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Though the Koh-I-Noor Diamond’s Origins Are Unknown, Its First Appearance in Written Record Was in 1628. Emperor of the Mughal Empire, Shah Jahan, Encrusted His Regal Throne with the Timur Ruby and the Koh-I-Noor Diamond, Two of the Most Valued Gems of All Time, Smithsonian Magazine Reported.

1. the Koh-I-Noor Diamond

Though the Koh-I-Noor Diamond’s Origins Are Unknown, Its First Appearance in Written Record Was in 1628. Emperor of the Mughal Empire, Shah Jahan, Encrusted His Regal Throne with the Timur Ruby and the Koh-I-Noor Diamond, Two of the Most Valued Gems of All Time, Smithsonian Magazine Reported.

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Determined to Obtain the Jewel of India, the East India Company Imprisoned the Mother of Then-10-Year-Old Prince Duleep Singh in 1849, Smithsonian Magazine Reported. He Was Forced to Sign a Treaty That Would Turn the Gem, Along with Most of His Family’s Riches, over to Them in Exchange for His Mother’s Safe Return.

2. the Lahore Diamond

The Lahore Diamond Became “Property of the State” When the East India Company Usurped Fort Lahore in Modern-Day Pakistan in 1849. Under the Same Coerced Agreement with Duleep, the Lahore Diamond Was Seen as “In Part Payment of the Debt Due by the State of Lahore to the British Government and of the Expenses of the War”, Snopes Reported.

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The Cullinan Diamond, Discovered in Pretoria, South Africa, in 1905, Is the Largest Diamond Discovered in Recorded History. Named After South African Mining Magnate Thomas Cullinan, the Diamond Was Gifted to King Edward Vii in 1907 While South Africa Was Still Under British Colonial Rule.

3. the Cullinan Diamonds

The Cullinan Diamond, Discovered in Pretoria, South Africa, in 1905, Is the Largest Diamond Discovered in Recorded History. Named After South African Mining Magnate Thomas Cullinan, the Diamond Was Gifted to King Edward Vii in 1907 While South Africa Was Still Under British Colonial Rule.

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The Black Prince’s Ruby Is the Centrepiece for the Imperial State Crown, a 1.3Kg, 2,901-Stone-Studded Headpiece. Despite the Name, It’s Actually Not a Ruby but a Gem-Quality Spinel. It Is Believed to Originate from the Badakhshan Mines of Present-Day Tajikistan and Afghanistan.

4. the Black Prince’s Ruby

The Black Prince’s Ruby Is the Centrepiece for the Imperial State Crown, a 1.3Kg, 2,901-Stone-Studded Headpiece. Despite the Name, It’s Actually Not a Ruby but a Gem-Quality Spinel. It Is Believed to Originate from the Badakhshan Mines of Present-Day Tajikistan and Afghanistan.

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The Future of the Royal Collection and Cultural Archives Hangs in the Balance as the New King Is Met with Increased Calls for Repatriation. Until Those Demands Are Met, Some Nations and Critics Will Continue to Regard the Crown Jewels as Symbols of Britain’s Imperial History.

Inside the Dark History of Britain’s Crown Jewels: King Charles and Queen Camilla Wore the Lahore Diamond, the Cullinan Diamonds and the Black Prince’s Ruby at Their Coronation Amid Repatriation Calls

By Chloe Bennett

• Oct 8, 2026 • 5 min read

Inside the Dark History of Britain’s Crown Jewels: King Charles and Queen Camilla Wore the Lahore Diamond, the Cullinan Diamonds and the Black Prince’s Ruby at Their Coronation Amid Repatriation Calls

Direct Answer • Key Takeaway

Ahead of King Charles’ Coronation, Buckingham Palace Assured the Public That Queen Camilla Would Not Wear the Highly Controversial Koh-I-Noor Diamond During the Festivities. but Instead She Sported the Cullinan Diamonds, a Collection of Gems Associated with Britain’s Colonial History in South Africa, and the Lahore Diamond, Another Controversial Gem.

Chloe Bennett

Culture, Media & Entertainment Columnist

Chloe Bennett explores the intersection of pop culture, streaming entertainment, digital trends, and contemporary lifestyle. Her weekly commentary reaches thousands of culture enthusiasts.

Tags: inside dark history britains crown jewels king charles and queen camilla wore lahore diamond