The Queen Consort Camilla will wear Queen Mary’s crown at King Charles’s coronation, without the controversial Koh-i-Noor diamond over concerns it would serve as an unwelcome reminder of the British Empire.
The crown has been removed from display at the Tower of London for modification work ahead of the ceremony in May.
This is the first time in almost three centuries that an existing crown will be used for the coronation of a consort instead of a new commission being made.
Camilla, who has cancelled her engagements this week after testing positive for COVID, is said to have made the decision to wear the Crown of Queen Mary in the interests of sustainability and efficiency.
The crown was originally commissioned for the coronation of Mary of Teck as Queen Consort at the coronation of King George V, the present monarch’s great-grandfather, in 1911.
Some changes and additions will be made by the Crown Jeweller, in keeping with the tradition that jewels are inserted uniquely, especially for the occasion, and to reflect the wearer’s individual style.
She will pay tribute to the late Queen by replacing the Koh-i-Noor gem with the Cullinan III, IV and V diamonds, which were often worn as brooches by the previous monarch.
The Koh-i-noor gem was seized by the East India Company in Punjab, northern India, following its victory in the Second Anglo-Sikh War of 1849.
It was given to Queen Victoria and has been part of the Crown Jewels ever since, and is one of the largest cut diamonds in the world, weighing 105.6 carats (21.12 g).
The governing party of Indian prime minister Narendra Modi reportedly raised concerns that the famous diamond would provide an unwelcome reminder of the British Empire.
The diamond is now on public display in the Jewel House at the Tower of London. The governments of India, Iran, Pakistan, Afghanistan, and even the Taliban insurgency have all claimed ownership of the gem and have demanded its return ever since India gained independence from the British Empire in 1947.
In addition to the diamonds, four of the crown’s eight detachable arches will be removed, giving the headpiece a different silhouette from when it was worn by Queen Mary at the 1911 coronation.
Camilla chose to modify the existing crown, rather than commission a new one as is customary, to be more sustainable, Bucking Palace said.
St Edward’s Crown, which will be used for the coronation of the King, has returned to public display at the Tower of London now its modifications are complete.
The Royal Liverpool University Hospital has declared a critical incident due to “exceptionally high” demand on A&E and patients being admitted to wards.
The hospital said there had been a spike in people with flu and respiratory illnesses going to emergency departments in recent weeks.
A spokesperson for the hospital said it had a “comprehensive plan in place” and was “taking all the necessary actions to manage the challenging circumstances”.
“We are working with partner organisations to ensure those that are medically fit can leave hospital safely and at the earliest opportunity,” they added.
The hospital warned some people would experience delays as it prioritises the sickest patients.
People whose case isn’t an emergency are being asked to see their GP, pharmacy or walk-in centre – or call the 111 service for advice.
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The Royal Liverpool University Hospital is in the city centre and is the biggest hospital in Merseyside and Cheshire.
Declaring a critical incident can happen when a hospital is experiencing exceptional demand, or sometimes if there is a serious problem with staffing levels.
It indicates it can’t function as normal and allows it to take extra measures to protect patients, such as prioritising the most unwell people and getting support from other agencies.
It could last hours, a few days, or weeks if necessary.
A critical incident was also declared on Friday by the NHS Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Integrated Care Board.
It said it had seen almost four times as many inpatients compared with last year and urged people with flu to avoid going to A&E.
Zendaya and Tom Holland are rumoured to be engaged after the 28-year-old actress appeared at the Golden Globes wearing a massive diamond ring on her left ring finger.
They met after working together on 2017’s Spider-Man: Homecoming and confirmed their relationship in 2021.
Sky News has contacted representatives for Zendaya and Holland for comment.
Zendaya chatted to journalists on the Globes red carpet, where she was nominated for best actress in a musical or comedy for her role in the romantic sports drama Challengers.
Despite being pipped to the prize by Demi Moore, who won for her role in body horror The Substance, there was plenty of buzz around Zendaya’s large diamond ring, which was clearly visible throughout the show.
A Los Angeles Times reporter appeared to ask Zendaya about it, holding up her own engagement ring and pointing to it. Zendaya responded by showing her left-hand ring.
The reporter then asked if the actor was engaged and “she kept showing her ring, smiled coyly and shrugged her shoulders mysteriously”.
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Holland, who is also 28, wasn’t at Sunday’s Globes.
Zendaya wore an orange Louis Vuitton ball gown, and diamond jewellery from Bulgari – for which she’s an ambassador – on the Globes red carpet.
But while the Dune star’s other jewellery items were listed in a press release, there was no mention of the ring on her left finger.
Zendaya, who rose to fame after her breakout role in Disney sitcom Shake It Up, became a household star after starring in Euphoria.
Tom Holland, who is the son of British actor/comedian Dominic Holland, won a role in Billy Elliot The Musical as a child, and has gone on to achieve global fame playing Spider-Man in six Marvel Cinematic Universe movies.