Jewels, Fabergé Eggs, and a Singing Toy Hamster: How the Royals Give and Receive Holiday Gifts

In 1849, Duleep Singh, Maharaja of the Sikh Empire, gave Queen Victoria of England one of the most valuable gifts in history. The young king gifted the 186-carat Koh-i-Noor diamond to the British monarch as part of the Treaty of Lahore. Amazingly, Victoria was apparently unimpressed with the stone (some have reportedly estimated its value at $485 million, while others consider it priceless), and her husband, Prince Albert, had it cut down to make it more brilliant. The crown of Queen Mary of England. In the front: The Koh-I-Noor diamond. Photograph by ullstein bild/Getty Images. The massive diamond is now… Read Full Article