Showing posts with label 4 Strand Diamond Large. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 4 Strand Diamond Large. Show all posts

11 March 2019

Commonwealth Day

The Queen and other members of the Royal Family attended the Commonwealth Day observance service at Westminster Abbey.
Westminster Abbey

I was going to say that the Kent Amethyst Brooch would have been my preference on Her Maj's outfit for the Prince of Wales' reception last week, but never mind - she didn't keep me waiting to see it too long! The color on this repeated Angela Kelly ensemble is a perfectly luscious background for this historic amethyst gem.

Three Strand Pearl Necklace


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Two royal ladies in purple, it's my lucky day. With her Bruce Oldfield coat and Philip Treacy hat, The Duchess of Cornwall donned a favorite combo: her Everyday Pearl Pendant Earrings and Four Strand Pearl Choker with Large Diamond Clasp.

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Camilla kept up her blingy purple mood for the evening reception at Marlborough House, where she wore her new(er) purple stone choker and her big amethyst earrings.

Westminster Abbey

With her repeated Catherine Walker coat and new hat, The Duchess of Cambridge brought the jewel intrigue:

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A fascinating pair of new-to-us diamond earrings. I've had lots of questions already if they're loans from The Queen; if they are, they're nothing known to me. They also have significant differences from the tops of the diamond and pearl earrings the late Diana, Princess of Wales received as a wedding gift from the Emir of Qatar, another comparison I've seen made.

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Last but never least, The Duchess of Sussex went for Victoria Beckham in her second outfit of the day. I'm itching to tweak the hat, but an otherwise solid appearance.
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05 March 2019

Reception for The Prince of Wales

The Queen, accompanied by other members of the Royal Family, hosted a Buckingham Palace reception to mark the 50th anniversary of the Investiture of The Prince of Wales.
Clarence House

It's festive purple print for Her Maj today, with one of her Amethyst Bouquet Brooches to accessorize. (This, if you're keeping track, is the "new" one.)

Engagement and Wedding Rings 

Clarence House

There's no better occasion for a Prince of Wales feathers brooch, is there? The Duchess of Cornwall has a few to select from; this one is probably the best known, the emerald and diamond model from Queen Alexandra. She added her Four Strand Pearl Choker with Large Diamond Clasp and her Everyday Pearl Pendant Earrings.

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Other guests! The Duchess of Cambridge's new dress (very much like a Beulah dress she already owns) is apparently from her private dressmaker. The Duchess of Sussex repeated her Amanda Wakeley white coat over a metallic dress. And The Princess Royal is probably repeating too, because she's Anne.
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04 December 2018

The 2018 Diplomatic Reception and Audiences at Buckingham Palace

The Queen hosted the annual Diplomatic Reception for ambassadors at Buckingham Palace. The Prince of Wales, The Duchess of Cornwall, The Duke of Cambridge, and The Duchess of Cambridge were also present.
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The release of photos from inside this year's reception warranted coverage on the other blog, where you can check in with all The Queen's diamonds and the pearls of The Duchesses. Click here to check it out.


The Queen held audiences at Buckingham Palace.
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Her Maj had some diplomats to welcome before the fancy reception, and this brooch is open for your guessing.

Engagement and Wedding Rings 

 
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11 November 2018

Remembrance Sunday

The Queen and members of the Royal Family attended the Remembrance Sunday ceremony at the Cenotaph, London. The service honors those that have died in armed conflicts.
BBC

As she did last year, The Queen watched the Cenotaph ceremony from one of the Foreign Office balconies while The Prince of Wales laid  her wreath. This year she broke with her tradition of wearing one of her bow brooches to hold her cluster of poppies. She wore The Queen Mother's Shell Brooch instead. The jewelry choices, frivolous as they may seem to discuss given the occasion, can often add additional insight. That is certainly the case with The Queen's brooch choice today.

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We've seen The Queen wear pieces from her mother's collection multiple times for war remembrance events. In the year of the armistice centenary, choosing one of The Queen Mother's favorites seems an additional nod to the four Bowes-Lyon brothers that fought in the First World War, one of whom was killed in action.

This particular brooch offers yet more significance of its own; it was designed by Lord Courtauld-Thomson (its longer name is the Courtauld Thomson Scallop-shell Brooch), who was Chief Commissioner for the British Red Cross during the First World War. The jewel was made in 1919. (As always, full stories on jewel history can be found in the links below.)

Three Strand Pearl Necklace

MOD Crown copyright 2018

The Queen was joined on her balcony The Duchess of Cornwall and The Duchess of Cambridge. The Duchess of Cornwall repeated her jewelry from last year's service; her badge belonged to The Queen Mother and is of special significance to Camilla because her late father served with the 12th Lancers.

9/12th Lancers Badge

The Duchess of Cambridge wore her Poppy Collection Women of the First World War Brooch and repeated pearl earrings by Cassandra Goad.

MOD Crown copyright 2018

The Duchess of Sussex joined Frau Elke Büdenbender, wife of the German president, on another balcony. "Federal German President His Excellency Frank-Walter Steinmeier laid a wreath on behalf of the German people. It is the first time since the Cenotaph was inaugurated in 1920 that a representative of Germany took part in the National Service of Remembrance and his attendance symbolises the peace and friendship that exists between our two countries today," according to the Ministry of Defence.

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The Countess of Wessex was on another balcony with Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence. She wore a Rifles badge, because she is Royal Colonel of the 5th Battalion. The Countess of Wessex Blog identified her ceramic poppy brooch; it was made by and given to her by the visually impaired students at St. Vincent's School. The students make these poppy brooches as a campaign to leave "a lasting legacy for those who lost their sight in the Great War." The Countess regularly supports charities for the blind and visually impaired. It's a personal cause for her since her daughter, Lady Louise, was born with an eye condition.

MOD Crown copyright 2018

The Prince of Wales led things on the ground, laying The Queen's wreath on her behalf.

MOD Crown copyright 2018

The Duke of Cambridge, The Duke of Sussex, The Duke of York, The Earl of Wessex, The Princess Royal, The Duke of Kent, and Prince Michael of Kent all laid wreaths as well. The Duke of Edinburgh's (who was not present at the ceremony today) was laid by his equerry, a Captain in the Grenadier Guards.
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05 December 2017

The 2017 Diplomatic Reception (and a New Loan for The Duchess of Cambridge)

The Queen hosted the annual Diplomatic Reception at Buckingham Palace. The Prince of Wales, The Duchess of Cornwall, The Duke of Cambridge, and The Duchess of Cambridge were among those present. 

It doesn't look like we're getting lucky again this year with a proper group shot inside of the palace like we did last year - you'll remember that pictures from inside this event are rare - but we do have a glimpse inside the cars carrying the other members of the Royal Family to the party. We've got some loans from The Queen, including a new loan, so we'll cover it here: 

The Duchess of Cornwall 
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Solid repeats for Camilla for the evening, as we've seen both this dress and this jewelry combination on more than one past occasion. 

Camilla will have worn the Royal Family Order of Queen Elizabeth II, though it is obscured by her cape in the car   
Riband of the Royal Victorian Order, certainly accompanied by the Star and Badge which can't be seen here


The Duchess of Cambridge 
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We have another new loaner for Kate, a diamond collet (rivière) necklace! This necklace must be a loan from The Queen, who has several of these collet necklaces in her collection. I am THRILLED to see her wearing one of these luscious necklaces! They're a) gorgeous and b) so versatile. The little black dress of (massive diamond) necklaces. She paired this with the tiara and earrings she's worn before.

 Cambridge (or Queen Mary's) Lover's Knot Tiara 
Collingwood Pearl and Diamond Earrings (from the private collection of the late Diana, Princess of Wales)
Diamond Collet Necklace

(A note on the necklace: While some will try to make a determination on which specific diamond necklace this is, I'm not likely to follow suit without official confirmation. Judging the size of a stone from one wearer to the next is a problem because the scale changes, and these necklaces can be changed in length by altering the number of stones to suit a new wearer. There are a lot of variables.)
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12 November 2017

Remembrance Sunday

The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh, accompanied by members of the Royal Family, attended the Remembrance Sunday ceremony at the Cenotaph, London. The service honors those that have died in armed conflicts.

An emotional day on an already emotional day today, as The Queen watched the Cenotaph ceremony from the balcony for the first time. With The Duke of Edinburgh by her side, they watched The Prince of Wales lead the ceremony on the ground and lay a wreath on Her Majesty's behalf.

The Prince of Wales lays the first wreath.
MOD Crown Copyright 2017
BBC screencap


MOD Crown Copyright 2017

The Duchess of Cornwall joined The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh on their balcony. The Duchess anchors her cluster of poppies with a different brooch each year, often badges or other pieces of significance to the occasion, and that's what she did this year: the badge of the 9/12th Lancers belonged to Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother and is of special importance to Camilla because her late father was a member of the 12th Lancers.

9/12th Lancers Badge

As mentioned yesterday, we'll take a look at some of the other family members present on the other blog, still to come.
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12 July 2017

State Visit from Spain, State Banquet

The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh, along with other members of the Royal Family, hosted a state banquet at Buckingham Palace for The King and Queen of Spain during their State Visit to the United Kingdom.

My wish for the Spanish state banquet was the Oriental Circlet and Queen Victoria's Crown Rubies. (Which is...pretty much my constant wish.) My prediction was that we'd get at least something from Queen Victoria, you know, because of the family ties and all. Her Majesty, however, is full of surprises.

House of HM the King

It's not just the Brazilian Aquamarine Parure that surprises me - and that is, by itself, a surprise; we haven't seen the tiara used since 2011 - it's the dress! There's color on The Queen's dress, are you seeing this? For someone so dedicated to her white dresses, even this amount of embroidery is a departure. Anyway, with all of this, she's wearing Spain's Order of the Golden Fleece (the red bow on her shoulder).

Order of the Golden Fleece


CasaReal Screencap

 Meanwhile, we are very much back to Business As Usual for The Duchess of Cornwall's state banquet gear: the same choker she wore for the welcome ceremony, with her regular diamond tiara. There is, however, a new pair of earrings! Another pair from Van Cleef & Arpels, and there's more info in the link below. 


Four Strand Pearl Choker with Large Diamond Clasp
Royal Family Order of Queen Elizabeth II
Star, Riband, and Badge of the Royal Victorian Order
 Art Deco Diamond Brooch on her shoulder, previously worn
Diamond Bracelet, not yet covered here but regularly worn


CasaReal Screencap

I went into detail on The Duchess of Cambridge over at the other blog, but her loans require mention here too. Mainly, this is the first loan of the Ruby and Diamond Floral Bandeau Necklace, which the palace referred to today as the King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Bandeau Necklace. It's one I've been hoping to see on her, as I know many of you also have. A treat!

Cambridge Lover's Knot Tiara
Collingwood Pearl and Diamond Earrings (from the private collection of the late Diana, Princess of Wales)
Ruby and Diamond Floral Bandeau Necklace
Diamond Bracelet (possibly one of the two she's borrowed from The Queen in the past)


That's that. Again, more in depth coverage and coverage of others in up in full at the other blog, so check it out!

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State Visit from Spain, Welcome Ceremony

The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh welcomed King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia of Spain at the beginning of their State Visit to the United Kingdom.
House of HM the King

The Queen has hosted state visits from King Felipe VI's parents and from his maternal grandparents during her reign. A triple generation State Visit tradition! Just one of the fun facts you get when one of the world's longest-reigning monarchs meets up with one of the world's newest monarchs.

House of HM the King

The classic Shell Brooch was on duty today, shining brightly from her magenta coat. Her Majesty matched both His Majesty (nice tie work, Felipe!) and the other Her Majesty, Queen Letizia's yellow ensemble coordinating nicely with the yellow accents on this Rachel Trevor-Morgan hat.

Royal Family

The queenly pair really stepped up the coordination game once inside Buckingham Palace for lunch and a gaze around the Royal Collection's special State Visit exhibition, because the yellow flowers on QEII's dress really stand out. As usual, the brooch was transferred off the coat to the dress beneath.

Engagement and Wedding Rings 




The Duchess of Cornwall was an array of her usual favorite jewels and her usual favorite ivory shade and her usual favorite statement hats ("statement" being an understatement in this case) for her part in the welcome ceremony. Her Diamond Stick Insect Brooch is said to have been a gift from her late father, and it is one of her favorites; we have not yet covered it here.

Everyday Pearl Pendant Earrings
Four Strand Pearl Choker with Large Diamond Clasp
Diamond Stick Insect Brooch
Gold Chain Bracelet with Multi-Color Stones
Engagement and Wedding Rings


In case you aren't a regular reader of the other blog, you'll find right here an open post for Day 1, with full coverage of Queen Letizia's outfits from the day as well as a livestream link and details for tonight's state banquet. Come on over!

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21 June 2017

State Opening of Parliament and Royal Ascot, Day 2

The Queen, accompanied by The Prince of Wales, traveled to the Palace of Westminster to open the Session of Parliament.

As promised, this year's State Opening of Parliament was a "dressed down" version, thanks to the speedy schedule. Business as usual meant that those of us hoping The Queen's jewels might reflect a more special occasion were disappointed - not that one could ever be too terribly disappointed with an 18.8 carat diamond, of course, but she stuck with her usual day pearls and earrings.

Cullinan V Brooch



What was not business as usual: The Prince of Wales stood in for The Duke of Edinburgh. Prince Philip was hospitalized Tuesday night for an infection, according to a Buckingham Palace spokesperson: "The Duke of Edinburgh was admitted to King Edward VII Hospital in London last night, as a precautionary measure, for treatment of an infection arising from a pre-existing condition. Prince Philip is in good spirits and is disappointed to be missing the State Opening of Parliament and Royal Ascot. The Prince of Wales will accompany The Queen to the State Opening. Her Majesty is being kept informed and will attend Royal Ascot as planned this afternoon."



And so The Queen carried on, sporting a delphinium blue coat with a blue and yellow floral silk dress and matching hat adorned with flowers by Angela Kelly. An outfit which, many have noted, sorta kinda dresses her up like...the European flag. Because if you're gonna make The Queen schlep down to London on an Ascot day, you're gonna get trolled.

I watched The Queen's Speech on 2x speed, which is exactly how I imagine it went in Her Maj's head. She had to get to Ascot, and she had to make it in time for an outfit and brooch change (people bet on those hats, you know, it just won't do to be tipping them off early!), so speed.it.up.


The Queen honored Ascot Races with her presence today.


Recruiting The Duchess of Cornwall to help continue the day's yellow and blue theme, The Queen wore another ensemble designed by Stewart Parvin and Rachel Trevor-Morgan. She swapped in the Flame Lily Brooch for an extra bit of diamond sparkle.

Flame Lily Brooch



The Duchess of Cornwall repeated her outfit from Princess Charlotte's christening as she continued to display her resplendent collection of pearl chokers. The Duchess of Gloucester wasn't slouching on the jewel front either; check out her sneaky use of diamond and ruby clip brooches at the neckline. Elegantly piled on, just how I like it.

Four Strand Pearl Choker with Large Diamond Clasp
Everyday Pearl Pendant Earrings 

As always, review of the rest of the family's fashions is still to come over at the other blog, so stay tuned.
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13 March 2017

Commonwealth Day and Baton Relay Launch

Double brooch day!

The Queen, accompanied by The Duke of Edinburgh and The Earl of Wessex, launched the XXI Commonwealth Games Baton Relay outside Buckingham Palace.

Kicking off on a bright note, the outfit is a delight but the brooch is not the best (this is the second time we've seen it in a month, which is more than enough for me). I preferred this cerise Stewart Parvin coat with the Diamond and Rose Gold Brooch.

Royal Family
Three Strand Pearl Necklace


The Queen and other members of the Royal Family attended the Commonwealth Day observance service at Westminster Abbey.

Keeping the brightness going, this Angela Kelly outfit wasn't just a spot of sunshine in a sea of dark suits, it was the perfect background for a wonderful brooch surprise: the Australian Wattle! The brooch hasn't been seen in action since 2014. Sooooo many diamonds. Watch how it glints in this video, towards the end. You can't even see the entire thing, and yet it's like a strobe light on her shoulder. Yum.

BBC



The Duchess of Cornwall also pulled a double jewel day. 

Her favorite Four Strand Pearl Choker with Large Diamond Clasp accompanied her purple suit for the Commonwealth service. Later, when she and The Prince of Wales attended the Commonwealth Secretary's reception, the suit was the same and the jewels were swapped out for her set of pansy brooches, always a favorite with this outfit.
Clarence House

No complaints about the purple theme here, you know. (The Queen is usually the one that attends this reception, but Charles and Camilla took her place this year.)
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08 December 2016

The 2016 Diplomatic Reception

The Queen hosted the annual Diplomatic Reception for ambassadors at Buckingham Palace. The Duke of Edinburgh, The Prince of Wales, The Duchess of Cornwall, The Duke of Cambridge, and The Duchess of Cambridge were also present. 


Okay, let's address the best thing first: THIS PHOTO. This is RARE, folks. Pictures from the Diplomatic Reception are often not published at all; a proper group shot like this is a first. I'd like to send a fruit basket to the person that convinced them to do it, but instead I shall just express my enthusiasm in ALL CAPS. WOW. 

 To the gems! 

 The Queen: Her Maj is LOVING her sapphires of late. She's worn this suite to both the Colombian state banquet this year and the Chinese state banquet last year. 

Modern Sapphire Bracelet
Evening Watch
 
The Duchess of Cornwall: It's business as usual for Camilla. This is exactly what she wore to the Colombian state banquet and almost completely what she wore to the State Opening of Parliament before that, dress and all. So, all her tiara appearances this year are essentially the same.

Greville Tiara
Royal Family Order of Queen Elizabeth II
Star, Riband, and Badge of the Royal Victorian Order
The Duchess of Cambridge: Kate is sporting the Cambridge Lover's Knot Tiara for the second time. She's also wearing the Diamond Pendant Earrings, her most recent vault loan (these go better with a tiara than her usual longer diamond earrings, I think), and is repeating the red Jenny Packham gown she wore to the Chinese state banquet.

Cambridge Lover's Knot Tiara
Diamond Pendant Earrings
Wedding Gift Bracelet

The Gentlemen: This is one of the most formal events of the year, so the royal men wear knee breeches with the actual Garter from the Order of the Garter just below the knee. It's rare that we get to see this; this event is one of the last consistent examples of the Garter in use, but again, we don't always get to see inside.
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13 November 2016

Remembrance Sunday

The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh, accompanied by other members of the Royal Family, attended the Remembrance Sunday ceremony at the Cenotaph, London. The service honors those that have died in armed conflicts.
Sgt Ross Tilly/UK MoD Crown Copyright

The Queen kept things simple at today's service, holding her traditional cluster of poppies with her favorite bow brooch.

Three Strand Pearl Necklace


As always, she was joined by several members of the Royal Family in uniform to lay wreaths at the Cenotaph.
Sgt Ross Tilly/UK MoD Crown Copyright

And other members of the Royal Family watched from the balcony above:
Sgt Ross Tilly/UK MoD Crown Copyright
The Duchess of Cornwall  wore again her Four Strand Pearl Choker with Large Diamond Clasp, along with her Everyday Pearl Pendant Earrings. Her brooch is a regimental badge from her late father's regiment, and it formerly belonged to The Queen Mother. The Countess of Wessex also wore a regimental badge, from the Rifles.

Interestingly, The Duchess of Cambridge has been loaned another piece from The Queen's jewel vault: the Bahrain Pearl Drop Earrings. These earrings were created using pearls given to Princess Elizabeth as a wedding gift. Much like the Silver Jubilee earrings recently worn by Kate, this pair has been loaned to Sophie in the past. They've also been worn fairly recently worn by The Queen herself, who chose them for last year's Festival of Remembrance.
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12 November 2016

Festival of Remembrance

The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh, accompanied by other members of the Royal Family, attended the Royal British Legion Festival of Remembrance at the Royal Albert Hall, London.

An interesting brooch choice from The Queen tonight: the Bronte Porcelain Brooch, which has seen one appearance a year since its 2014 debut. It seems a bit of a busy brooch for anchoring a poppy, but then most do (apart from the bow brooches, of course, which are her most popular pick for the job).

BBC
Engagement and Wedding Rings 



The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall returned from their tour of Oman, the United Arab Emirates, and Bahrain just in time to join the large group of royal family members also present for the Festival. Camilla wore her favorite pearl choker these days, the Four Strand Pearl Choker with Large Diamond Clasp, as well as a large pearl bracelet she's worn before.

BBC

For more images from this year's Festival of Remembrance, click here. We'll have another post on Sunday covering the traditional service at the Cenotaph.
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27 October 2016

Visit to Poundbury

The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh, accompanied by The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall, visited Poundbury, The Prince of Wales' urban development.

If you're unveiling a statue of The Queen Mother - which she was, at Queen Mother Square - then you wear one of The Queen Mother's brooches. Done and done. She also visited a supermarket, because sometimes you have to throw the caption writers a bone.




The Duchess of Cornwall sported one of her signature pearl chokers and had her own photo op later in the day, when she pulled a pint of "The Duchess" beer while opening an inn named The Duchess Of Cornwall.

Four Strand Pearl Choker with Large Diamond Clasp
Everyday Pearl Pendant Earrings
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18 June 2016

Royal Ascot, Day 5

The Queen honored Ascot Races with her presence today.

Royal Ascot ends how it began: with one of The Queen's favorite brooches.


It ends on a high note for The Queen, too: after needing to put down one of her horses following an accident earlier in the week, she had a winner today! Her horse Dartmouth won the Hardwicke Stakes.


Her outfit today is a repeat from her arrival in Germany last year, with a hat by Angela Kelly and a coat and dress by Peter Enrione. Enrione, 74 and known to The Queen as "Mr. Peter", has been Her Maj's tailor since the 1980s and still works up her outfits on his pre-war sewing machine.
Three Strand Pearl Necklace

The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall are really into Royal Ascot this year - which, obviously, I love - and they were present to watch another of their horses race today. This is really one of the best hats in Camilla's collection, don't you think? Very classic, very sharp.


And very many bonus points to her for managing to squeeze in some Ascot brooch fun of her own !


Diamond Moth Brooch
Four Strand Pearl Choker with Large Diamond Clasp
Everyday Pearl Pendant Earrings


That's a wrap for Royal Ascot 2016! Let's round this brooch festival up (you can click here to scroll through the posts for all five days):

From an old favorite...


To something new...


Something blue...


Something "borrowed"...


And back again.


From a brooch perspective: We're halfway through the year and we haven't had that many brooch surprises, so I'm doubly glad that Ascot gave us something new. The Cartier Diamond Rose Clip Brooch is one of the prettiest brooches she's debuted in recent years, and it will stand as my highlight from Ascot 2016.

From an outfit perspective: We're not going to forget that orange and blue number anytime soon, are we?! I have to give it to Angela Kelly on Day 2 also, I like that budding branch embellishment more every time I look at it.

What are your highlights from this year?

Photos: More4 screencaps and via Getty Images as indicated
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