Showing posts with label Three Thistle Brooch. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Three Thistle Brooch. Show all posts

06 August 2018

Balmoral Holiday, 2018

By Nick Bramhall from Aberdeen, UK - Balmoral Castle Uploaded by Kurpfalzbilder.de, CC BY-SA 2.0

The Queen started her annual summer Balmoral holiday on July 19. She stayed at Craigowan Lodge on the Balmoral estate while the castle was still open to the public as she usually does, followed by taking up official residence at the castle itself on August 6. Her break usually ends around late September/early October with an engagement or two in Scotland before heading south.

Any appearances by The Queen during her holiday will be gathered in this post.

***********

October 7: NEW! As she wraps up her Balmoral break, Her Maj jumps straight from summer to winter with her fur-trimmed red outfit. Both the Gold Trellis Brooch and Lady Sarah Chatto accompanied her to church today.

 September 30: The Sapphire and Diamond Grapes Brooch shows up at church as blue continues to be the color of the summer.

September 23: The Diamond and Pearl Navette Brooch makes another church appearance. In other Balmoral news, The Queen was spotted checking in on some horses, and unfortunately one of her ladies-in-waiting, The Hon. Mary Morrison, broke her ankle in a fall at the castle. [Express, Hello]

 September 16: Another church brooch that needs no debate: the Singapore Peranakan Diamond Jubilee Brooch.

 September 9: Church again and hmm, interesting, this kinda looks like a badge to me. We'll see what you think. Here's a gallery for your investigation. [Zimbio]
Embed from Getty Images

 September 2: The Cullinan V Brooch stands out beautifully on this navy coat for another Sunday at Crathie Kirk.
Embed from Getty Images

 September 1: The annual Braemar Gathering has its own post right here.


August 26: More members of the Royal Family have arrived at Balmoral. The Queen, wearing the Pearl Navette Brooch, was joined in her car for church by The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. The Duchess wore the Bahrain Pearl Drop Earrings on loan from The Queen. [Evening Standard]
 

August 19: A good effort from the Pearl Trefoil Brooch here, trying to stand out on this beige tweed for another Sunday church outing.

 August 12: It's about time for a thistle brooch. The Three Thistle Brooch was worn to church at Balmoral. Princess Beatrice accompanied her grandmother, wearing a fabulous Garbo hat. [People, Sun]

August 6: The Queen starts her official residency at Balmoral Castle with the traditional welcome ceremony. This always includes inspecting a Royal Guard, so of course the Royal Regiment of Scotland Badge was the pick.
Embed from Getty Images

August 5: Church at Balmoral, and if history's an indication, not the first time this summer the brooch will be tough to identify.


July 29: Church at Crathie Kirk near the Balmoral estate, her place of worship while in residence, wearing the Jardine Star Brooch. [Hello]
Posted by at
Labels: , , , , , , , ,

10 August 2015

Balmoral Holiday, 2015

The Queen has been at Balmoral for about two weeks, staying at another property on the estate while the castle was still open for visitors. Today, August 10, was her official arrival at the Balmoral Castle, and with that, we'll start our official Balmoral Holiday post for the year.

As we did last year, sightings of Her Maj while on her Scottish estate will be collected here throughout her break. You can find a link for this post on the sidebar under Recently Updated Events. The link will tell you the last time the post was updated.

(We have some jewels to cover while she's away, so stay tuned!)

Photo: Mark Owens / Crown Copyright via British Army

  • August 19: The Sons of Scotland Pipe Band played at Balmoral for The Queen, The Duke of Edinburgh, The Countess of Wessex, and Lady Louise Windsor. Her Majesty was in casual mode for the private performance (read: no jewels on display), but you can read all about it at The Countess of Wessex Blog.
  • September 5: As always, The Queen attended the annual Braemar Gathering.
  • September 6: Attending Sunday service at Crathie Church, Her Maj played to her Scottish location with the Three Thistle Brooch:
  • September 13: The Queen accepted an invitation to the FEI European Eventing Championship at Blair Castle, where she presented medals. No brooch, not unusual for this houndstooth coat:

Posted by at
Labels: , , , , ,

20 June 2015

Royal Ascot, Day 5

The Queen honored Ascot Races with her presence today.
Another Stewart Parvin/Rachel Trevor Morgan ensemble and another curiously regional brooch selection today. The Three Thistle Brooch - which somehow manages to looks bigger every time we see it - is making its first appearance outside of specifically Scottish occasions. The Thistle brooch was a gift from the Sultan of Oman, one of a set of four pins. (We don't know what the other three were, but guesses are included in the brooch entry linked below. One possibility is the Shamrock Brooch we saw on Day 3).

Three Strand Pearl Necklace

Day 5 is the final day of Royal Ascot, and a wrap on our Ascot Brooch Watch 2015. It's time for some final thoughts:

The Queen wasted no time getting to the biggest treat of the year, busting out Queen Victoria's Crown Ruby Brooch on Day 1. That definitely set my expectations high - maybe a little too high - for the rest of the week, but all of these selections are something out of the ordinary in their own way, and that's always my #1 request. She shelved the Frosted Sunflowers and the Pearl Trefoils for the week, and oh, how I love her for that!

(A fashion wrap up for the last two days featuring other royals present is still to come at the other blog.)

More possibility for gem surprises await us before The Queen's Balmoral break starts. In the coming week, the couple heads to Germany for a state visit; when they return home, it will be time for Holyrood Week and Princess Charlotte's christening. Stay tuned...

Photos:via Getty Images
Posted by at
Labels: , , , ,

24 July 2014

Commonwealth Games Visit

The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh visited several venues at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.
For more: Zimbio gallery.
Done with the neutrals, for today's meanderings HM coordinated well for photobombing the Australian team and went Scottish with her brooch, the Three Thistle Brooch. The brooch was swapped to the dress underneath during the day.

Three Thistle Brooch (Now with updated provenance information!)

Photo: WPA Pool via Getty
Posted by at
Labels: , , , , ,

01 July 2014

Holyrood Week, Day 2: Audiences, Garden Party, and a New Portrait

The Queen received the Scottish First Minister and the Presiding Officer of the Scottish Parliament for audiences at the Palace of Holyroodhouse. She also held an investiture.
And for today's disappearing brooch background, a dress with flowers and butterflies, oh la la.

Engagement and Wedding Rings 


Accompanied by the Duke of Edinburgh, Her Majesty today hosted a Garden Party at the Palace.
For more: Zimbio gallery.
Later, some more brooch selections from Her Maj's youth.



The Scottish National Portrait Gallery commissioned a new portrait of the Queen from Scottish photographer Harry Benson, which was unveiled today.
And finally, something new-ish: probably the best head-on look at the Three Thistle Brooch since it debuted in 2012.


Photos:ITNSource video/WPA Pool via Getty Images/Harry Benson via @Hello
Posted by at
Labels: , , , , ,

01 October 2013

Visit to Aberdeen

The Queen visited Aberdeen, Scotland, where she opened the NHS Grampian Emergency Care Centre at the Aberdeen Royal Infirmary and opened the Queen Elizabeth Theatre at the International School of Aberdeen.
Click above for an article and video from STV News.
She's back to work as she finishes up her Scottish holiday - and bless her heart, she's given us a nice look at her Three Thistle Brooch. This one was new (to me, at least) when it popped up last year (click the name below for the brooch entry, as always).


Photos:STV News/PA
Posted by at
Labels: , , ,

27 September 2012

Ballater Jubilee Cairn

The Queen unveiled a plaque at a cairn constructed to commemorate her Diamond Jubilee in Ballater, Aberdeenshire.
It's an educational day indeed: we got another look at the mystery thistle brooch which appeared earlier in the summer in Scotland, and I learned what a cairn is. The more you know...

Three Thistle Brooch
Posted by at
Labels: , , ,

02 July 2012

Holyrood Week, Day 1

The Queen, accompanied by the Duke of Edinburgh, arrived at the Palace of Holyroodhouse, Edinburgh, at the start of the annual week of Scottish engagements. Her Majesty was presented with the Keys of the City which she returned in the traditional Ceremony of the Keys. The Guard of Honor from the The Royal Fusiliers, 2nd Battalion The Royal Regiment of Scotland mounted in the Forecourt of the Palace was reviewed. Her Majesty and His Royal Highness later officially re-opened the Scottish National Portrait Gallery.
 A rainy start to Holyrood Week gave us a Queen covered up with a raincoat at the Ceremony of the Keys, but when she arrived at the Scottish National Portrait Gallery she had a surprise in store for us: a (potentially) new brooch! Click below for more details.

Posted by at
Labels: , , ,

The Three Thistle Brooch

The Three Thistle Brooch
This brooch features three of Scotland's signature bloom, the thistle. It appears to be composed of diamonds set in yellow gold on the leaves and a white/silver metal for the thistles - the glitter from the piece in action lets us know that it certainly has sparkle power. When the Queen wore it to the Commonwealth Games in 2014, the Press Association reported that it was one of a set of four pins given to her by the Sultan of Oman; it would be natural to guess that the other three pins might represent other parts of the United Kingdom, though this was not detailed*. The thistle pin made its first public appearance during 2012's Holyrood Week, so perhaps it was part of a gift given for the Diamond Jubilee.

*Other potential candidates for the other three pins from the Sultan of Oman, simply pulling possibilities from brooches that have appeared in recent years and share design characteristics and/or a possible national theme (none confirmed, all speculation): Daffodil Spray Brooch, Rose Gold Brooch, Tudor Rose Brooch, Shamrock Brooch, Irish Blossom Brooch. All of these first appeared in 2012/2013, with the exception of the Irish Blossom which appeared in 2009.

Appearances: 
12 August 2018: Church at Balmoral
6 September 2015: Church at Balmoral
20 June 2015: Royal Ascot, Day 5
24 July 2014: Commonwealth Games Visit
1 July 2014: Harry Benson Portrait
1 October 2013: Visit to Aberdeen
27 September 2012: Ballater Jubilee Cairn
2 July 2012: Holyrood Week, Day 1

Photos: PA/Telegraph
Posted by at
Labels: , , , ,
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)