The real story behind Queen Camilla's crown might surprise you
. He did so with a historical diadem: Queen Mary’s Crown, which was lined with a purple velvet cap and an ermine band.In terms of historical precedent, this was an unusual choice: for previous coronations, the consort has worn a newly commissioned, never-before-seen piece in a grand display of pomp and circumstance. Camilla, however, opted for an existing one.
As the name implies, Queen Mary’s Crown was last worn by the wife of King George V during his 1911 coronation. It is composed of 2,000 brilliant diamonds, with a frieze of quatrefoils and rosettes. There are three large brilliants in the center: Cullinan III, IV, and V diamonds, which respectively weigh 94.4 carats, 63.6 carats, and 18.8 carats. As their names imply, they all come from the Cullinan diamond—which, at 3,106 carats, is the largest ever found.
King George V and Queen Mary of Teck immediately after the coronation at Buckingham Palace, London, United Kingdom, from L'Illustrazione Italiana, Year XXXVIII, No 27, July 2, 1911.Queen Mary’s Crown used to feature the controversial Koh-i-Noor diamond before being reset with the Cullinan V. The diamond’s origins are dubious: according to Encyclopedia Britannica, it was likely looted by Nader Shah of Iran when he sacked Delhi in 1739.
When India became independent from British rule in 1947, they claimed rightful ownership of the Koh-i-Noor and asked for its return. The governments of Iran, Pakistan, and Afghanistan have, at various points, said the Kooh-i-Noor belongs to them. The jewel still sits in the Tower of London. When Queen Mary first wore her crown down the Westminster Abbey aisle, it elicited awe from the British press: “It is a gracefully designed structure, the diamond arches tapering gracefully to the point where they meet for the support of the small diamond orb and cross,” reported thefawned that “it is to the Imperial Crown what a spring day is to summer, or dawn to the full splendors of noon.
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