Commonwealth Day

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

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This is the third year running Her Maj has sported gifts from Down Under for the Commonwealth Day Service!  In 2016, it was the Opal Spray Brooch; last year, it was the Australian Wattle Brooch. Australia, take a bow.

Westminster Abbey

This year brings us the Australian Hibiscus Brooch, formerly in the collection of Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother. We haven't seen this diamond and ruby brooch since 2012 and I did not realize how much I have missed it since right this second. It's absolutely gorgeous, no?

Australian Hibiscus Brooch

Queen Mary's Button Earrings

Three Strand Pearl Necklace

The Queen didn't attend the evening reception hosted by the Commonwealth Secretary-General again this year (The Prince of Wales, The Duchess of Cornwall, and The Duke of Cambridge did), so that wrapped up her Commonwealth Day. 

 The rest of the family will be covered at the other blog tomorrow.

Aga Khan Diamond Jubilee Dinner

The Queen hosted a private dinner at Windsor Castle in honor of the Diamond Jubilee of Prince Karim Aga Khan IV's leadership as Imam of the Shia Ismaili Muslim Community. The Prince of Wales, The Duchess of Cornwall, The Duke of York, The Princess Royal, and Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence were also present.

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For more: Zimbio gallery.

This is a surprise, photos from something billed as a private dinner! It feels like it's been forever since we've seen Her Maj all gussied up in her evening best, and even longer since she's worn an evening gown with this much color. This is a treat.

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This colorful gown gets the full diamond treatment, including necklace, earrings, bracelet, watch, and the array of diamond rings she often wears for evening events. (Earrings are bracelet are particularly tough to make out, but my best guesses are below.) Any day with the King Khalid Diamond Necklace is a good day in my book.

King Khalid Diamond Necklace
Queen Mary's Diamond Collet Earrings

Baguette and Brilliant Bracelet

Diamond Evening Watch

Engagement and Wedding Rings 
 Diamond Rings

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We even get some glitter from The Duchess of Cornwall out of the deal. Dressed in an elegant black velvet gown, she too opted for the full diamond treatment.

Pear Drop Diamond Demi-Parure, Necklace and Earrings

Visit from the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia

The Queen received Mohammed bin Salman, the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, at Buckingham Palace for a private audience. The Queen also hosted a luncheon for the Crown Prince, who is in the United Kingdom on an official visit.

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I'm not mad at more purple and another appearance for the Women of Hampshire Brooch, not mad at all.

Women of Hampshire Brooch

Queen Mary's Button Earrings

Three Strand Pearl Necklace

Gold Watch

Engagement and Wedding Rings

International Maritime Organization Anniversary

The Queen visited the International Maritime Organization in London to celebrate its 70th anniversary.

Royal Family

For more: Zimbio gallery.

Well, this is weird. The Amethyst Bouquet Brooch went away for a while - no appearances between March 2014 and October 2015 - and when it returned, I noted that the design had been changed. Original and new versions of the same brooch...or so I thought. Some of you insisted that it wasn't a redesign, there were two different brooches. That never made much sense to me. But, well, here we are:

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This is the "original" brooch. It has a round and a pear-shape amethyst at the top instead of the two pear-shapes of the "new" version, along with other differences. And it's back again in 2018. So...two, apparently? Must be two, since the "revised" version was last seen in December 2017, not long ago. That obviously raises a lot of other questions (how long have there been two? Always, or just recently? And if recently...why?), none of which we have the answers to at this point. She's certainly keeping us on our toes, that's all I know.

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Amethyst Bouquet Brooch

Queen Mary's Button Earrings

Three Strand Pearl Necklace

For those with particular opinions about how I catalog and document things on this blog: At least at this time, I'm not going to designate two different Amethyst Bouquet Brooches with different names and different entries, because two brooches so similar are bound to create situations where we can't tell which is which. So, like pearl necklaces and Queen Victoria's Bow Brooches, I'm keeping everything lumped together in the same entry with the same name. At least at this time; this brooch entry has already been updated more times than I care to remember, so as with everything else around here, nothing's permanent.

And another P.S.: The Queen was spotted driving herself to church in Windsor on February 25th, not covered independently here because a brooch wasn't visible.

Audiences at Buckingham Palace

February 21: The Queen held audiences at Buckingham Palace.

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Fresh off its run as one of the most significant brooches of 2017, the Grima Ruby has returned to take a stab at 2018. I'm glad it brings some color to this outfit of Her Maj's, especially when she's standing next to this resplendent guest, the Ambassador of the Republic of Chad.

Grima Ruby Brooch

Queen Mary's Button Earrings

Three Strand Pearl Necklace

Gold Watch

Engagement and Wedding Rings

Visit to the Royal College of Physicians and London Fashion Week

The Queen visited the Royal College of Physicians to mark its 500th anniversary.

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For more: Zimbio gallery.

Love this Stewart Parvin outfit and Rachel Trevor-Morgan hat. The Diamond and Pearl Navette Brooch looks great on this background. This was the start of a double dose of pale blue for the day - and a double dose of brooches...

Diamond and Pearl Navette Brooch

Queen Mary's Button Earrings

Three Strand Pearl Necklace

The Queen also visited London Fashion Week, where she watched designer Richard Quinn's fashion show and presented him with the inaugural Queen Elizabeth II Award for British Design.

Royal Family

For more: Royal Family Channel video, Zimbio gallery.

Today's second engagement was a surprise visit and an absolute treat. Front row at a fashion show with Dame Anna Wintour! People seem very fussed about the fact that Vogue's own queen kept her sunglasses on, which is a thing she always does at fashion shows to help hide her reactions to the show. That's just part of the authentic Anna Wintour Front Row Experience, man.

ITN screencap

This visit was later in the day, so Her Maj was hatless and made an outfit change to something with a bit of sparkle, an Angela Kelly duck egg blue tweed dress and jacket embellished with tiny aquamarine Swarovski crystals. And, of course, the Cullinan V shining away on her shoulder.

Cullinan V Brooch

Queen Mary's Button Earrings

Three Strand Pearl Necklace

Gold Watch

Engagement and Wedding Rings 

By the way, here's a name we mention all the time but a face you may not know:

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That's Angela Kelly herself. She organized and designed the award, in a shape inspired by the Queen Elizabeth rose. The award recognizes the role the fashion industry plays in society and diplomacy, and it will be awarded annually to "an emerging British fashion designer who shows talent and originality, whilst demonstrating value to the community and/or sustainable policies."

Investiture at Windsor Castle

The Queen held an Investiture at Windsor Castle.

ITV screencap

For more: ITV article and video.

An early 2018 start for the Albert Sapphire - let's hope for more in 2018 than the two appearances we saw in 2017!

Prince Albert's Sapphire Brooch

Queen Mary's Button Earrings

Three Strand Pearl Necklace

Gold Watch

Engagement and Wedding Rings