From Her Majesty's Jewel Vault: November 2017

28 November 2017

Lunch for the German President and Audiences at Buckingham Palace

The Queen, accompanied by The Duke of Cambridge, hosted a lunch for The President of the Federal Republic of Germany, Mr. Frank-Walter Steinmeier, and Mrs. Elke Büdenbender, at Buckingham Palace. Also today, The Queen held audiences at Buckingham Palace.

Saskatchewan Tourmaline Flower Brooch

For more: Express article and video, Zimbio gallery.

I'm not saying I don't miss seeing Prince Philip more often, but it is kind of fun to watch them spin the big wheel of family members to see which one gets to accompany Her Maj for the day. Prince William's obviously the perfect choice here, since he and his family visited Germany earlier this year.

ITN screencap

The big wheel of brooches landed on the Saskatchewan Tourmaline Flower today! I love this one for these heavily textured pink suits, it stands out so well.

Embed from Getty Images

In fact, it's practically leaping off her shoulder in these audience photos, which made me laugh. IT'S ME, GUYS, THE PINK ONE! (Obviously I have also included this pic because I'm happy to recognize any and all caped visitors. This fabulous lady is Mrs. Al Nahar, wife of the Ambassador from the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, Mr. Omar Barakat Mnawer Al Nahar.)

22 November 2017

Audiences at Buckingham Palace

The Queen held audiences at Buckingham Palace.

Back to the brooch guessing game it is.

20 November 2017

The Duchess of Cambridge Wears the Four Row Japanese Pearl Choker

Another loan debuted...

The Duchess of Cambridge, with The Duke of Cambridge and Prince Harry, joined other members of the Royal Family and friends for a dinner celebrating the Platinum Wedding Anniversary of The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh at Windsor Castle.

The Duchess of Cambridge has worn The Queen's Four Row Japanese Pearl Choker for the first time! This piece was commissioned by The Queen to use a collection of cultured pearls given to her by the Japanese government. It was also loaned to Diana, Princess of Wales during her marriage, and has been worn infrequently by The Queen, primarily during the 1980s and 1990s.

The Duchess also wore the Collingwood Pearl and Diamond Earrings this evening, which were a wedding present to the late Diana, Princess of Wales from Collingwood Jewellers and were in her private collection. Kate debuted those at the Spanish state banquet earlier this year.

This necklace is a good loan for Kate. While pearl necklaces aren't a signature jewel for her, she wears several pairs of pearl earrings and has use of two tiaras with pearls from The Queen's collection, plus other pearl jewels. So perhaps the Windsor fondness for pearls will continue to grow...

19 November 2017

70th Wedding Anniversary Portraits

A new photographic portrait of The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh has been released to mark their 70th wedding anniversary.

Royal Family Twitter

Big anniversaries call for new portraits, and this new one for their platinum wedding anniversary is full of symbolism. The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh are pictured in the White Drawing Room at Windsor Castle, between Thomas Gainsborough's 1781 portraits of King George III and Queen Charlotte, who were the British royal family's previously longest married couple with a marriage of 57 years. The photograph was taken by Matt Holyoak of Camera Press, the agency that handled the Baron photographs of their wedding in 1947 as its first assignment. The Queen wore this cream day dress by Angela Kelly to the service held for their diamond wedding anniversary.

Her brooch, by jeweler Andrew Grima, was a gift from Prince Philip in 1966. Press for the photo refers to it as the "Scarab" brooch (around here, we have simply called it the Grima Ruby Brooch).

Grima Ruby Brooch

Gold Watch

Royal Family Twitter

Update: The rest of the set was released on Sunday, this time with the platinum couple posing in front of a platinum background. And with smiles!

18 November 2017

The Fifth Wedding Anniversary Bracelet

The Fifth Wedding Anniversary Bracelet
Royal Collection Trust

The fifth wedding anniversary of The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh was in 1952, the year she took the throne. As an anniversary gift, The Duke commissioned from Boucheron a bracelet of his own design, made from gold, platinum, diamonds, rubies, and sapphires.

Philip's design includes his naval badge in the center with a diamond-set anchor, two roses set with diamonds and accented by rubies, two crosses of sapphires and a single diamond, one cross of rubies and a single diamond, and gold links designed as intertwined "E" and "P" letters.

Queen Victoria's Bow Brooch

Diamond Wedding Anniversary Family Dinner, 2007

Occasions on which The Queen has worn this bracelet in public are rare, but she did appear to wear it during the celebrations marking their 60th wedding anniversary in 2007, at a family dinner hosted at Clarence House by The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall. The bracelet has also been displayed, and was included in an exhibition celebrating The Duke of Edinburgh's 90th birthday.

16 November 2017

Visit to Hull

The Queen visited Hull to mark its year as the United Kingdom's City of Culture. Her Majesty visited the Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy factory and formally opened the Allam Medical Building at the University of Hull.

Royal Family

For more: BBC article and video, Zimbio gallery.

New outfit alert! This is a "Stewart Parvin Air Force Blue cashmere coat over a silk print dress in Air Force blue, black and orange with a matching hat by Rachel Trevor Morgan," per the Press Association. Absolutely lovely, although a bit camouflaging during her visit to this medical facility...

Royal Family

There's no camouflaging Queen Victoria's Bow Brooch on that solid blue background, though, and that's a Good Thing. It looks great.

Royal Family

15 November 2017

Audiences at Buckingham Palace

The Queen held audiences at Buckingham Palace.

Oh, bless, we can actually see her brooch! Ye Olde Pearl Trefoil it is.

Pearl Trefoil Brooch

Queen Mother's Aquamarine Art Deco Brooch

14 November 2017

Investiture at Buckingham Palace

The Queen held an Investiture at Buckingham Palace.

BBC screencap

For more: BBC video.

A newly knighted Sir Mo gets us a wee glimpse at my favorite aquamarine brooch, on investiture duty for the second time this year.

12 November 2017

Remembrance Sunday

The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh, accompanied by members of the Royal Family, attended the Remembrance Sunday ceremony at the Cenotaph, London. The service honors those that have died in armed conflicts.

BBC screencap

For more: Telegraph article and video, BBC video, Zimbio gallery.

An emotional day on an already emotional day today, as The Queen watched the Cenotaph ceremony from the balcony for the first time. With The Duke of Edinburgh by her side, they watched The Prince of Wales lead the ceremony on the ground and lay a wreath on Her Majesty's behalf.

The Prince of Wales lays the first wreath.
MOD Crown Copyright 2017

BBC screencap

Dorset Bow Brooch

Everyday Pearl Pendant Earrings

The Duchess of Cornwall joined The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh on their balcony. The Duchess anchors her cluster of poppies with a different brooch each year, often badges or other pieces of significance to the occasion, and that's what she did this year: the badge of the 9/12th Lancers belonged to Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother and is of special importance to Camilla because her late father was a member of the 12th Lancers.

9/12th Lancers Badge

Four Strand Pearl Choker with Large Diamond Clasp

As mentioned yesterday, we'll take a look at some of the other family members present on the other blog, still to come.

11 November 2017

Festival of Remembrance

The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh, accompanied by other members of the Royal Family, attended the Royal British Legion Festival of Remembrance at the Royal Albert Hall, London.

The Kensington Bow Brooch has been a regular pick for anchoring poppies at remembrance events throughout the years, but this seems to be its first appearance since this blog's been up and running. I didn't think it had been that long!

Kensington Bow Brooch

Engagement and Wedding Rings

Embed from Getty Images
A couple of old favorites for The Duchess of Cornwall tonight: her Everyday Pearl Pendant Earrings,
her Four Strand Pearl Choker with Small Diamond Clasp, and a selection of bracelets tricky to make out.

We will have another post for Remembrance Sunday and will probably check in with the rest of the fam at the other blog next week, so stay tuned...

09 November 2017

The Diamond Swan Brooch

The Diamond Swan Brooch

It's a favorite fact included on countless lists of trivia about The Queen: Her Majesty owns all the swans in the country! More accurately stated, the Crown has rights of ownership of all unmarked mute swans in open water, a right only exercised on certain parts of the Thames and its tributaries.

Attending the Swan Upping ceremony in 2009

The Queen's Swan Marker leads the annual Swan Upping ceremony to conduct a census of the swans on sections of the Thames. When The Queen came along to watch the Swan Upping in person in 2009, she had just the brooch for the occasion: a small diamond swan of unknown provenance. Given the Crown's well-known and centuries-long association with swans, as well as the sheer size of The Queen's collection, I find it unsurprising that such a gem exists in the royal vault. Her Majesty has at least one other swan jewel, the Double Swan Brooch, debuted in 2014.

With Sir David Attenborough for The Queen’s Commonwealth Canopy documentary
ITN

Following its usage at the 2009 Swan Upping, the Diamond Swan Brooch was worn for an appearance with Sir David Attenborough recorded for an upcoming 2018 documentary on The Queen's Commonwealth Canopy forest conservation initiative, another fitting occasion for a nature brooch. A photo of the two was released today (above).

Appearances:
2017: Appearance in The Queen's Commonwealth Canopy documentary, to be released in 2018

08 November 2017

British Museum Gallery Opening and Audiences at Buckingham Palace

The Queen officially opened the refurbished Sir Joseph Hotung Gallery of China and South Asia at the British Museum, London.

This is the second time this year we've seen this brooch, which is a surprise. I'm not sure I love the red stones on this pink background, though...

Royal Family

Red Flower Posy Brooch

Earlier, The Queen held audiences at Buckingham Palace.

Cullinan VI and VIII Brooch

A purple dress, a double Cullinan brooch, and a photo that shows it? It is my birthday?!

07 November 2017

The Diamond Quatrefoil Bracelet

The Duchess of Cambridge wears the Diamond Quatrefoil Bracelet and the Diamond Pendant Earrings

The Duchess of Cambridge debuted what appears to be another piece from The Queen's jewel collection at the Anna Freud Centre Gala Dinner this evening, the Diamond Quatrefoil Bracelet. The wide diamond bracelet features multiple diamond quatrefoil motifs, the four-lobed design popular in architecture, art, heraldry, and elsewhere. Each quatrefoil outline is filled with five individual diamonds.

The Queen Mother wears the bracelet in 1958

This bracelet is not a well-known member of the royal collection and it's easy to mistake for other bracelets, such as Queen Victoria's Bracelet. The quatrefoil-motif bracelet was worn by the late Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother; it may have been another treasure from the Greville bequest. It then went to The Queen, along with the rest of The Queen Mother's jewels on her death in 2002.

The Queen wears the Diamond Quatrefoil Bracelet at the State Opening of Parliament in 2010
Alpha Photo/UK Parliament via CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

The Diamond Quatrefoil Bracelet now appears to join The Duchess of Cambridge's growing pile of jewelry borrowed from The Queen, as Her Majesty continues to increase her loans to family members. Kate's been particularly lucky in the bracelet category, also having worn the Wedding Gift Bracelet and Queen Mary's Diamond Bar Choker Bracelet. The earrings she wore at the gala are also on loan from HM, the Diamond Pendant Earrings, and this is probably their best match yet.

With thanks to Franck for pointing out The Queen's use of the piece, and to Beth at the RJWMB for spotting it on The Queen Mother.

Appearances:
7 November 2017: Anna Freud Centre Gala Dinner (on The Duchess of Cambridge)
2010: State Opening of Parliament

Investiture at Buckingham Palace

The Queen held an Investiture at Buckingham Palace.

Telegraph screencap

Thankfully, after Her Maj's last appearance left her brooch a mystery, we get a glimpse of this one: a very sparkly Pearl Triangle Brooch! The Pearl Triangle is another brooch that's heavily favored for audiences and investitures. In fact, all of its appearances for the past year have been either audiences or investitures.

Congratulations, Dame Julie! pic.twitter.com/VsRnKjgZoQ
— The Telegraph (@Telegraph) November 7, 2017

Pearl Triangle Brooch

06 November 2017

The Jewels of The Crown, a Season 2 Preview

Season 2 of The Crown debuts on Netflix on December 8! A new trailer was released today, so let's dig in. (We recapped the jewels of season 1 here.)

The show stars Claire Foy as Queen Elizabeth II in her last season, before handing the throne to Olivia Colman for seasons 3 and 4. Her imaginary jewel vault gets a little wider this season, with a couple immediate additions:

The Grand Duchess Vladimir Tiara featured in season 1 in its pearl version. I don't believe we saw the emeralds last time around, but they're right up front now, along with other pieces from the Cambridge Emerald and Delhi Durbar Parure.

They're taking a stab at the George VI Sapphires and Prince Albert's Sapphire Brooch too, recreating the famous night when the Kennedys came to Buckingham Palace for dinner.

I wondered why they hadn't bothered to put Princess Margaret in the Cartier Halo Tiara last season, since reproductions of that one are so widely available, and here we go. I can't say I like this particular portrayal of Margaret so far, but it is nice to see her in a tiara she actually wore.

What other treasures await? A month to go...

Photos: Netflix

01 November 2017

Audiences at Buckingham Palace

The Queen held audiences at Buckingham Palace.

Small Pink and Diamond Brooch

Let the brooch guesses begin in 3...2...1...

Update: This audience was filmed for the Queen of the World documentary, confirming that the brooch is the Small Pink and Diamond.

ITV