Dear Gossips,

King Charles hosted his first state dinner since ascending the throne yesterday as he and members of the British royal family welcomed Cyril Ramaphosa, the President of South Africa, to the United Kingdom. And it was Camilla’s first occasion to wear a tiara since becoming Queen Consort. She chose the Belgian Sapphire Tiara, which belonged to the late Queen Elizabeth, along with the matching necklace and bracelet for a full blue monochrome look.

Blue was her colour theme for the day as she was also in blue when she and the King welcomed President Ramaphosa earlier at Horse Guard’s Parade. Princess Kate, meanwhile, opted for the Lover’s Knot Tiara and a white caped Jenny Packham dress with embellished shoulders.

Speaking of headpieces and embellishments though, there’s been a lot of speculation about what crown Camilla will wear for Charles’s coronation next year because the one that was made for the Queen Mother for King George’s coronation includes the Koh-i-Noor, the diamond that the English took from India and remains a symbol of the atrocities of colonialism and imperialism. And many people in India want it back.

South African diamonds, however, are also part of the crown jewels. The Cullinan Diamond is the largest diamond ever found and was cut into nine stones – two of which are set in the Sovereign’s Sceptre and the Imperial State Crown. And those for sure will be on display at Charles’s coronation.

There are people in South Africa who have called for the return of these diamonds and, like, at least a conversation about the past.

Two weeks ago John Oliver dedicated an entire episode of Last Week Tonight to the British monarchy and its involvement in the slave trade and how the crown built its wealth on the backs of Africans who were taken from their homes and forced into labour, enriching the royal coffers.

Pretty sure this didn’t come up in conversation at dinner last night. But these questions will continue as we get closer to Charles’s coronation as more and more people interrogate the legacy of the British royals and their value in these times. Especially since they seem to be allergic to any meaningful conversations that reflect on the past in order to advance change and progress.

Yours in gossip,

Lainey

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