Margot Robbie Faces Backlash For Wearing ‘Taj Mahal’ Diamond Necklace At Wuthering Heights Premiere

Margot Robbie's latest appearance in Los Angeles did more than just turn heads. It reopened a coversation spanning centuries. At the Wuthering Heights world premiere, the actor paired high couture with a legendary jewel once worn by Elizabeth Taylor, a choice that ignited fascination, admiration, and controversy in equal measure.

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Margot Robbie’s Red-Carpet Moment That Stole The Spotlight

On January 28, Margot Robbie attended the premiere of Wuthering Heights at the TCL Chinese Theatre, dressed in a striking Schiaparelli couture ensemble that reflected classic Hollywood glamour. Yet, while the gown impressed, it was the necklace resting at her collarbone that became the evening’s focal point.

Robbie wore Elizabeth Taylor’s famed heart-shaped Taj Mahal diamond necklace, an extraordinary piece valued at approximately $8 million (around ₹74 crore). The rare jewel, mounted on a gold and ruby Cartier chain, is widely regarded as one of the most historically significant diamonds ever worn on a modern red carpet.

Why The Taj Mahal Diamond Is Unlike Any Other Jewel

The necklace is far more than a luxury accessory, it carries centuries of history etched directly into its surface. The diamond bears a Parsi inscription that reads “Love is Everlasting”, along with the name of Nur Jahan, the Mughal empress to whom the jewel is believed to have originally belonged.

According to historians and jewellery scholars, the diamond was first gifted by Mughal Emperor Shah Jahangir to Nur Jahan and later passed to their son, Shah Jahan. The gem is said to have been associated with Mumtaz Mahal, Shah Jahan’s beloved wife, whose memory inspired the construction of the Taj Mahal, giving the diamond its enduring name.

From Mughal India To Old Hollywood

The jewel’s journey from India to the West unfolded over centuries. In 1971, Cartier acquired the Taj Mahal Diamond and reimagined it into an ornate necklace adorned with rubies, jade accents, and adjustable gold tassels crafted by designer Alfred Durante.

A year later, Cartier president Michael Thomas introduced the necklace to Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor during a stopover at New York’s Kennedy Airport. Burton ultimately gifted it to Taylor for her 40th birthday, a moment that cemented the jewel’s association with one of Hollywood’s most legendary love stories.

Margot Robbie On Wearing A Piece Of Romantic History

Speaking at the premiere, Robbie explained why the necklace felt meaningful for the occasion, saying it “felt like it had a lot of romantic history and felt appropriate for tonight.” The actor wore the piece as a choker, with the tassel cascading down her back, echoing Elizabeth Taylor’s iconic styling decades earlier.

Her choice was widely interpreted as a nod to Old Hollywood romance, theatrical passion, and the dramatic love stories that parallel Wuthering Heights itself.

Internet Reacts: Praise, Criticism, And More

While many admired Robbie’s fashion moment, the necklace’s appearance also reignited debate online, particularly among Indian audiences. Several social media users expressed discomfort over the jewel being referred to primarily as Elizabeth Taylor’s necklace, arguing that its Indian origins deserved greater acknowledgment.

Comments ranged from calls to return the jewel to India to broader discussions about cultural heritage, colonial-era acquisitions, and the responsibility that comes with wearing historic artefacts on global platforms.

One comment read, “That’s Nur Jahan’s necklace. Not Elizabeth Taylor’s. Stop erasing history.” Another added, “Wearing history without knowing where it comes from isn’t luxury, it’s ignorance.”

Whether seen as a glamorous tribute or a controversial fashion choice, Margot Robbie’s appearance ensured that the Taj Mahal Diamond once again captured the world’s imagination. Its layered legacy, woven through Mughal India, Old Hollywood, and modern celebrity culture, raises an enduring question: should historic jewels be admired solely for their beauty, or do they carry a responsibility to honour the past they represent?