The Crown Jewels have been symbols of Britain's dark colonial past. The now-independent nations want them back.

Emperor of the Mughal Empire, Shah Jahan, encrusted his regal throne with the Timur Ruby and the Koh-i-Noor Diamond, two of the most valued gems of all time, Smithsonian magazine reported.

The empire stretched throughout present-day India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Eastern Afghanistan. At the time, the Mughal Empire was one of the wealthiest and most powerful parts of the world — modern-day India was the greatest source of diamonds and gems for centuries.

In 1739, the Persian Empire invaded Mughal's capital of Delhi and left with hordes of gold and gems, including the Kohinoor diamond which the emperor incorporated into an ornate armband.

Determined to obtain the jewel of India, the East India Company imprisoned the mother of then-10-year-old Prince Duleep Singh in 1849, Smithsonian magazine reported.

He was forced to sign a treaty that would turn the gem, along with most of his family's riches, over to them in exchange for his mother's safe return.

Calls for its return to India rose since the death of Queen Elizabeth II in 2022, Smithsonian and Time reported.

Under the same coerced agreement with Duleep Singh, the Lahore Diamond was seen as "in part payment of the debt due by the State of Lahore to the British Government and of the expenses of the war," Snopes reported.

The Royal Collection Trust simply says the Lahore Diamond "was presented to Queen Victoria in 1851."

Elizabeth wore it in a necklace for her coronation, and Camilla wore the same necklace during her coronation.

Named after South African mining magnate Thomas Cullinan, the diamond was gifted to King Edward VII in 1907 while South Africa was still under British colonial rule.

The gem has also been called the Star of Africa. It originally weighed 3,025 carats.

The largest stone cut from the diamond is in the Sovereign's Sceptre with Cross, and the second largest stone is set in Charles' crown.

Camilla's crown contained three stones from the Cullinan Diamond that Elizabeth used to wear as brooches.

Critics have said the exclusion of some Crown Jewels and incorporation of others is just swapping one piece of imperial loot for another with no accountability.

South Africans have asked for the diamonds back, Reuters reported ahead of the coronation.

It's actually not a ruby but a gem-quality spinel.

The jewel is said to have been stolen by King Pedro of Castile and Leon from the Sultan of Grenada, Harper's Bazaar reported.

Later, Pedro was offered refuge by Black Prince Edward of Woodstock, the eldest son and heir apparent of King Edward III of England, in exchange for the riches that included the 170-carat gem.

It was later incorporated into the Imperial State Crown in 1838, Harper's reported.

Until those demands are met, some nations and critics will continue to regard the Crown Jewels as symbols of Britain's imperial history.