A little-known crown from the Royal Collection could be used for Queen Camilla's coronation in light of the controversy surrounding the Koh-i-Noor diamond, royal insiders have revealed.
- The Royal Family may use a 200-year-old crown for Queen Camilla's coronation to avoid fuelling the controversy over its Koh-i-Noor diamond.
- The Queen Consort was expected to wear the Queen Mother's crown containing the infamous stone until resurged criticism raised fears that it may detract from the ceremony.
- In other royal news, Camilla ups the style stakes with fabulously flattering tunic-style dress for first solo engagement.
The Royal Family could use a forgotten crown for Queen Camilla's coronation to detract attention from its Koh-i-Noor diamond ownership, according to royal experts.
The potential crowns of King Charles III and the Queen Consort have been a hot topic ever since the date of the enthroning ceremony was confirmed by Buckingham Palace, with many royal fans eager to know which headpieces the couple will wear for the historic service on May 6, 2023.
It's understood that the King will receive St. Edward's Crown, which was named after the devoutly religious Anglo-Saxon monarch and first worn by Charles II in 1661.
It was initially reported that the Queen Consort would be given the Queen Mother's crown, but controversy over the garland's origins has shed doubt over its role in the upcoming ceremony.
Queen Mother's crown
The crown of the late consort contains the Koh-i-Noor, one of the largest cut diamonds in the world. It was mined in India at some point between the 12th and 14th centuries but has been owned by the House of Windsor ever since it was acquired by Britain in 1849.
Campaigners have repeatedly called for the restitution of the diamond to India, with many claiming that the UK 'stole' it from its former colony. Britain rejects this accusation, however, insisting that the Koh-i-Noor was seized legally under the terms of the Treaty of Lahore. Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Iran have also all laid claim to the diamond.
The Royal Family is fully aware of the international dispute, however, and is now reportedly looking for an alternative crown for Camilla to wear.
"I can’t imagine how the Queen Consort could wear the Koh-i-Noor diamond without it detracting from the coronation," Carol Woolton, a jewelry historian, author, and podcaster, told the Telegraph.
It's been widely speculated that the Royal Family will use the Crown of Queen Adelaide, whose husband King William IV reigned from 1830 to 1837, for Camilla's coronation.
The four-arched crown was specially designed for the late consort, after demands for the State Crown of Mary of Moderna to be replaced by something more dignified. Queen Adelaide's crown had been on display at the Tower of London until last year, but its current location remains unknown.
