The Queen Mother's Palm Leaf Brooch

The Queen Mother's Palm Leaf Brooch

One of the Queen Mother's favorite brooches was this palm leaf, created for her by Cartier from stones already in her collection in 1938. It includes a center of brilliant diamonds of varying shapes inside a curved diamond border.

Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother

The Queen Mother wore it throughout her life. It can even be spotted in the iconic "Three Queens in Mourning" photograph taken after the death of King George VI.

Three queens in mourning: Elizabeth II, Mary, and Elizabeth

The current queen inherited the brooch when her mother passed away in 2002, and it pops on and off her list of favorites.

Queen Elizabeth II

Prior to learning any sort of official information on the brooch - from the recently published The Queen's Diamonds, by Hugh Roberts - I, like many jewel watchers, had called this one the Paisley Brooch, and so it will always remain in my mind.

Appearances:
19 June 2021: Royal Ascot 2021
3 December 2019: NATO Leaders Reception
18 May 2019: The Wedding of Lady Gabriella Windsor and Thomas Kingston
11 December 2018: Christmas Staff Luncheon
13 July 2018: Meeting at Windsor Castle
27 March 2018: HMS Ocean Decommissioning Ceremony
24 May 2017: Order of the British Empire Centenary Service
4 May 2017: Order of Merit Service
16 March 2017: National Army Museum Reopening
27 January 2017: Fiji Exhibition Visit
27 October 2016: Visit to Poundbury
2 July 2016: Holyrood Week: Opening of the Scottish Parliament
4 December 2015: Investiture at Windsor Castle
11 June 2015: Royal Welsh New Colours Presentation
16 May 2015: Royal Windsor Horse Show
25 April 2015: Gallipoli Centenary Commemorations
3 March 2015: State Visit from Mexico, Welcome Ceremony
19 February 2015: Canada House Reopening
11 January 2015: Church at Sandringham
5 December 2014: Investiture and Audience at Windsor Castle
12 June 2014: Westminster School Visit
30 April 2013: State Visit from the UAE, Welcome Ceremony and State Luncheon
1 November 2012: Jubilee Stained Glass Window Unveiling
11 July 2012: Visit to the West Midlands, Day 1
19 May 2012: Diamond Jubilee Armed Forces Parade and Muster 
11 May 2012: Diamond Jubilee Pageant Tea Party
12 March 2012: Commonwealth Day Observance 
2011: Visit to Australia  
2010: Visit to Canada 
2010: Chelsea Flower Show  
2009: Christmas Service 
2009: Royal Maundy Service  

Photos: Getty Images/Corbis/BBC