.
The British, who had by then solidified their grasp on India, forced Duleep to sign a legal document, requiring the 10-year-old boy to give up the Kohinoor and all claims to sovereignty, the Smithsonian Magazine feature says.
Read Stepping up: More scrutiny for next generation of royals
From that point forward, Queen Victoria was the proud owner of the diamond. Victoria wore Kohinoor as a brooch, but it later became a piece of the Crown Jewels.