The photos in this post are from a Buckingham Palace state dinner in 2018 for the king and queen of The Netherlands. This was one of the last times Queen Elizabeth II wore the famous Cullinan diamond, which is the f–king enormous diamond brooch she wore on her blue and gold sash for the dinner. While the Cullinan was found in South Africa, it was cut in the Netherlands, which is why she wore it to that state dinner in 2018. But times, they are a’changing. Since QEII’s passing, there has been a renewed interest in calling out the British monarchy for their enormous pile of stolen and colonized loot. India has pretty much made it impossible for Queen Camilla to wear the Koh-i-Noor diamond for the coronation, and now South Africa is leaning on the Windsors to keep them from flaunting the Cullinan during this week’s state visit.

It is the largest rough-cut diamond ever found, mined in South Africa in 1905 before being presented to King Edward VII as a gesture of friendship and loyalty. However, the Queen Consort has been urged not to wear the Cullinan diamond during next week’s state visit by Cyril Ramaphosa, the South African president, amid calls for it to be returned to the nation.

Zwelinzima Vavi, one of South Africa’s best known trade unionists whose father worked in the gold mining industry during the height of apartheid, said that if the diamond was worn by either the Queen Consort or the Princess of Wales it would be a “most unfortunate” reminder of the colonial era’s past.

Members of the Royal family traditionally wear jewellery that honours the UK’s relationship with the nation of their hosts or visitors. Queen Elizabeth II is said to have been aware that her jewellery “could often speak louder than words” and used it to send messages of friendship. But the Queen’s death prompted an online petition in South Africa that has attracted almost 8,000 signatures, calling for the diamond to be returned and placed in a South African museum.

Mr Vavi said that if they were worn next week it would “be like spitting in the face of South Africans”. He added: “It would be most unfortunate and would be flaunting the history of Cecil John Rhodes in our faces and, of course, the colonial era’s mining industry – a period where the minerals and the land were taken from us which we then had to fight for.”

Susan Booysen, one of South Africa’s best known political analysts, said it was “hard to imagine” the diamond would be worn.

“Given South Africa’s history and the effects of the colonial period, especially within the mining industry, this would, I am sure, shock Mr Ramaphosa and many South Africans,” she said. “Surely, surely this would not happen.”

Buckingham Palace has not revealed which pieces of jewellery will be worn by members of the Royal family during Tuesday’s state banquet.

[From The Telegraph]

Camilla and Kate couldn’t WAIT to get their hands on all of the jewels but now that QEII isn’t around, all of these countries are going to keep ratcheting up the pressure, to the point where there will be few royal jewels left to wear. Of course, the tacky-ass Windsors will still refuse to return any of their stolen loot, but they won’t be able to wear any of it publicly, which is kind of funny. Kate and Camilla were desperate to drape themselves in all of the excessive Royal Collection pieces and now they can’t.

There have already been some articles about the state dinner and which tiaras Camilla and Kate will wear. My money is on Kate wearing one of the tiaras she’s already worn with little fanfare, like the Cambridge Lover’s Knot. Camilla will probably wear the Greville Tiara, just because that’s one of the biggest and gaudiest (and she has no taste).

Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Cover Images and Robin Utrecht/Look Press / Avalon.