Zara Tindall has been selling the same “toxic” pink diamonds at the centre of the Ellie Goulding row for tens of thousands of pounds, the Mirror can reveal.
The King’s niece, who has publicly backed ocean conservation, has her own jewellery range with Calleija which features stones from Australia’s Argyle mine, where traditional owners say “forever chemicals” have destroyed the land. She even attended a Buckingham Palace garden party wearing the diamonds in May 2025.
Jewellery Designs and Prices
Calleija’s website lists at least four designs under Zara’s name containing Argyle pink diamonds, including rings, a pendant and earrings. Its platinum Suprema Saddle ring contains 27 Argyle pink diamonds and is said to reflect Zara’s love of equestrian eventing. It costs £21,600.
The Sunrise ring, made from 18ct white and yellow gold, contains an Argyle pink diamond surrounded by 20 white diamonds. Its description celebrates the stone’s “rare beauty”. A matching Sunrise pendant and Sunrise stud earrings also contain the same gems.
A Calleija social media post says of her Buckingham Palace outing: “Zara Tindall attended the garden party at Buckingham Palace on Tuesday afternoon, wearing our gorgeous Sidra earrings featuring rare Australian Argyle Pink Diamonds.”
Environmental Concerns and Reactions
Last week singer Goulding, who is a WWF ambassador, said she was left “mortified” after wearing a half a million pound necklace and earring set from Boodles containing the gems. The Mirror previously revealed how environmental concerns over the mine are laid bare in a damning 2025 report from Gelganyem, the organisation representing traditional owners' interests. It said: "Land use will be permanently restricted due to soil, groundwater and surface water contamination from PFAS [known as forever chemicals] and hydrocarbons." Other findings identify serious erosion, fish needing chemical testing, as well as damage to indigenous sites including burial grounds and a ceremonial cave containing rock art.
Zara’s promotion of the pink diamonds appears at odds with her environmental credentials. She is a supporter of Tusk, the African conservation charity whose royal patron is her cousin Prince William, with her and husband Mike Tindall attending their awards at London’s Savoy hotel on November 26 last year. In his speech that evening, William praised “the indigenous communities and local conservation leaders who provide the practical solutions to how we can best sustain our precious natural landscapes”. She also attended the event in 2022.
Her and husband Mike also launched a fundraising cycle ride for the conservation charity Blue Marine Foundation. The couple joined the opening stage of its third London-to-Monaco ride in September 2018, cycling from Herne Hill Velodrome in south London to Dover.
Statements from Gelganyem, Goulding, Calleija, and Rio Tinto
Gelganyem said it was “hard to reconcile” the sale of the diamonds at such high prices when “funds to rehabilitate the Country to a high standard after mining are often lacking.” They said in a statement: “This is not about targeting individuals. It is about asking brands, suppliers and public figures who promote these products to support transparency - and ensuring that the people most connected to the land are heard.” They added: “The questions raised by the promotion of Argyle diamonds are bigger than any one person or piece of jewellery. They are about whether the story of a product includes the people whose Country was mined, what happened after mining ended, and how we know commitments to rehabilitation are being met.”
Thanking the Mirror for drawing attention to the issue, they added: “Traditional Owners welcome the fact that these stories are able to shine a light on the work that the Gelganyem Group is doing to ensure that the Argyle mine is closed responsibly and in a way that meets reasonable environmental expectations.”
The Argyle mine, in Western Australia’s East Kimberley region, stopped production in November 2020 after supplying around 90 per cent of the world’s pink diamonds. Mining giant Rio Tinto has been carrying out rehabilitation ahead of the eventual return of the land to its owners.
Last week singer Goulding told the Mirror of her regret at wearing the diamonds. She said: "Protecting the environment is a cause close to my heart. I always strive to uphold those values. Regretfully, in this instance, I fell short. I was not aware of the concerns surrounding the Argyle mine and I am grateful that it has been brought to my attention. You will certainly not see me wearing diamonds originating from the Argyle mine again. The indigenous and local communities affected deserve better. While I am mortified to have made this error in judgement, I am letting this moment serve as a reminder and an opportunity to continue to question the status quo, learn and do better."
Calleija owner John Calleija said in a statement: “Calleija are a bespoke, luxury jeweller. Since opening our first boutique more than 40 years ago, we have always been fastidious about where our natural diamonds, gems and precious metals are sourced, hence our support of Positive Luxury and the Butterfly Mark for many years. We pride ourselves on working with ethically sourced materials, hand selecting the finest gems and the most beautiful, natural diamonds. Calleija has worked with Argyle Pink Diamonds for many years and our experience has been that careful custody of these beautiful diamonds, from the mine to the retailer, is treated seriously. Calleija is aware that Rio Tinto was a founding member of the Responsible Jewellery Council, which focuses on responsible sourcing and ethical practices throughout the jewellery supply chain, with the mine certified by the Council during the time it was operating. As we are not involved in the mine operations we would refer you to Rio Tinto's public reporting and governance regarding their rehabilitation of the Argyle mine, which is described in detail on their website and in Annual Reports.”
Rio Tinto previously said in a statement: "Mining at Argyle ended in 2020, and we are undertaking major works including rehabilitation, with longterm monitoring and maintenance to follow. We acknowledge traditional owners as custodians. We are continuing to talk to them and their representatives, the Gelganyem Group, about closure, including PFAS. PFAS containing firefighting foams were historically widely used worldwide, including at Argyle. We continue to assess and manage environmental impacts associated with this historical use. Our priority is to deliver a safe, stable and culturally respectful closure while ensuring environmental outcomes are managed. Our focus is on meeting commitments we have made, being transparent about progress and working through concerns with traditional owners."
Boodles sources previously said they had “nothing to do with the mining or mine itself" when it came to Goulding. Zara's agent didn't respond to requests for comment.
