The Imperial State Crown resting atop Queen Elizabeth II's coffin during funeral processions contains a controversial African diamond, Newsweek reports.
The 317-carat Cullinan II diamond, dubbed the Second Star of Africa, has been steeped in controversy following the Queen's passing. Some on social media have insisted the royal family return to Africa the diamond and the larger 530.2-carat Cullinan I diamond placed atop the Sovereign's Scepter.
Criticism of the royal family's possession of the diamonds, as well as other valuable jewels, stems from the history of British colonialism. The Cullinan diamond, first discovered in current-day South Africa in 1905, was the largest diamond ever found and weighed in at a little over a pound.
The stone was presented as a gift to King Edward VII after enduring failures to sell it privately. The stone, before its cutting into nine smaller parts, as well as 96 brilliants, is estimated to be worth — all together — $2 billion, of which one of its parts, the Cullinan II, is contained within the crown.
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