India sues the Queen for return of Koh-i-Noor diamond

THE Koh-i-Noor at one time the largest-known diamond in the world, is now said to be valued at £100 million (€140 million,) and is amongst Britain’s crown jewels.

India however is now calling for its return and leading figures from Bollywood have formed a group to take the case to London’s High Court.

The group are suing Queen Elizabeth to take the 105 carat diamond back to India. The diamond was originally placed into Queen Alexandra’s coronation crown, which was also worn by Queen Mary. It was remounted in a new crown made for Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother who also wore it at the coronation of her daughter Queen Elizabeth II in 1953. 

Duleep Singh was the last Sikhs ruler and he presented the jewel to Queen Victoria in 1850. However the circumstances which led to the diamond leaving India are being questioned, with Bollywood actress Bhumika Singh telling the Press Trust of India,

“Koh-i-Noor is not just a 105-carat piece of stone. It has a lot of history and culture attached to it, and undoubtedly should be returned to India.”

The Mail on Sunday spoke to historian Andrew Roberts about the news and he 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.”