Tag: Kohinoor

UK: Story behind Buckingham Palace forgoing the Kohinoor

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London: Buckingham Palace would have been conscious about the potential for controversy around the colonial era Kohinoor diamond claimed by India and averted it becoming a side story of King Charles III and Queen Camilla’s Coronation ceremony next month, a royal expert has said.
Camilla Tominey is the Associate Editor of The Daily Telegraph’ and has an inside track into the British royal family as the newspaper’s royal expert.
In an interview with PTI, she reflected upon the significance of Camilla choosing to forgo the traditional crown used for the monarch’s partner as the “consort crown” due to it being embedded with the Kohinoor also known as Koh-i-Noor. Among the crown jewels unveiled by the palace for the Coronation ceremony on May 6, it was confirmed that Queen Mary’s Crown has been chosen by Camilla.

“I think the palace were conscious about the Koh-i-Noor perhaps being controversial and therefore have decided that they don’t want there to be a side story about the provenance of these diamonds,” said Tominey.
“Basically, [the palace have] decided to do the safe and sensible thing, to not have a separate debate about the jewels in the crown,” noted Tominey.
Earlier this month, the palace said that minor changes and additions to Queen Mary’s Crown are being undertaken, such as the inclusion of the Cullinan III, IV and V diamonds which were part of Queen Elizabeth II’s personal jewellery collection for many years. The design has been inspired by Queen Alexandra’s Crown of 1902 which was originally encrusted with the Kohinoor, which now sits in the crown of the Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother, the mother of Queen Elizabeth II, since 1937.
Last month, Historic Royal Palaces, the charity that manages Britain’s palaces, said that the infamous diamond will instead be part of a new Jewel House exhibition at the Tower of London classed as a “symbol of conquest” for the first time. According to its assessment, the diamond probably originated from the Golconda mines in southern India and weighs 105.6 carats. It was once much larger but was re-cut in 1852 to improve its brilliance and conform to contemporary European tastes.
Kohinoor, which means mountain of light in Persian, came into Queen Victoria’s possession from the treasury of Maharaja Ranjit Singh a few years before she was to be crowned empress of India in the wake of the 1857 Revolt and has played a starring role in British coronations of the past until its conspicuous absence in next month’s ceremony.

Camilla’s choice of Queen Mary’s Crown also marks the first instance in modern times of an existing crown being used for the Coronation of the monarch’s consort, with all past crowns being specially made for a new consort. It is among a series of departures from tradition made by Charles, 74, and Camilla, 75, in an attempt to strike a more sustainable tone that resonates with the times and also incorporate modern elements into the ceremony.
Another key modern aspect of the largely Christian religious ceremony at Westminster Abbey in London for the Coronation on May 6 are reports of the King’s plans to reflect some multi-faith elements that connect with the wider British public, as well as the Indian diaspora. According to reports, House of Lords peers of Hindu, Muslim, Jewish and Sikh faiths will carry key pieces of Coronation regalia on the day at the Abbey.
“I think the King is wanting it to be as diverse and inclusive as possible and that means it isn’t just a service that represents people of faith but also those of none, and those of different faiths. Throughout the course of his time as heir apparent he has done quite a lot on multi-faith. He’s visited different places of worship, he’s ingratiated himself with different religious communities and so it’s not really surprising that he’s decided that the Coronation should reflect that,” said Tominey.
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 gurdwaras across the UK.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Siasat staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
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( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

April 23, 2023
Kohinoor to be cast as ‘symbol of conquest’ in new Tower of London display

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London: The controversial colonial-era Kohinoor diamond claimed by India is to be cast as a “symbol of conquest” as part of a new display of Britain’s Crown Jewels at the Tower of London set to open to the public in May.
Historic Royal Palaces (HRP), the charity that manages Britain’s palaces, said this week that the new Jewel House exhibition will explore the history of the Kohinoor – also known as Koh-i-Noor – through a combination of objects and visual projections.
The infamous diamond, which is set within the Crown of the mother of the late Queen Elizabeth II, remains within the Tower after Camilla – in a diplomatic move – chose not to use this traditional crown for her coronation with King Charles II on May 6.
“The history of the Koh-i-Noor, which is set within the Crown of Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother, will be explored,” HRP said, with reference to the new planned display.
“A combination of objects and visual projections will explain the stone’s story as a symbol of conquest, with many previous owners, including Mughal Emperors, Shahs of Iran, Emirs of Afghanistan, and Sikh Maharajas,” it said.
Kohinoor, which means mountain of light in Persian, came into Queen Victoria’s possession from the treasury of Maharaja Ranjit Singh a few years before she was to be crowned empress of India and has played a starring role in British coronations of the past.
It will now take centre-stage at the new post-Coronation exhibition at the Tower of London.
“We look forward to expanding the stories we are telling about the Crown Jewels, and to showcasing this remarkable collection for millions of visitors from around the world to enjoy,” said Andrew Jackson, Resident Governor of the Tower of London and Keeper of the Jewel House.

“We are delighted to unveil our brand-new Jewel House display from May 26, offering visitors a richer understanding of this magnificent collection. As the home of the Crown Jewels, we are delighted that the Tower of London will continue to play its part during this historic Coronation year,” he said.
The new exhibition will open just weeks after the Coronation of King Charles and Queen Camilla, who will be crowned with the Queen Mary Crown. It marks the first major change to the Jewel House at the Tower of London for over a decade, which has been home to Britain’s Crown Jewels for nearly 400 years.
“The Crown Jewels are the most powerful symbols of the British monarchy and hold deep religious, historic, and cultural significance. From their fascinating origins to their use during the Coronation ceremony, the new Jewel House transformation will present the rich history of this magnificent collection with more depth and detail than ever before,” said Charles Farris, Public Historian for the History of the Monarchy at HRP.
Among some of the other changes, the story of the famous Cullinan diamond will also feature, with the hammer and knife used to make the first cuts to the huge diamond going on display in the Jewel House for the first time.
Discovered in South Africa in 1905, the diamond is the largest gem-quality uncut diamond ever found at 3,106 carats. It was split into nine major stones and 96 smaller brilliants, with the largest two stones featuring in the British Sovereign’s Sceptre with Cross and the Imperial State Crown.
At the heart of the new display will be a room dedicated to the spectacle, pageantry and community of the Coronation Procession.
The display will present Coronation Processions throughout history, celebrating the contributions of the many people who take part in these unique events.
On display will be a series of objects from the Royal Ceremonial Dress Collection, including an exquisite court suit worn at the Coronation of George IV and a herald’s tabard which would have been worn during royal processions.
The display will culminate in the Treasury, the vault that protects most of the Crown Jewels collection, comprising over 100 objects in total. Among the spectacular items on display in the Treasury is St Edward’s Crown of 1661, which is used at the moment of crowning and is the most important and sacred crown within the collection.
The Sovereign’s Sceptre with Cross and the Sovereign’s Orb, which are presented to the monarch during the moment of investiture, are also on display in the Treasury.
New lighting will allow visitors to experience the world-famous collection like never before, HRP claimed of the re-presentation which is the culmination of a major four-year project.
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( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

March 17, 2023
Britain’s Queen Camilla chooses crown without Kohinoor for coronation

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London: Britain’s Queen Consort, Camilla, has chosen a crown without the controversial colonial era Kohinoor diamond for her coronation ceremony with husband King Charles III at Westminster Abbey in May, Buckingham Palace said on Tuesday.
Camilla’s choice of the Queen Mary Crown for coronation means it may only have a replica of one of the world’s largest cut diamonds, as the original now adorns the crown of Queen Elizabeth II’s mother Elizabeth the Queen Mother.
The palace said the Queen Mary Crown was removed from display at the Tower of London to be repurposed for the ceremony on May 6 with jewels paying tribute to the late Queen Elizabeth II.
While the current version of Queen Mary’s crown has a front cross set with a detachable rock crystal replica of the Kohinoor diamond, it isn’t known yet if that would be retained after the changes are made for the coronation.
“The choice of Queen Mary’s Crown by Her Majesty is the first time in recent history that an existing crown will be used for the Coronation of a Consort instead of a new commission being made, in the interests of sustainability and efficiency,” Buckingham Palace said.
There had been speculation over the crown to be chosen by Camilla, with reports suggesting that the one worn by Charles’ grandmother, the Queen Mother, which bears the Kohinoor was a likely choice.
However, it is believed that diplomatic sensitivity may have been considered in the final choice, even though the Queen Mary Crown also has a history of once being adorned with the controversial diamond.
Kohinoor, which means mountain of light in Persian, came into Queen Victoria’s possession from the treasury of Maharaja Ranjit Singh a few years before she was to be crowned Empress of India, and has played a starring role in British coronations of the past.

“Some minor changes and additions will be undertaken by the Crown Jeweller, in keeping with the longstanding tradition that the insertion of jewels is unique to the occasion, and reflects the Consort’s individual style. These changes will in particular pay tribute to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, as the crown will be reset with the Cullinan III, IV and V diamonds,” the palace said.
The Cullinan diamonds were part of Queen Elizabeth II’s personal jewellery collection for many years and were often worn as brooches by the late monarch, who passed away aged 96 in September last year.
The diamonds have been set into Queen Mary’s Crown on previous occasions as well, when Cullinan III and IV were set temporarily in the crown for the 1911 Coronation, and the Cullinan V was inserted when the crown was worn as a regal circlet at King George VI’s coronation in 1937, the palace said.
In addition, four of the Queen Mary Crown’s eight detachable arches will be removed to create a “different impression” to when it was worn by Queen Mary at the 1911 coronation.
Meanwhile, the palace also confirmed that St. Edward’s Crown, which will be used for the Coronation of King Charles, has now returned to public display at the Tower of London, following the completion of its modification work for the grand Westminster Abbey ceremony.
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#Britains #Queen #Camilla #chooses #crown #Kohinoor #coronation
( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

February 15, 2023
Hyderabad’s Salman Zaidi relives ITC Kohinoor wedding memories

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Hyderabad: Ace Of Space 2 winner Salman Zaidi, who got married to his ladylove Zeba Hassan in October last year, gave a glimpse of his D-day by sharing a beautiful video on Instagram. Their unseen wedding video captures magical moments, from signing the ‘Nikaahnama’ to posing with loved ones.
The couple’s joyful moments on their wedding day are winning hearts on Instagram. Recalling the day, Salman Zaidi wrote, ”And We created you in pairs” – وَخَلَقْنَاكُمْ أَزْوَاجًا #blessings #alhamdulillah. Check out the video below
Salman and Zeba got married in February 2022 at ITC Kohinoor in Hyderabad. The couple got hitched in a traditional Muslim ceremony. Check out a few pictures below.
Their engagement too was all things lavish that took place in February last year at Hyderabad’s Falaknuma Palace.
On the professional, Salman Zaidi was last seen on the MTV reality show ‘EX or next’ and had won ‘Ace of space season 2. He has been enlisted in “Desired Men of Hyderabad” and bagged the 5th position above Baseer Ali (6th). Zeba Hassan is a well-known makeup artist and has a Youtube channel for vlogs.
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#Hyderabads #Salman #Zaidi #relives #ITC #Kohinoor #wedding #memories

( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

January 31, 2023