After Queen Elizabeth's death, calls are now being made for the return of several diamonds, which adorn the British crown jewels. South Africa has joined the growing chaos seeking the return of Great Star of Africa, the largest known clear-cut diamond. Also known as Cullinan I, it was cut from the larger gem that was mined in South Africa in 1905, according to a report in CNN. The Great Star was handed over to the British royal family by the colonial rulers of Africa and is currently mounted on a royal scepter belonging to the Queen, the outlet further said.
"The Cullinan Diamond must be returned to South Africa with immediate effect," activist Thanduxolo Sabelo told local media, according to CNN. "The minerals of our country and other countries continue to benefit Britain at the expense of our people."
An online petition has been launched on change.org seeking the return of the diamond and it has been signed by more than 6,000 people.
Queen Elizabeth II, Britain's longest-ruling monarch, died at the age of 96 on Thursday. She was earlier placed under medical supervision due to concerns around her health. The official announcement was made by the Buckingham Palace late in the evening after members of the royal family - the Queen's sons and grandsons - arrived in Balmoral Castle where she was being looked after. After the end of her 70-year reign, Prince Charles is next in line for the throne and with this, another important change will take place that concerns the Kohinoor diamond.
Earlier this year, the Queen had announced that Prince Charles wife Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall, would become Queen Consort when he accedes to the throne. When this will happen, Camilla will receive the Queen Mother's famous Kohinoor crown.
The Kohinoor (also spelled Koh-i-Noor) is a 105.6 carat diamond steeped in history. The diamond was found in India in the 14th century and changed many hands over the course of centuries. In 1849, after the British annexation of Punjab, the diamond was ceded to Queen Victoria. It has been part of the British Crown Jewels since then - but continues to be the subject of a historic ownership dispute among at least four countries, including India.
London: As the news of Queen Elizabeth II's demise made headlines, a new trend got popular on Twitter - #Kohinoor.
Netizens on Twitter demanded the UK give back the Kohinoor diamond to India. Many people believe the precious diamond, which is now mounted on the crown of the Queen, should be rightfully back in India. Amidst all this, the one thing that's getting highlighted is how the UK has a lot many things in possession that were either taken away or looted from other countries during their colonial reign. Here's a list of a few of those items.
1. Great Star of Africa diamond
Amongst many prized possessions of the Queen, the 'Great Star of Africa' diamond clearly stands out. It is the world's largest diamond and weighs around 530 carats. Estimated to be worth around USD 400 million, the Great Star of Africa was mined in South Africa in 1905. According to many historians from Africa, the jewel was mined in 1905 and was presented to Edward VII and they claim that the diamond was rather stolen or looted by the British government during their reign as colonists. The Great Star of Africa is currently in the Queen's sceptre.
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