South Africans want this diamond back from Britain

It is not just Indians talking about the return of the Kohinoor, there are calls growing in South Africa too for Britain's royal family to return of another priceless diamond.

A recent report in CNN said that calls for the return of Great Star of Africa or Cullinan I, world's largest known clear-cut diamond, were growing since the death of Queen Elizabeth II.

Many South Africans feel Britain acquired it, and many other other priceless jewels from South Africa, illegitimately.


The report said there was an online petition going around for the return of the Cullinan, and that activists in South Africa were loudly raising the demand.

Many citizens repeated it on social media platform, some for that purpose even hijacking the post of South Africa's President Cyril Ramaphosa eulogising the Queen.

Cullinan I and Cullinan II come from the Cullinan Diamond mined in South Africa and are part of the British crown jewels.

The Cullinan Diamond, mined in 1905, was the largest gem-quality rough diamond ever found, weighing 3,106.75 carats or 621.35. It was named after Thomas Cullinan, the owner of the mine in South Africa

It was put on sale in London, but remained unsold for two years. In 1907, Louis Botha, PM of the Union of South Africa, presented it to British King Edward VII, who had it cut.

The largest of pieces, Cullinan I or the Great Star of Africa, weighs 530.4 carats (106.08 g) is the largest clear cut diamond in the world. It's mounted in the head of the sovereign's Sceptre with Cross.

The second-largest is Cullinan II or the Second Star of Africa, which weighs 317.4 carats (63.48 g). It is mounted in the Imperial State Crown.

Both diamonds were privately owned by Queen Elizabeth II, who inherited them from her grandmother, Queen Mary, in 1953.