Queen To Return 105 Carat Diamond?

India wants the world's largest known diamond (which is currently part of Britain's crown jewels and which is reported to be worth £100m) back.

22:33 10 November 2015

India is suing the Queen for the return of Koh-i-Noor, the world's largest known diamond, which is currently part of Britain's crown jewels and which is reported to be worth £100m.

 

Bollywood stars and businessmen have united to initiate legal proceedings in London's High Court.

 

The diamond was in the crown worn by the Queen Mother at the coronation of her husband King George VI in 1937 and again at the Queen Elizabeth's coronation in 1953.

 

A group in India, called Mountain of Light, says that the 105-carat diamond belongs to India and now demands the UK Government to return it.

 

According to David de Souza from the Indian leisure group Tito’s, the stone is “one of the many artefacts taken from India under dubious circumstances."

 

He added that British colonisation of India had stolen wealth and "destroyed the country's psyche."

 

Bollywood star Bhumicka Singh, also part of the group, said: “The Koh-i-noor is not just a 105-carat stone, but part of our history and culture and should undoubtedly be returned.”

 

Meanwhile, historian Andrew Roberts said: “Those involved in this ludicrous case should recognise that the British Crown Jewels is precisely the right place for the Koh-i-Noor diamond to reside, in grateful recognition for over three centuries of British involvement in India, which led to the modernisation, development, protection, agrarian advance, linguistic unification and ultimately the democratisation of the sub-continent.”