“King Charles’ Coronation: World’s largest diamond sparks controversy over ownership”

Next Saturday, King Charles (74) will be crowned in the church Westminster Abbey in London, where around 2,000 guests will be present.

It has been 70 years since Britain last crowned a monarch, and here nothing is left to chance.

King Charles will be crowned in one of the world’s largest diamonds and jewels. They are, among other things, on The Imperial State Crown and ended up with the British during the colonial era.

An enormous diamond of 3100 carats was first discovered in South Africa in 1905, which was later cut into several large and small diamonds. In 1907 it was given as a gift to King Edward the Seventh, who was king of the country at the time.

But the fact that the British royal family still has ownership of the diamonds has not gone down well with some South Africans, report Reuters.

– Oppressed us

The diamond that was given as a gift is 530 carats and is known as the Star of Africa. After its discovery, it was presented to the British monarchy by the colonial government of the country, which was then under British rule.

Gets a special role during the coronation

Now several South Africans are asking Britain to return the world’s largest diamond.

– The diamond must return to South Africa. They must be a sign of our pride, our heritage and our culture, says Mothusi Kamanga, a lawyer and activist in Johannesburg.

Kamanga is not the only one to get involved, and he has now started a signature campaign, which has so far received around 8,000 signatures for the diamond to be returned.

– I think in general that the African people are beginning to realize that decolonizing is not just about letting people have certain freedoms, but it is also about taking back what has been expropriated from us.

He continues:

– I think it should be brought home, and in the end they took it from us while oppressing us, says Mohamed Abdulahi, who lives in Johannesburg.

– Stolen by Britain

This is not the first time that people from South Africa have pointed out that the diamonds have been stolen and should be returned.

– Will be a nightmare

After Queen Elizabeth passed away on September 8 last year, a member of the South African Parliament, Vuyolwethu Zungula (35), demanded the return of all diamonds the British royal house had “stolen” from the country.

In addition, he is also said to have had a strong desire to get back the diamond “The Great Star of Africa”.

Zungula also did not hold back on his criticism of the royal family. According to CNN, he is said to have urged his country to demand compensation for all damage done by Great Britain.

– Demand to get back all the gold and diamonds stolen by Great Britain, he is said to have said.

Although it was claimed that the diamond was stolen goods, the British stood their ground and believed that the diamond was a gift. The Royal Collection Trust, which safeguards the royal family’s collection, believed the diamond was given as a birthday present to King Edward VI, CNN wrote.