The Story Behind Margot Robbie's Iconic Taj Mahal Diamond Necklace She Wore At Wuthering Heights Premiere

Hollywood diva Margot Robbie has been channelling classic, old-world glamour while promoting her upcoming film Wuthering Heights, which stars Jacob Elordi alongside her. Her latest red-carpet moment, however, stood out as her most striking so far. At the premiere night in LA, she wore Elizabeth Taylor’s famous Taj Mahal diamond necklace, a rare jewel that blends Hollywood elegance with Mughal heritage and enduring tales of love.

The Wuthering Heights’ world premiere took place on Wednesday, 28 January, at the TCL Chinese Theatre in Los Angeles. The Barbie star turned heads in a sculptural Schiaparelli couture gown, but the outfit was only part of the story; her jewellery truly stole the show. The 35-year-old actor chose Elizabeth Taylor’s iconic heart-shaped Taj Mahal diamond necklace, a historic piece valued at $8 million (around ₹74 crore), as reported by People.

The story behind the iconic Taj Mahal necklace

The necklace sits on a Cartier chain made of gold and rubies. Richard Burton, Taylor’s fifth husband, gifted it to her on her 40th birthday more than fifty years ago. When Robbie chose to wear the heirloom, she clearly paid tribute to Old Hollywood glamour and its legendary love affairs.

Taylor and Burton first met in 1962 on the set of Cleopatra, at a time when both were married to other people. Their intense and turbulent relationship soon captured headlines around the world.

The diamond’s story reaches far beyond Hollywood. The heart-shaped, table-cut stone bears a Parsi inscription that reads “Love is Everlasting”, along with the name Nur Jahan. Historians believe Mughal Emperor Jahangir originally gave the jewel to his wife Nur Jahan, before it passed to their son, Shah Jahan.

Jewellery scholars believe Shah Jahan later gifted the gem to his wife, Mumtaz Mahal. This gesture firmly linked the stone to the Mughal dynasty and gave rise to the name the Taj Mahal Diamond.

As per reports, in 1971, French luxury house Cartier acquired the diamond and redesigned it using red gemstones and table-cut diamonds. The house first displayed it suspended from a traditional Indian silk cord. A year later, Cartier designer Alfred Durante crafted the now-iconic woven gold and ruby necklace, featuring an adjustable slide, rondelles, and rich tassels.

In 1972, Cartier president Michael Thomas presented the necklace to Burton and Taylor during a stopover at New York’s Kennedy Airport. Burton chose not to buy it at once but later surprised Taylor with the piece during a lavish birthday weekend in Budapest while she was filming Bluebeard.