I’d love it. Especially since it seems when I first started seeing 3D printed items they tended to be in shocking pink, for some reason. I’d love a shocking pink Schiaparelliesque crown!
What’s the diplomatic issue?
His coronet as Prince of Wales did include a ping-pong ball.
There is some thought that the Koh-i-Noor, which apparently was not originally mined in England, ought to be returned to whence it came; as it stands, it’s colonialism and empire all the way down. Highly symbolic objects of especially high monetary value tend to be lightning rods for this sort of conversation (see: Rosetta stone, etc.).
I think the crown and other regalia would look very different if they were composed only of stuff mined in England.
But a diplomatic dispute with the UK or between all the rival claimants? The cynical move would be to use it in the full expectation that the resulting fuss will merely show that no one has an undisputed claim to it.
True, but the wearers of these particular crowns are uniquely able to stock them with jewels they have bought and paid for, as opposed to ones they didn’t.
This isn’t my argument; I don’t actually care much about jewels, and I don’t know enough about the history to assess. I just read a couple of recent articles about the Koh-i-Noor claiming people wanted it back for reasons both symbolic and monetary.
One of the problem with the Koh-i-Noor is that, aside from the UK, there are three other nations laying claim to it. No matter which one of the three it is returned to the other two will scream about it. There is no good answer to that one.
Just to touch on the ‘baron’ issue again, the word initially indicated someone who took an oath of fealty to another. So an earl could have a knight as a baron, in theory. Those who were elevated in society and paid homage directly to the king with no middle-man were his barons – although they may or may not have a title such as ‘earl.’
I was just reading that Edward II agreed to rule by the terms of a council consisting of bishops, earls, and barons. At that time, the earls were heavily against him, so the council consisted of the church (probably neutral; they had their own interests to protect), those (mostly) arrayed against the king, and those who honored their oath of fealty to the king but did not have high honors.
A lot of jet, I would imagine.
And tin. Don’t forget Cornwall!
There are gold mines in the British Isles; Welsh gold famously provided the late queen’s wedding band, for example. I think all of the Welsh mines are closed now, but for example the Omagh Mine is in County Tyrone, in Northern Ireland.
Sapphire, ruby and possible diamonds, the UK has also produced topaz, beryl, and many varieties of semi-precious stones including cairngorm, amethyst, garnet, tourmaline, agate, zircon, ‘Blue John’ flourite, amber and jet. There is also an unconfirmed report of Scottish emerald according to the British Geological Survey
Oh, please. This is the 21st Century. We can make synthetic corundums (rubies and sapphires), bigger and better quality, than anything in the current Crown Jewels.
Like I said… 3-D printer. 
Very true, but these resplendent modern gemstones would lack the essential quality of having been pinched, snaffled and trousered as ill gotten gains by marauding Englishmen.
Feh. Gimmie the gold plated ping pong ball any day.
New coin design released:
Damn, there are his jowls… didn’t he get to approve the picture ahead of time?
Serious comment: I’d like to express some compassion for Charles. All the wealth in the world (which he does seem to have…) can’t make up for the fact that he lost both his parents a year apart. His mother was a rock for the family and for the whole country. He always had to share her. Also, he’s got this rift between his two sons that doesn’t seem to be mending. His brother Andrew has fucked up his life. And many people will always see Camilla as the Other Woman (but only because that’s what she was-- for YEARS). There’s the awful history with Princess Diana, beginning with the mistake that was the marriage itself, the way The Firm treated her (the Queen was a hardnose, too), and the horrible car crash that didn’t have to happen. Diana’s death left a huge scar on both sons, but it’s Harry who can’t forgive-- and I don’t blame him. Okay, so I’m a grudge-holder. Sue me.
I’m exactly Charles’ age (one day older) and God knows, at our age, I’ve got a lot of baggage, too, but I can hide out in my house and keep my head down. He’s carrying a crapload in full view of the whole world at a time in one’s life when you want to retire and take it easy. The Queen probably would have liked to retire 30+ years ago, too, but Charles had made a mess of his life, so her sense of duty demanded that she keep being the Queen. Charles will NEVER live down the tampon remark.
People keep saying that the queen wanted to or should have retired but I don’t think that’s the case, especially not after what her uncle did. I think she truly believed the job was for life.
BTW, regarding that tampon remark, I’ll bet that most of us have similarly said something cringeworthy, but don’t have the press constantly following us and our every word and noting every comment or every moment of irritation.