The idea in the back of my mind was that the Rana family might have paid for the jewels, rather than that they were inherited by the Queen. From what I know the Rana family was (and perhaps till is) much more wealthy than the royal family. But, I very much doubt if we will ever get confirmation of how the jewels were acquired -- or even who made them.

Amongst my memories of Katmandu and the areas surrounding it, are the numerous, exquisite Italianate palaces built by various members of the Rana family. But, even during the late 1960s and the early 1970s some of those were either in foreign hands or, at least, rented to foreign businesses.