Queen consort Camilla has decided not to use the Kohinoor diamond in her coronation crown ahead of the ceremony next month to avoid controversy, an expert has said. , Photo Credit: AP
Buckingham Palace must have been mindful of the potential for controversy surrounding the colonial era koh-e-noor diamond claimed by india And it has stopped it from becoming a side story at the coronation ceremony of King Charles III and Queen Camilla next month, a royal expert has said.
Camilla is an Associate Editor at Tomine the daily telegraph and keeps an inside track of the British royal family as the newspaper’s royal expert.
in an interview with PTIhe considered the importance of Camilla is choosing to give up the traditional crown The Kohinoor – also known as the Koh-i-Noor – is used as the “consort crown” for the emperor’s companion, being embedded with it. Of the crown jewels unveiled by the palace for the coronation ceremony on 6 May, it was confirmed that Queen Mary’s crown has been chosen by Camilla.
“I think the palace was conscious of the Koh-i-Noor being controversial and so decided they didn’t want there to be a side story about the source of these diamonds,” Ms Tomini said.
“basically, [the palace have] Decided to do the safe and sensible thing in order not to spark a separate debate about the jewels in the crown,” Ms Tomini said.
‘Symbol of Victory’
Earlier this month, the palace said minor changes and additions were being made to Queen Mary’s Crown, such as the inclusion of the Cullinan III, IV and V diamonds, which have been part of Queen Elizabeth II’s personal jewelery collection for many years. Were. The design is inspired by Queen Alexandra’s Crown of 1902 – which was originally studded with the Kohinoor, now enshrined in the crown of Queen Elizabeth II, the mother of Queen Elizabeth II since 1937.
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Last month, Historic Royal Palaces, the charity that manages Britain’s palaces, said the infamous diamond would instead be part of a new Jewel House exhibition at the Tower of London, classified as a “symbol of victory” for the first time Is.
According to its estimate, the diamond probably originated from the Golconda mines in South India and weighs 105.6 carats. It was once much larger but was re-cut in 1852 to improve its luster and to suit contemporary European tastes.
The Kohinoor, meaning mountain of light in Persian, came into the possession of Queen Victoria from the treasury of Maharaja Ranjit Singh, a few years before she was crowned Empress of India in the wake of the 1857 rebellion, and played an important role in the British coronation Had played until its conspicuous absence at the ceremony the following month of the past.
Modern theme in coronation ceremony
Camilla’s choice of Queen Mary’s crown also marks the first instance of an existing crown being used for the coronation of a monarch’s wife in modern times, with all previous crowns being made specifically for a new consort. It is among a series of departures from tradition made by Charles, 74, and Camilla, 75, in an effort to strike a more sustainable tone that resonates with the times and incorporate modern elements into the ceremony .
A general view of the inside of Westminster Abbey in London. Westminster Abbey has been used as Britain’s coronation church since William the Conqueror in 1066, with the exception of King Edward V and Edward VIII, who were not crowned. King Charles III will be the 40th monarch to reign there during a ceremony on May 6, 2023. , Photo Credit: AP
Another major modern aspect of the massive Christian religious ceremony at Westminster Abbey in London for the coronation on 6 May is the king’s reports of plans to reflect some multi-faith elements that would connect with the wider British public as well as the Indian diaspora. Are. According to reports, peers of the House of Lords from the Hindu, Muslim, Jewish and Sikh faiths will carry key coronation objects to the Abbey that day.
“I think the King wants it to be as diverse and inclusive as possible and that means that it is not just a service that represents people of faith but also people who are of different- belong to different religions. During his time as heir apparent he has done a lot on multi-faith. He has visited different places of worship, he has associated himself with different religious communities and so it is really surprising Not that they’ve decided that the coronation should reflect that,” Toomey said.
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 shrines across the UK.