The Dorset Bow Brooch

The Dorset Bow Brooch

The Dorset Bow Brooch was a present to Queen Mary for her wedding to the future George V in 1893 from the County of Dorset (unsurprisingly). It’s composed of diamonds set in gold and silver and was made by Carrington & Co.

Queen Mary (with the brooch in the middle of her bodice)

When it came time to select wedding presents for her granddaughter Princess Elizabeth in 1947, Mary picked several of her own wedding gifts to pass on, this brooch included.

The brooch (highlighted) among the wedding gifts on display in 1947

The Queen has quite a collection of bow brooches. Queen Victoria’s Bow Brooches are the basic design used most often for everyday wear, while others like the Dorset Bow are in a fancier category. This is somewhere in the middle of the fancy scale, I'd say.

In addition to appearances at everyday engagements, it's been worn for notable occasions like the christening of Prince Charles and the funeral of the Duke of Windsor. It is also a popular choice to secure the Queen's poppies at occasions like the annual Remembrance Day ceremony, and is even deemed fancy enough to secure ribands of orders of chivalry for the occasional state event.

It’s not my favorite of the bow brooches, to be honest – all that detail on the “ribbon” seems a little squished to me – but I can never argue with something used as a casual diamond tie for poppies.

Appearances:
8 November 2020: Remembrance Sunday
10 November 2019: Remembrance Sunday
9 November 2019: Festival of Remembrance 
15 November 2018: Anglo-Norse Society Centenary
12 November 2017: Remembrance Sunday
9 November 2014: Remembrance Sunday
21 October 2014: State Visit from Singapore 
10 November 2013: Remembrance Sunday
11 November 2012: Remembrance Day 
2005: Official Visit from Norway 
1988: Trooping the Colour 
1983: CHOGM Dinner
1983: State Visit to Sweden  
1982: State Visit from the Netherlands
1973: Wedding of Princess Anne and Captain Mark Phillips
1972: State Visit from the Netherlands
1967: Visit to Malta 
1967: State Visit from Saudi Arabia
1965: State Visit to Germany
1958: State Visit from Germany
1953, 1965, 1974: Royal Maundy Service 
1952: Royal Ascot
1952: Chelsea Flower Show 
1948: Christening of Prince Charles 
Various Years: Remembrance Events 

Photos: Leslie Field/Royal Collection/AFP/Corbis/Getty Images