Give us Back the Crown Jewel Diamonds, says South African Politician
May 02, 21
(IDEX Online) - Britain must return two Cullinan diamonds from its crown jewels, says a member of South Africa's parliament.
Mbusiyseni Ndlozi, of the left-wing opposition party Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) tweeted: "Expropriation of the Queen's crown without compensation: we want our diamonds back!" A tweet claimed the gems had a combined value of $5bn.
The Cullinan I (Star of Africa), a 530.2 carat pendeloque-cut diamond, is set as the main stone in Queen Elizabeth II's Sceptre with Cross.
It was cut from 3,106.75-carat Cullinan Diamond, unearthed at the Premier Mine in Pretoria, South Africa, in 1905, and presented by the Transvaal provincial government as an extremely generous birthday gift to Britain's King Edward VII.
Among the other gems cut from it is The Cullinan II (Second Star of Africa) which weighs 317.4 carats and which is set in the Imperial State Crown.
Pic shows Ndlozi's tweet