Quote:
Originally Posted by VitaMan
When will Queen Elizabeth do the politically correct thing, and return the Crown Jewels
to South Africa ?
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you need a history lesson. as Jackie said the Cullinan diamond was the basis for the bulk of the crown jewels.
DID YOU KNOW THE Transvaal Prime Minister Louis Botha bought the diamond and GAVE IT AS A GIFT TO King Edward VII?
so ... why should the UK do the "politically correct" thing here? i know the "case" you are trying to make. but you can't make it. because you would have if you could.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cullin..._early_history
Presentation to Edward VII
Transvaal Prime Minister,
Louis Botha, suggested buying the diamond for Edward VII as "a token of the loyalty and attachment of the people of the Transvaal to His Majesty's throne and person".
[9] In August 1907, a vote was held in the Legislative Council
[10] on the Cullinan's fate, and a motion authorising the purchase was carried by 42 votes in favour to 19 against. Initially,
Henry Campbell-Bannerman, then British Prime Minister, advised the king to decline the offer, but he later decided to let Edward VII choose whether or not to accept the gift.
[11] Eventually, he was persuaded by
Winston Churchill, then Colonial Under-Secretary. For his trouble, Churchill was sent a replica, which he enjoyed showing off to guests on a silver plate.
[12] The Transvaal Colony government bought the diamond on 17 October 1907 for £150,000,
[13] which adjusted for pound-sterling inflation is equivalent to £16 million in 2019.
[14] Due to a 60% tax on mining profits, the Treasury received some of its money back from the Premier Diamond Mining Company.
[15]
The diamond was presented to the king at
Sandringham House by Agent-General of the colony,
Sir Richard Solomon, on 9 November 1907 – his sixty-sixth birthday – in the presence of a large party of guests, including the
Queen of Sweden, the
Queen of Spain, the
Duke of Westminster and
Lord Revelstoke.
[16] The king asked his colonial secretary,
Lord Elgin, to announce that he accepted the gift "for myself and my successors" and that he would ensure "this great and unique diamond be kept and preserved among the historic jewels which form the heirlooms of the Crown".
[12]
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Premier_Mine
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas...iamond_magnate)
