Throughout her life, Queen Elizabeth II wore some exquisite and stunning jewels that many royal watchers have marveled over. But some of those gems and diamonds are said to be cursed including the Koh-i-Noor diamond, which was last seen atop The Queen Mother’s coffin during her funeral in 2002.
Meanwhile, other royal jewels are thought to protect the person wearing them like the glitzy one Queen Elizabeth showed off on more than one occasion.
Here’s more on that and where the most-cursed piece of jewelry in the world is today.
The late Queen Elizabeth’s accessory that was thought to ward off evil spirits
The accessory that is thought to contain such special jewels are in the Burmese Ruby and Diamond Tiara.
Queen Elizabeth II wearing the Burmese Ruby and Diamond Tiara ahead of a State Banquet at Buckingham Palace | ALASTAIR GRANT/POOL/AFP via Getty Images
The headpiece, which was made by the House of Garrard, was commissioned by the late monarch in 1973 to include rubies she received as a wedding gift from the people of Myanmar (formerly known as Burma). The rubies gifted to then-Princess Elizabeth in 1947 hold a specific meaning. According to the House of Garrard, “The 96 rubies are a symbolic gesture as rubies in Burmese culture protect from illness and evil.”
She wore it on a number of occasions including a state banquet held at Buckingham Palace in 2019 for U.S. President Donald Trump. Following Queen Elizabeth’s death, the tiara was inherited by King Charles III. His wife, Queen Camilla (formerly Camilla Parker Bowles), donned the diadem during a state banquet for South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol in 2023.
Where the most cursed piece of jewelry in the world can be found
The piece of jewelry said to be the “most cursed in the world” is housed very close to Buckingham Palace. The Delhi Sapphire resides at the London Natural History Museum where it intrigues visitors with its captivating beauty and dark legacy.
U.K. retailer Steven Stone noted: “Interestingly, the Delhi Sapphire is actually an amethyst. The stone has earned a notorious reputation for bringing dreadful misfortune, financial ruin, and ill health to its owners. The legend of this stunning gem began in the 1850s when a British soldier stole it from the temple of Indra. After experiencing a series of unfortunate events, the soldier gifted the stone to a scientist, only for the scientist to face a similar streak of bad luck.
The Delhi Sapphire | Screenshot via YouTube
“Following two failed attempts to pass the gem on, the scientist decided to toss the Delhi Sapphire into a London canal in a bid to escape its curse. However, fate intervened; the amethyst was retrieved and returned to him, leading him to store it away with strict instructions to keep it locked until after his death.”
Jewelry expert Maxwell Stone commented on the Delhi Sapphire and the history of some of the world’s most infamous cursed jewels explaining: “Throughout history, some of the world’s most valuable and mesmerizing gems have been cloaked in tales of misfortune, each carrying a legacy of curse and intrigue. The Koh-i-Noor Diamond, at 105.6 carats and valued around $591 million, is thought to bring ruin to any man who holds it, costing each male owner his throne. The 67.50-carat Black Orlov, worth an estimated $450 million, allegedly unleashed a powerful curse after being stolen from a statue of Brahma.
“Similarly, the 115.16-carat Hope Diamond, valued at $350 million, is said to have invited a curse upon acquisition from a Hindu statue by French merchant Jean-Baptiste Tavernier. The Delhi Sapphire brings strife to its holders since it was stolen in the 1850s from the Temple of Indra.”
