Guest Column| Punjab awaits return of its royal treasure from UK

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Key Points

While England was busy preparing for the coronation of King Charles III, The Guardian published a story on April 6, 2023, India archive reveals extent of colonial loot in royal jewellery collection..

Two investigative journalists, David Pegg and Manisha Ganguly, uncovered a 46-page file in the archives of the India office, which was originally prepared in 1912 when Queen Mary, the grandmother of Queen Elizabeth II, commissioned an investigation on the origin of the imperial jewels.e)..

King Charles IIIs favourite belt, according to the report, was originally a gold girdle inlaid with 19 large emeralds that had been used by Maharaja Ranjit Singh to decorate his horses..

Leslie Field, a specialist on royal jewellery, wrote in 1987, One of the Queen Mothers most impressive two-row pearl necklace, made from 222 pearls with a clasp of two magnificent rubies surrounded by diamonds had originally belonged to the ruler of Punjab..

Historical records have mentioned that Guru Gobind Singhs sacred plume that adorned his turban, was kept in the Toshakhana and Maharaja Ranjit Singh used to touch it in reverence every day..

Full story at Hindustan Times | 

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