Christmas Service and Christmas Broadcast, 2017

Merry Christmas! We'll be chatting about the other fashions on Christmas display during the annual Windsor church walk at the other blog tomorrow. But first, The Queen:

The Queen, accompanied by members of the Royal Family, attended Christmas service at St. Mary Magdalene Church, Sandringham.

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I confess, I had my fingers crossed that Christmas this year would bring us a first outing of the Sapphire Jubilee Snowflake Brooch received from Canada earlier this year. Her Maj had in mind another Commonwealth treat, however: the Australian Wattle Brooch, looking large and proud on this orange outfit. The Wattle is making its third appearance of 2017, which is the most we've seen it in one year since I started keeping track here.

Australian Wattle Brooch

Queen Mary's Button Earrings

Three Strand Pearl Necklace
 

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While we're at it, The Queen's companion in the car to church today was The Duchess of Cornwall, who sported another jewel we've covered here: The Queen Mother's Rock Crystal Brooch.

 

The Queen's annual message was broadcast on Christmas Day.

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The Queen's Christmas message this year speaks of home and pays tribute to London and Manchester as well as honoring The Duke of Edinburgh in the year he retired. Pictures from her wedding and this year's platinum anniversary join snaps of Prince George and Princess Charlotte at her side; off to the side (which you can't see in this shot) were also pictures of The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall, plus a picture from Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's engagement. She's wearing a dress made for her Diamond Jubilee, and accompanying that with one of her favorite brooches this year (and most years), the Jardine Star.

Jardine Star Brooch

Coming up before we hit the new year: our annual round up of the year in The Queen's jewels, with the big brooch tally! Stay tuned...

The Queen Mother’s Rock Crystal Brooch

The Duchess of Cornwall wears The Queen Mother's Rock Crystal Brooch, 2012
UK in Sweden via CC BY-ND 2.0

The Duchess of Cornwall is fond of this delicate oval brooch featuring a rock crystal disk with a diamond center and a diamond frame. Small details in black on the sides and center are likely onyx (or possibly enamel). The rock crystal has a frosted, translucent appearance and appears to be etched.

The Queen Mother, then The Duchess of York, wears the brooch on her hat, 1927
State Library of Queensland, via Wikimedia Commons

Although the brooch was largely unknown until The Duchess started wearing it, it has been in the royal family for at least 90 years. It was part of the collection of the late Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother, who fashionably perched it on her hats in the 1920s and 1930s. The then-Duchess of York and her husband were regular patrons of Cartier, who made multiple Art Deco brooches using the combination of crystal, diamond, and onyx; Cartier thus seems a likely candidate for creator of this brooch.

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Lucy the Kitten makes a play for the brooch, 2010

The Rock Crystal Brooch would have passed to The Queen in 2002, who included it among the many other pieces from The Queen Mother’s collection she has loaned to The Duchess of Cornwall. Camilla wears it regularly, and its appearance can vary from highly visible (on a dark outfit) to practically invisible (on a light outfit), thanks to the translucent crystal revealing the color of the fabric behind.