Queen Consort Camilla could be coronated using a little-known crown in an effort to avoid an international row.
Camilla, Queen Consort could be coronated using a little-known crown
The 75-year-old royal is set to be coronated alongside her husband, King Charles, at Westminster Abbey in London on May 6 - but officials at Buckingham Palace are keen to avoid a row over the the controversial Koh-i-Noor diamond, which was taken by the British from India in the 19th century.
Carol Woolton, a jewellery historian, author and podcaster, told the Daily Telegraph newspaper: "I can’t imagine how the Queen Consort could wear the Koh-i-Noor diamond without it detracting from the coronation."
Palace aides have recently been looking back 200 years in a bid to find an alternative crown for the coronation.
One of the possible options would be to wear the crown worn by Queen Adelaide in 1831.
The crown of Queen Adelaide was used at the coronation of William IV and it currently forms part of the Royal Collection.
Another possible alternative would be the 1820 Diamond Diadem, which has been worn by Queens Regnant and Consorts from Adelaide onwards.
On the other hand, the Palace could opt to use the Queen Mother’s crown by replacing the controversial Koh-i-Noor diamond with another diamond of a similar shape.
The royals are said to be aware of the ongoing debate surrounding the diamond and their teams are "acutely sensitive" to public opinion.
India's ruling party recently warned that wearing a crown featuring the diamond would trigger "painful memories of the colonial past".
A spokesperson for the party said: "The coronation of Camilla and the use of the crown jewel Koh-i-noor brings back painful memories of the colonial past.
"Most Indians have very little memory of the oppressive past. Five to six generations of Indians suffered under multiple foreign rules for over five centuries.
"Recent occasions, like Queen Elizabeth II's death, the coronation of the new Queen Camilla and the use of the Koh-i-noor does transport a few Indians back to the days of the British Empire in India."
Meanwhile, the Palace has promised that the coronation will look "towards the future".
A statement explained: "The coronation will reflect the monarch's role today and look towards the future, while being rooted in longstanding traditions and pageantry."
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