With the demise of Queen Mother, Elizabeth II, the Duchess of Cornwall and wife of Prince Charles III, Camilla, will receive the Kohinoor crown.
The precious Kohinoor diamond was found in India in the 14th century and was later ceded to Queen Victoria in 1849 after the British annexation of Punjab. Before the royal family got their hands on the prized gem, Kohinoor changed many hands over the course of centuries.
Earlier this year, the Queen had announced that Camilla would become Queen Consort when King Charles III accedes to the throne.
Read more: Queen Elizabeth II dies: Who will reign UK next?
Kohinoor is a 105.6 carat diamond and is one of the largest cut diamonds in the world.
Now, it is part of the British Crown Jewels. The diamond is currently set in the Crown of the Queen.
Today, the diamond is on public display in the Jewel House at the Tower of London. The governments of India, Pakistan, Iran, and Afghanistan have all claimed ownership of the Koh-i-Noor and demanded its return ever since India gained independence from the UK in 1947.
However, the British government insists the gem was obtained legally under the terms of the Last Treaty of Lahore and has rejected the claims.
Leaders from around the world have paid tribute to the life and service of Queen Elizabeth II on her demise, with some of them recalling their association with the “kind-hearted” British monarch who exhibited a “timeless decency and an enduring calm.”
Queen Elizabeth II, the UK’s longest-serving monarch, died on Thursday at Balmoral Castle in Scotland after reigning for 70 years. She was 96.
US President Joe Biden spoke fondly of their first meeting in 1982 and more recently when she hosted him during an overseas trip in 2021.
“She charmed us with her wit, moved us with her kindness, and generously shared with us her wisdom. She stood in solidarity with the United States during our darkest days after 9/11, when she poignantly reminded us that, ‘Grief is the price we pay for love’.”
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said Queen Elizabeth was “a reassuring presence throughout decades of sweeping change, including the decolonisation of Africa and Asia and the evolution of the Commonwealth”.
In a statement, he paid tribute to “her unwavering, lifelong dedication to serving her people. The world will long remember her devotion and leadership”.
(With PTI inputs)
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