Camilla to wear Queen Mothers Crown bedecked with over 2,000 diamonds as Queen Consort

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The Queen gave her blessing earlier this year for Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall to be known as Queen Consort when Prince Charles is King. The move put an end to years of speculation over Camilla’s future title and seemingly confirmed that Camilla will be crowned alongside Charles at his coronation. As Queen Consort, it is thought Camilla will be given the 1937 crown of Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother, which features one of the biggest diamonds in the world.

The Queen Mother’s Crown is steeped in symbolism, and it was worn by the Queen Mother at King George VI’s coronation and State Openings of Parliament throughout his reign.

Poignantly, the Queen Mother also wore the crown without its arches to the coronation of her daughter Queen Elizabeth II in 1953.

Daena Borrowman, Marketing Manager at jewellerybox, told Express.co.uk: “The Queen Mother’s Crown has a platinum frame encrusted with a whopping 2,800 diamonds. The band, formed of alternating clusters of crosses and rectangles, is bordered by a row of brilliant-cut diamonds on both sides.

“A large rectangular diamond gifted to Queen Victoria by the Sultan of Turkey sits at the front of the band. Four fleurs-de-lis and four crosses-pattée symbols are placed above the band for their symbolism.

“The fleur de lis, or ‘flower of the lily’ is a symbol of purity – it represents the monarch’s divine right to rule. The cross-pattée represents valour, nationality and Christianity.

“Four removable tapering half-arches from the crown are topped with a pavé-set circular monde and a jewelled cross encrusted with a rock-crystal replica of the Lahore Diamond. The crown is fitted with a purple velvet cap and ermine fur band, and measures more than 20 centimetres and weighs about 510 grams.”

The centrepiece of the Queen Mother’s Crown is the Koh-i-Noor diamond, but the Royal Family’s possession of the gem has long been controversial.

Maharaja Duleep Singh of the Sikh Empire was only 10 when he signed over his kingdom and the Koh-i-Noor diamond to Queen Victoria.

Several countries including India, Pakistan and Afghanistan have claimed ownership of the diamond over the years, but the British Government has refused any claim and maintained it was obtained legally under the Last Treaty of Lahore.

The Koh-i-Noor diamond has been set in the crowns of several queen consorts since the 19th Century, and Camilla is next in line to wear it.

Ms Borrowman said of the dazzling gem: “The diamond was originally more than 4cm, 3cm wide and 1cm deep, with 169 facets.

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“It had a high dome, with a flat base and triangular and rectangular facets. Prince Albert had it polished, reducing its weight from over 190 carats to the 105.6 carats it is today.

“It now measures a little 3cm in length and width, 1.3cm in depth and has a total of 66 facets.

“Though Queen Victoria wore the Koh-i-Noor as part of her honeysuckle brooch or a circlet, every Queen Consort that came after Queen Victoria has worn the Koh-i-Noor in their crown.

“It now sits on the Queen Mother’s coronation crown, from where it will pass down to the Duchess of Cornwall when she becomes Queen Consort.”

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