Queen Elizabeth is set to display controversial ivory artefacts at new exhibition at her Sandringham estate.
The 90-year-old royal will exhibit historical objects such as an intricately carved ivory box, a clock cabinet, and a gong hanging between two elephant tusks for the public to view in commemoration of the 70th anniversary of India’s independence.
Most of the items in the collection were gifted to the royal family by Indian nobility in the 19th and early 20th century, before the use and trade of ivory – which is traditionally made from the tusks of elephants – became controversial due to its contribution to the severely declining elephant population.
However, the exhibition is likely to cause upset amongst the royal family, as the monarch’s grandson Prince William has long since been a campaigner for the ban of ivory trade and, according to the Daily Mail newspaper, reportedly called for all 1,200 ivory items in the royal collection to be destroyed.
The 34-year-old Prince previously spoke out about the vicious slaughter of elephants for their tusks after visiting a sanctuary for the animals in China in 2015.
He said at the time: "Ending demand for ivory is down to citizens across the world.
"No tradition or fashion is worth the extinction of an entire species, and no criminal gang should be allowed to destroy any part of nature.
"I am sure there are millions of people who share this conviction.
"It is appalling that elephants – and many others – may be extinct in the wild in our lifetimes, and that we seem to be hurtling towards that tragic outcome.
"The extinction of animals such as elephants, rhinos and pangolins would be an immeasurable loss to the whole of humanity."
The ivory collection will be available to view at the Sandringham House museum, when it opens to the public between April and October.
Queen Elizabeth to open controversial ivory display at Sandringham House
