Millions of people will see the royal scepter in the hand of King Charles III on Saturday, which he will receive during the coronation ceremony. In South Africa, some TV viewers will take a closer look, especially for the pear-shaped large diamond on the scepter, the "Star of Africa" or "Great Star of Africa".

Claudia Bröll

Political correspondent for Africa based in Cape Town.

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Shortly before the big event in London, there have been renewed calls for the return of the top-class diamond, the largest cut diamond in the world. "The diamond has to come to South Africa. It must be a sign of our pride, our heritage and our culture," Mothusi Kamanga, a lawyer and activist in Johannesburg, told Reuters.

An online petition for the return of the diamond has so far received around 8000 signatures. The demands were made as early as September 2022 after the death of Queen Elizabeth II, but caused a stir, especially outside South Africa.

The 530-carat "Star of Africa" comes from the equally famous 3106-carat Cullinan diamond, the largest rough diamond ever found. According to the Cape Town Diamond Museum, it was discovered in 1905 on the site of a mine in the then British colony of the Transvaal.

It was named after the owner of the mine, Sir Thomas Cullinan. The then Prime Minister of the Transvaal, Louis Botha, persuaded the government to buy the diamond for about a million dollars and presented it to the British King Edward VII in gratitude for giving the Transvaal its own constitution. To prevent theft, the diamond was rumored to be transported on a ship with security guards. In fact, however, there was only one copy on board, while the original stone was simply sent to England by post.

A company in Amsterdam took on the difficult task of cutting, with cutters examining the almost flawless giant crystal for six months before determining how it should be divided. It yielded nine large and 96 smaller stones. The "Star of Africa" or "Cullinan I" was incorporated into the scepter of King Edward VII, the second largest, "Cullinan II", adorns the state crown. Usually, the scepter and crown are located in the Tower of London with the other crown jewels. From the point of view of the supporters of the online petition, however, the diamonds should be exhibited in a museum in South Africa.

Ahead of Saturday's coronation, representatives of indigenous groups from other former British colonies also called on the British king to apologize for "centuries of racism" and the "legacy of genocide." In a letter, representatives from twelve Commonwealth countries demanded financial compensation and the return of stolen cultural treasures.

The letter was signed by groups from Australia, several Caribbean states, Canada, New Zealand and Papua New Guinea. Charles III has recently stepped up his efforts to work with representatives of indigenous groups, admitting that the royal family "must acknowledge the injustice that has shaped our past". The signatories of the letter also demand a formal apology.