Budapest Post

Cum Deo pro Patria et Libertate
Budapest, Europe and world news

How King Charles's Coronation Dodged A Kohinoor Debate

How King Charles's Coronation Dodged A Kohinoor Debate

Kohinoor came into Queen Victoria's possession from the treasury of Maharaja Ranjit Singh a few years before she was to be crowned empress of India in the wake of the 1857 Revolt.
Buckingham Palace would have been conscious about the potential for controversy around the colonial era Kohinoor diamond claimed by India and averted it becoming a side story of King Charles III and Queen Camilla's Coronation ceremony next month, a royal expert has said.

Camilla Tominey is the Associate Editor of 'The Daily Telegraph' and has an inside track to the British royal family as the newspaper's royal expert.

In an interview with PTI, she reflected upon the significance of Camilla choosing to forgo the traditional crown used for the monarch's partner as the "consort crown" due to it being embedded with the Kohinoor - also known as Koh-i-Noor. Among the crown jewels unveiled by the palace for the Coronation ceremony on May 6, it was confirmed that Queen Mary's Crown has been chosen by Camilla.

"I think the palace were conscious about the Koh-i-Noor perhaps being controversial and therefore have decided that they don't want there to be a side story about the provenance of these diamonds," said Tominey.

"Basically, [the palace have] decided to do the safe and sensible thing, to not have a separate debate about the jewels in the crown," noted Tominey.

Earlier this month, the palace said that minor changes and additions to Queen Mary's Crown are being undertaken, such as the inclusion of the Cullinan III, IV and V diamonds which were part of Queen Elizabeth II's personal jewellery collection for many years. The design has been inspired by Queen Alexandra's Crown of 1902 - which was originally encrusted with the Kohinoor, which now sits in the crown of the Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother, the mother of Queen Elizabeth II, since 1937.

Last month, Historic Royal Palaces, the charity that manages Britain's palaces, said that the infamous diamond will instead be part of a new Jewel House exhibition at the Tower of London classed as a "symbol of conquest" for the first time. According to its assessment, the diamond probably originated from the Golconda mines in southern India and weighs 105.6 carats. It was once much larger but was re-cut in 1852 to improve its brilliance and conform to contemporary European tastes.

Kohinoor, which means mountain of light in Persian, came into Queen Victoria's possession from the treasury of Maharaja Ranjit Singh a few years before she was to be crowned empress of India in the wake of the 1857 Revolt and has played a starring role in British coronations of the past until its conspicuous absence in next month's ceremony.

Camilla's choice of Queen Mary's Crown also marks the first instance in modern times of an existing crown being used for the Coronation of the monarch's consort, with all past crowns being specially made for a new consort. It is among a series of departures from tradition made by Charles, 74, and Camilla, 75, in an attempt to strike a more sustainable tone that resonates with the times and also incorporate modern elements into the ceremony.

Another key modern aspect of the largely Christian religious ceremony at Westminster Abbey in London for the Coronation on May 6 are reports of the King's plans to reflect some multi-faith elements that connect with the wider British public, as well as the Indian diaspora. According to reports, House of Lords peers of Hindu, Muslim, Jewish and Sikh faiths will carry key pieces of Coronation regalia on the day at the Abbey.

"I think the King is wanting it to be as diverse and inclusive as possible and that means it isn't just a service that represents people of faith but also those of none, and those of different faiths. Throughout the course of his time as heir apparent he has done quite a lot on multi-faith. He's visited different places of worship, he's ingratiated himself with different religious communities and so it's not really surprising that he's decided that the Coronation should reflect that," said Tominey.

Charles also chose a multi-faith theme for his first Christmas message as King in December 2022, referencing the work of churches, synagogues, mosques, temples and gurdwaras across the UK.
AI Disclaimer: An advanced artificial intelligence (AI) system generated the content of this page on its own. This innovative technology conducts extensive research from a variety of reliable sources, performs rigorous fact-checking and verification, cleans up and balances biased or manipulated content, and presents a minimal factual summary that is just enough yet essential for you to function as an informed and educated citizen. Please keep in mind, however, that this system is an evolving technology, and as a result, the article may contain accidental inaccuracies or errors. We urge you to help us improve our site by reporting any inaccuracies you find using the "Contact Us" link at the bottom of this page. Your helpful feedback helps us improve our system and deliver more precise content. When you find an article of interest here, please look for the full and extensive coverage of this topic in traditional news sources, as they are written by professional journalists that we try to support, not replace. We appreciate your understanding and assistance.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Bangkok Ranked World's Top City for Remote Work in 2025
Satirical Sketch Sparks Political Spouse Feud in South Korea
Indonesia Quarry Collapse Leaves Multiple Dead and Missing
South Korean Election Video Pulled Amid Misogyny Outcry
Asian Economies Shift Away from US Dollar Amid Trade Tensions
Netflix Investigates Allegations of On-Set Mistreatment in K-Drama Production
US Defence Chief Reaffirms Strong Ties with Singapore Amid Regional Tensions
Vietnam Faces Strategic Dilemma Over China's Mekong River Projects
Malaysia's First AI Preacher Sparks Debate on Islamic Principles
Meta and Anduril Collaborate on AI-Driven Military Augmented Reality Systems
Russia's Fossil Fuel Revenues Approach €900 Billion Since Ukraine Invasion
Alcohol Industry Faces Increased Scrutiny Amid Health Concerns
U.S. Goods Imports Plunge Nearly 20% Amid Tariff Disruptions
Italy Faces Population Decline Amid Youth Emigration
Trump Accuses China of Violating Trade Agreement
OpenAI Faces Competition from Cheaper AI Rivals
Foreign Tax Provision in U.S. Budget Bill Alarms Investors
Russia Accuses Serbia of Supplying Arms to Ukraine
Gerry Adams Wins Libel Case Against BBC
EU Central Bank Pushes to Replace US Dollar with Euro as World’s Main Currency
U.S. Health Secretary Ends Select COVID-19 Vaccine Recommendations
Trump Warns Putin Is 'Playing with Fire' Amid Escalating Ukraine Conflict
India and Pakistan Engage Trump-Linked Lobbyists to Influence U.S. Policy
U.S. Halts New Student Visa Interviews Amid Enhanced Security Measures
Trump Administration Cancels $100 Million in Federal Contracts with Harvard
SpaceX Starship Test Flight Ends in Failure, Mars Mission Timeline Uncertain
King Charles Affirms Canadian Sovereignty Amid U.S. Statehood Pressure
EU Majority Demands Hungary Reverse Anti-LGBTQ+ Laws
Top Hotel Picks for 2025 Stays in Budapest Revealed
Iron Maiden Unveils 2025 Tour Setlist in Budapest
Chinese Film Week Opens in Budapest to Promote Cultural Exchange
Budapest Airport Launches Direct Flights to Shymkent
Von der Leyen Denies Urging EU Officials to Skip Budapest Pride
Alcaraz and Sinner Advance with Convincing Wins at Roland Garros
EU Ministers Lack Consensus on Sanctioning Hungary Over Rule of Law
EU Nations Urge Action Against Hungary's Pride Parade Ban
Putin's Helicopter Reportedly Targeted by Ukrainian Drones
U.S. Considers Withdrawing Troops from Europe
Russia Deploys Motorbike Squads in Ukraine Conflict
Critics Accuse European Court of Human Rights of Overreach
Spain Proposes 100% Tax on Non-EU Holiday Home Purchases
German Intelligence Labels AfD as Far-Right Extremist
Geert Wilders Threatens Dutch Coalition Over Migration Policy
Hungary Faces Multiple Challenges Amid EU Tensions and Political Shifts
Denmark Increases Retirement Age to 70, Setting a European Precedent
Any trade deal with US must be based on respect not threats', says EU commissioner
UK Leads in Remote Work Adoption, Averaging 1.8 Days a Week
Thirteen Killed in Russian Attacks Across Ukraine
High-Profile Incidents and Political Developments Dominate Global News
Netanyahu Accuses Western Leaders of 'Emboldening Hamas'
×