The Fifth Wedding Anniversary Bracelet

The Fifth Wedding Anniversary Bracelet
Royal Collection Trust

The fifth wedding anniversary of The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh was in 1952, the year she took the throne. As an anniversary gift, The Duke commissioned from Boucheron a bracelet of his own design, made from gold, platinum, diamonds, rubies, and sapphires.

Philip's design includes his naval badge in the center with a diamond-set anchor, two roses set with diamonds and accented by rubies, two crosses of sapphires and a single diamond, one cross of rubies and a single diamond, and gold links designed as intertwined "E" and "P" letters.

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Diamond Wedding Anniversary Family Dinner, 2007

Occasions on which The Queen has worn this bracelet in public are rare, but she did appear to wear it during the celebrations marking their 60th wedding anniversary in 2007, at a family dinner hosted at Clarence House by The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall. The bracelet has also been displayed, and was included in an exhibition celebrating The Duke of Edinburgh's 90th birthday.

The Cartier Halo Tiara

The Cartier Halo Tiara

Another tiara known by several names (mainly as the Scroll Tiara, prior to 2011; the Halo Tiara, Cartier Halo Tiara, or Queen Elizabeth's Halo Tiara since then; I have also written about it as the Halo Scroll Tiara), this was made by Cartier in 1936 from diamonds and platinum. It was given by The Duke of York to The Duchess of York shortly before they became King George VI and Queen Elizabeth. It doesn't seem to have been worn very often by her; she favored larger pieces as queen.

As shown in the Cartier archives

The Cartier tiara was given to Princess Elizabeth as an 18th birthday gift in 1944, another wartime birthday "re-gift". I suspect this may have been The Queen's first tiara, but (to my knowledge) she has never been pictured wearing it. By the time she started wearing tiaras in public, she was married and had more options at her disposal. She loaned it to Princess Margaret and Princess Anne, who both used it as young women. They both stopped borrowing the tiara as their own collections grew.

Video: The tiara sparkles at The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge's wedding

After a few decades in the vault, The Queen loaned the Halo Tiara to Catherine Middleton for her wedding to Prince William in 2011. As of this writing, we have not seen The Duchess of Cambridge wear the tiara again. It was on loan to a Cartier exhibit in France when it came time for her first post-wedding tiara appearance, so she moved on to the Lotus Flower Tiara and then on to the Cambridge Lover's Knot Tiara.  The Duchess' wedding earrings, diamond gifts from her parents that match this tiara, have also not been seen publicly since the wedding.

Read more about the tiara here, in my original post at Order of Splendor.

Photos: Royal Collection/Queen Elizabeth II, Cartier Archives

The Queen Mother's Multi-Color Leaf Brooch

The Queen Mother's Multi-Color Leaf Brooch

This Art Deco brooch with a staggered frame of diamond baguettes and a vein of pavé-set diamonds features cabochon sapphires in a range of shapes in the middle and is dotted with small amethysts, emeralds, and a ruby.

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The Duchess of York, 1934

It was made by Cartier in London as a gift from The Duke of York (later King George VI) to The Duchess of York (later Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother) in 1928. This was one of The Queen's wartime birthday gifts from her parents, one of a few jewels she received in this fashion. Re-gifting things, so to speak, was not at all unusual in a family where jewels regularly pass down the generations, and was a smart choice during the austerity of the war.

The Queen, 1954

The Queen Mother used the Leaf Brooch as a jaunty hat ornament in addition to a lapel brooch in her day, while The Queen tends to use it in regular brooch fashion. When she does wear it, that is - this is another piece of jewelry that would be rare to spot today. An appearance in 1997 may have been its last public outing. If it's a Cartier leaf brooch she's wearing today, odds are it will be the Queen Mother's Palm Leaf Brooch instead.

Photos: Royal Collection/Queen Elizabeth II, via Getty Images, Tom Meigan/National Library of Australia

The Sapphire and Diamond 18th Birthday Bracelet

The Sapphire and Diamond 18th Birthday Bracelet

King George VI's apparent fondness for sapphires was notably documented through gifts to his wife and his eldest daughter, with examples like the Queen Mother's Sapphire Flower Brooch and the George VI Sapphire Suite still in use today. That preference for blue stones and the preference he and his wife had for Cartier jewels came together in this bracelet, which he gave to Princess Elizabeth in 1944 as an 18th birthday present.

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The bracelet features square sapphire stones separated by diamond links and accented with diamond loop details, a delicate gem that could be used for special day events (such as the christening of Princess Anne in 1950, shown above) or for evening events.

Today, though, it seems to fall between categories when it comes to public appearances: dressier than what The Queen wears during the day now, but not as big as the sapphire bracelet she acquired to wear with her George VI and Modern Sapphire Parure. Plus, some of the sapphire sets she's been given over the years (the Dubai Looped Sapphire Demi-Parure, the Sapphire Tassel Demi-Parure) have their own matching bracelets. We don't see much of this birthday bracelet, and I think it's ripe for a resurgence.

Photos: Royal Collection/Queen Elizabeth II, via Getty Images

The Red Flower Posy Brooch

The Red Flower Posy Brooch

This brooch, a posy of small red flowers (possibly of rubies, or another material) on a long stem, is often said to have been a gift from the Duke of Edinburgh in the 1960s. It may have been in the Queen's collection for decades, but it is only rarely worn; in recent years, it has been paired with the same dark red coat and hat.

Appearances:
8 November 2017: British Museum Gallery Opening
19 January 2017: Sandringham Women's Institute Meeting
11 April 2014: Newbury Races

Thanks to Anne for adding more info.

Photo: Getty

The Grima Ruby Brooch

The Grima Ruby Brooch

Made of recycled carved rubies, free-form gold, and diamonds, this brooch was created by jeweler Andrew Grima. It was given to The Queen by The Duke of Edinburgh in 1966, and is one of a number of modern pieces that have been added to her collection during her reign.

Read more at Order of Splendor.

Appearances:
12 December 2019: Audiences at Buckingham Palace
25 December 2018: Christmas Broadcast
8 June 2018: Westminster Abbey Diamond Jubilee Gallery Opening
21 February 2018: Audiences at Buckingham Palace
6 December 2017: Scripture Union Anniversary
November 2017: 70th Wedding Anniversary Portrait
1 December 2016: Audiences at Buckingham Palace
1 November 2016: State Visit from Colombia
5 November 2015: Imjin Barracks Visit
10 October 2014: Audiences at Buckingham Palace
10 February 2014: Return from Sandringham
19 February 2013: Audiences at Buckingham Palace 
2011: State Visit to Ireland 
2007: Royal Maundy Service
2002: Commonwealth Day Observance Service
Various Years: Christmas Broadcast 

The Baguette and Brilliant Bracelet

The Baguette and Brilliant Bracelet

The Queen received this bracelet of diamonds set in platinum from her father, King George VI, in 1949. It was an existing piece bought at Garrard, and the band features two rows of brilliants with an alternating border of baguettes and a twist in the center.

 

The Queen has many diamond bracelets, and this one seems a choice especially for black tie events, without a tiara. It's also one of the pieces she loaned to the late Princess of Wales, who wore it during her 1983 tour of Australia with the Prince of Wales.

Appearances:
8 March 2018: Aga Khan Diamond Jubilee Dinner
8 December 2015: Diplomatic Reception
3 March 2015: State Visit from Mexico, State Banquet
16 June 2014: Garter Day
19 November 2012: Royal Variety Performance
2010: State Visit to the UAE and Oman  
1992: State Visit to Germany 
1978: State Visit to Germany

Photos: Royal Collection/Leslie Field

The Wedding Gift Bracelet

The Wedding Gift Bracelet

The London firm of Philip Antrobus was entrusted to create both the engagement ring and the wedding present the Duke of Edinburgh gave his wife in 1947. Both jewels were made from diamonds taken from a tiara that belonged to the Duke's mother, Princess Andrew of Greece and Denmark (born Princess Alice of Battenberg), and both were set in platinum.

Princess Alice, wearing the tiara dismantled to create the ring and bracelet

The wedding gift took the form of a wide bracelet featuring stepped geometric motifs centered around the three largest diamonds. It's quite a statement piece due to its width, and the Queen has continued to wear it from the early years of her marriage through today.

She chose to wear the bracelet in the official photographs taken to commemorate her Diamond Jubilee. Combined with other jewels which have great history and particular relation to Queen Victoria, the only other British monarch to celebrate 60 years on the throne, it seems a specific tribute to the Duke and the support he has given her throughout her reign. Awww.

Surprisingly, given what I would imagine is great sentimental value and given that The Queen has worn the bracelet in recent years, she chose to loan it to The Duchess of Cambridge, who wore the bracelet for her first state banquet appearance.


Appearances:
8 December 2016: Diplomatic Reception (on The Duchess of Cambridge) 
8 December 2015: Diplomatic Reception (on The Duchess of Cambridge)
20 October 2015: State Visit from China, State Banquet (on The Duchess of Cambridge)
6 February 2012: Official Diamond Jubilee Portrait

Photos: Royal Collection/Leslie Field

The Flower Basket Brooch

The Flower Basket Brooch

Originally a gift from her parents to mark the birth of Prince Charles in 1948, this brooch has been a regular star ever since. Read more at Order of Splendor.

Appearances:
17 November 2019: Church at Windsor
21 April 2019: Easter Service
3 September 2017: Church at Balmoral
22 April 2017: Newbury Races
23 February 2017: Investiture at Buckingham Palace
16 November 2016: Audience at Buckingham Palace
3 November 2016: Visit to Newmarket
7 June 2016: Visit to Wales
15 May 2016: 90th Birthday Celebration Reception
25 November 2015: Audience at Buckingham Palace
20 October 2015: State Visit from China, Pre-Banquet Check
3 May 2015: Church at Sandringham
10 December 2014: Audiences at Buckingham Palace
26 November 2014: FEI Lifetime Achievement Award Presentation
12 November 2014: Audiences at Buckingham Palace
29 May 2014: Audiences at Buckingham Palace
13 March 2014: Visit from King Philippe and Queen Mathilde
7 March 2014: Investiture at Windsor Castle
19 February 2014: Audience at Buckingham Palace
25 December 2013: Christmas Broadcast, 2013
23 October 2013: The Christening of Prince George
17 October 2013: Audience at Buckingham Palace
8 September 2013: Church at Balmoral
10 April 2013: Investiture at Windsor Castle
20 February 2013: Audience at Buckingham Palace
30 December 2012: Church at Sandringham
12 August 2012: Church at Balmoral
27 July 2012: Visit to Olympic Park
1 May 2012: Visit to the South West, Day 1
8 March 2012: Visit to Leicester
15 February 2012: Multi-Faith Reception 
2007: Royal Ascot
2007: Official Visit to the Netherlands  
2005: Commonwealth Day Observance Service
Various Years: Christmas Broadcast 

Photo: Royal Collection/Queen Elizabeth II

The Aquamarine Clip Brooches

The Aquamarine Clip Brooches

These twin brooches were a gift from Queen Elizabeth’s parents, King George VI and Queen Elizabeth, for her 18th birthday in 1944. Done in the clip style popularized by Cartier, they are an Art Deco arrangement of aquamarines and diamonds. Though they are often called the Aquamarine Cartier Clips (they are identified as such in Leslie Field’s The Queen’s Jewels, where the connection is drawn to Louis Cartier’s adaptation of wooden clothes pins), according to the Royal Collection they were made by Boucheron.

Though these clips offer many configuration possibilities (including using them as one large oval brooch, as seen on the left above), the Queen usually sticks to wearing both of them upright, in a staggered fashion. 

Appearances: 
20 October 2019: Church at Windsor
5 July 2019: Dersingham Village Center Opening
14 March 2018: Audiences at Buckingham Palace
12 October 2017: Women's Royal Naval Service 100 Project Reception
8 October 2017: Church at Balmoral
29 June 2017: Queen's Young Leaders Awards
15 June 2017: Upper North Street School Commemoration
17 November 2016: Audiences at Buckingham Palace
15 May 2016: Royal Windsor Horse Show
22 April 2016: Visit from President and Mrs. Obama
12 November 2015: Civil Service Awards Reception
9 July 2015: Yeoman of the Guard Review
15 June 2015: Magna Carta 800th Anniversary Service
19 March 2015: Investiture at Buckingham Palace
10 February 2015: Wessex Birthday Reception
22 January 2015: Sandringham Women's Institute Visit 
29 October 2014: Visit from the Emir of Qatar
1 July 2014: Holyrood Week, Day 2: Garden Party
10 June 2014: Buckingham Palace Garden Party
20 April 2014: Easter Service
27 February 2014: Queen's Anniversary Prizes for Higher and Further Education
10 December 2013: Barnardo's Headquarters Opening
20 November 2013: Audiences at Buckingham Palace
16 October 2013: Audiences at Buckingham Palace
15 June 2013: Hospital Visit
22 May 2013: Audience at Buckingham Palace
4 April 2013: British Film Industry Reception
5 February 2013: Queen Elizabeth Hospital
13 November 2012: Queen's Award for Enterprise Reception
2 November 2012: State Visit from Indonesia, Farewell
16 October 2012: Audiences at Buckingham Palace
12 October 2012: Eton Jubilee Celebration
10 October 2012: Diamond Jubilee Pageant Reception
29 August 2012: Opening Ceremony of the London Paralympic Games  
25 June 2012: Visiting Henley-on-Thames
5 June 2012: Queen's Diamond Jubilee Message 
27 April 2012: Visit to South Wales, Day 2 
14 February 2012: Charles Dickens Bicentennial Performance 
2011: State Visit to Ireland
2010: Visit to the United States
2010: Royal Ascot
2006: 80th Birthday Thanksgiving Service at St. George's Chapel
1958: Royal Maundy Service 
1958: State Visit to the Netherlands 

Photos: Leslie Field/Getty Images/Pool

Engagement and Wedding Rings

The Queen wears her wedding and engagement rings essentially every day, though thanks to her glove-wearing habit we only spot them once in a while.

The Queen's Engagement Ring

The platinum and diamond engagement ring has a central 3 carat solitaire flanked by diamonds on each side and was made from a dismantled tiara that belonged to Prince Philip's mother. Read more at Order of Splendor.

Her wedding ring is made from Welsh gold. The Clogau gold came from a piece of gold from the 1911 closure of the Clogau St. David's mine; the gold was given to the Queen's parents for their wedding in 1923 and furnished rings for the Queen Mother, the Queen, Princess Margaret, Princess Anne, and Diana, Princess of Wales before it ran out.

Subsequent gifts have replenished the royal stock of Welsh gold, allowing the tradition to continue. A gift from the Royal British Legion went towards the ring for Sarah, Duchess of York. A 60th birthday gift of gold from the Gwynfynydd mine might have provided the rings for the Earl and Countess of Wessex. And the tradition continues today: the Duchess of Cambridge's wedding ring was made of a piece of Welsh gold the Queen gave Prince William after the couple's engagement.

Appearances:
Worn nearly every day, these rings are tagged here only when they can be spotted in photographs. Click here for those appearances.

Photo: Leslie Field

The Multi-Color Floral Spray Brooch

The Multi-Color Floral Spray Brooch

Though it's not a new brooch, this one's provenance is still something of a mystery. It appears to be a small bouquet of different colored stones (sapphires and more, perhaps?) with stems tied together. And it's a tricky little trinket too, because the multiple colors give it a different appearance from every angle.

One possible provenance could be this brooch described by Leslie Field in The Queen's Jewels but not definitively tied to any single brooch since: "a Cartier floral spray set with sapphires, rubies, diamonds and an aquamarine, which her parents gave her in 1943." There is at least one other brooch which may be a better match for that description, however. Lacking any confirmation, I will dub it the Multi-Color Floral Spray Brooch for the time being.

Appearances:
18 October 2014: British Champions Day at Royal Ascot
6 June 2012: Commonwealth Luncheon

Photos: WPA Pool/Getty Images

The George VI Festoon Necklace

The George VI Festoon Necklace

In 1950, King George VI had a diamond necklace created for his daughter Princess Elizabeth using 105 loose collets that were among the Crown heirlooms he inherited. (These, according to Hugh Roberts, had been used by Queen Mary to change the lengths of her multiple diamond collet necklaces, hence their loose status in the collection.) The end result is this take on a triple strand necklace: three strands of graduated collets suspended between two diamond triangles, with a single collet strand at the back. This is also called simply the Queen’s Festoon Necklace, though I’ll use George VI’s name to be a little more specific.

Even though her collection of diamond necklaces has vastly increased since 1950, this is still a favorite with the Queen and she wears it on a fairly regular basis.

Appearances:
23 October 2018: State Visit from The Netherlands, State Banquet 
9 May 2012: State Opening of Parliament
1986: State Visit from Spain
1983: State Visit to Sweden  
1978: State Visit to Germany
1972: State Visit from the Netherlands
1967: Visit to Malta 
1965: State Visit to Germany   
1960: State Visit from France  
1958: State Visit from Germany
1958: State Visit to the Netherlands 
Various Years: State Opening of Parliament 

Photos: Leslie Field/Corbis

The Queen's Three Strand Pearl Necklaces

Pearl necklaces are part of The Queen's daily uniform, and a three strand version is her favorite for public events. In her book The Queen's Jewels, Leslie Field lists three different triple strand necklaces:

1. A gift from her grandfather, King George V; this necklace is identified below. 
2. One The Queen had made from graduated family pearls; this necklace is also identified below. 
3. A gift for her coronation in 1953 from the Emir of Qatar, with a diamond clasp. We can only speculate which necklace this may be.

Observation of jewels worn by Her Majesty shows that she owns many more triple strands than those listed necklaces, but identification is difficult. The same necklace can appear differently based on the outfit, the photograph, or even just the year. The best way to differentiate between all these similar pieces is by the necklace clasp, but those aren’t usually pictured.  Two can be identified in particular:

The Queen's Three Strand Necklace of Family Pearls 

This is the necklace that we see most frequently. As identified by description in The Queen’s Jewels and by photograph in Sheila Young’s earlier book, The Queen’s Jewellery, it was made to The Queen’s order from family pearls shortly after she came to the throne in 1952. The pearls are graduated in size with a warm, creamy color, and the necklace is fastened with a small diamond clasp. The Queen had more variety in her everyday jewel selections earlier in her reign, but today, this necklace is worn for almost all official daytime engagements.

The King George V Three Strand Pearl Necklace 

In celebration of his Silver Jubilee in 1935, George V gave his two granddaughters a pearl necklace each: a double strand for Princess Margaret and a triple strand for Princess Elizabeth. The Queen's version is made of evenly sized pearls, and was worn by her primarily as a young woman. She has continued to wear it throughout the years, but today it is a rare sight.

Other Three Strand Pearl Necklaces 

The Queen's collection also includes several other variations on the triple strand theme, including longer and larger necklaces worn for evening occasions. The coronation gift from Qatar referenced above is likely among these, and Angela Kelly's book, Dressing the Queen, pictures one triple strand with an ornate pearl and diamond clasp. The examples below are some that I believe to be different from each other; there are certainly more of them that I do not show here. Because of the difficulties in differentiating between pearl necklaces as discussed above, I do not attempt to give these individual identifications on this blog.

There is a diamond and pearl clasp on this particular three strand necklace that I believe corresponds to the necklace shown in the Kelly book:

View image | gettyimages.com

View image | gettyimages.com

 This option looks a little longer, with closely spaced pearls of a mostly even size. It appears to have a diamond (and possibly pearl) clasp:

These pearls are graduated, with large gaps between the strands:

View image | gettyimages.com

 These pearls are longer, with fewer gaps between strands:

View image | gettyimages.com

And this is the longest triple strand I’ve seen The Queen wear, with huge spaces between the strands:

View image | gettyimages.com

Just a selection, a few of who knows how many possible options, given all The Queen has been given and has inherited over the years.

My thanks to reader Franck and to posters on the Royal Jewels of the World Message Board, particularly Baxter, for sharing research on these necklaces, and to Jelena for calling attention to the RJWMB post here.

Appearances: The Queen's Three Strand Necklace of Family Pearls is seen almost every day, and so those appearances not listed individually here (they are all tagged, and can be seen by clicking here). The events listed below are those at which a different three strand pearl necklace was worn, but as stated above, I rarely try to identify them beyond that.

14 February 2019: GCHQ Centenary
13 February 2019: Audiences at Buckingham Palace
21 April 2018: The Queen's Birthday Party
21 March 2016: Dinner at Bellamy's
7 February 2016: Church in Norfolk
5 February 2016: Visit from The Emir of Kuwait
24 January 2016: Church at Sandringham
4 December 2013: Audiences at Buckingham Palace
27 November 2013: Audiences at Buckingham Palace
9 November 2013: Festival of Remembrance
3 June 2013: Royal National Institute of Blind People Reception
13 May 2012: Windsor Horse Show Diamond Jubilee Pageant
2000: State Visit to Italy, Papal Audience
1961: Commonwealth Visit to India and Pakistan
Various Years: Festival of Remembrance
Various Years: Christmas Broadcast

Photos: via Getty Images as indicated; British Monarchy, PA