Margot Robbie is facing backlash for wearing a diamond necklace with ties to Indian history at the Los Angeles premiere of her new film, Wuthering Heights on January 28, 2026. The necklace, valued at approximately Rs 74 crore ($8.8 million), is known as the "Taj Mahal diamond necklace" and was once part of Elizabeth Taylor's collection. While Robbie acknowledged the necklace's connection to Taylor, her apparent downplaying of its deeper roots in Indian history has sparked controversy online.
The "Taj Mahal" diamond has a rich history that traces back to 17th-century Mughal India. According to reports, the heart-shaped diamond was originally gifted by Mughal Emperor Jahangir to his wife, Nur Jahan. The jewel, inscribed with Nur Jahan's name and title, later passed to Shah Jahan, who then gifted it to his wife, Mumtaz Mahal, in whose memory the Taj Mahal was built. It is believed that the necklace left India in 1739 after Nadir Shah's sack of Delhi. The diamond then made its way to the West, eventually landing in the hands of Richard Burton, who gifted it to Elizabeth Taylor. Following Taylor's death, Cartier acquired the necklace at auction in 2011.
Indian netizens have criticized Robbie for seemingly erasing the necklace's Indian origins and focusing primarily on its connection to Elizabeth Taylor. Social media users have voiced their concerns over the lack of acknowledgment of the jewel's Mughal heritage, calling it a "stolen" artifact and demanding its return to India. Many argue that the necklace's history and cultural significance should be presented in the context of its original background and heritage. Some comments online included, "That's Nur Jahan's necklace. Not Elizabeth Taylor's. Stop erasing history".
The controversy surrounding Robbie's necklace has reignited discussions about cultural appropriation, colonial-era acquisitions, and the repatriation of cultural heritage. Some view the wearing of such a historically significant piece by a Western celebrity as a symbol of the exploitation and looting of India's cultural wealth. Others highlight the importance of understanding and respecting the origins and historical context of such artifacts when they are displayed on global platforms.
The incident has also drawn attention to India's ongoing efforts to reclaim its lost treasures, including the famous Koh-i-Noor diamond. Some argue that the "Taj Mahal" necklace, like other artifacts of historical and cultural importance, should be returned to its country of origin as a matter of justice and cultural preservation. The debate also brings up the larger question of Western museums and institutions holding artifacts from other cultures, and whether these items are truly "safe" in their possession.