2018: The Year in The Queen's Jewels

For the seventh (!) year in a row, it’s time to finish out The Queen’s year in jewels with a look back at 2018’s favorite brooches, tiara appearances, loans, and more. (Previously: 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012.)

The Most Popular Brooches 

The Queen wore around 50 identifiable brooches in 2018, which is a decrease from last year’s 65. (As always, these tallies are inevitably underestimated because they include only those events which are a) cataloged here and b) featured an identifiable brooch.) The brooches we did see were pretty evenly distributed in terms of number of sightings, meaning that a bunch of ties top the list for the most appearances in 2018.

1. The Cullinan V Brooch tied with The Jardine Star Brooch tied with The Diamond and Pearl Navette Brooch 

2. Kent Amethyst Brooch tied with The Pearl Trefoil Brooch tied with The Pearl Triangle Brooch tied with The Queen Mother’s Palm Leaf Brooch tied with The Small Pink and Diamond Brooch tied with The Triple Diamond Bar Brooch 

New to the favorites ranking this year are the Diamond and Pearl Navette Brooch and the Triple Diamond Bar Brooch. Meanwhile, some of the usual favorites are nowhere to be found: the Frosted Sunflower Brooch is absent for another year after zero 2018 appearances, and the Aquamarine Clip Brooches were spotted just once this year.

The Brooch Debuts and Rare Brooches 

Sgt Johanie Maheu, Rideau Hall

In 2018, we saw the first public appearance of one known gift, the Sapphire Jubilee Snowflake Brooch, and the return (and first appearance beyond its original outing at the time of the gift) of the American State Visit Brooch. We were also treated to the reappearance of the Multi-Color Pendant Brooch.

The Most Significant Brooch of the Year 

BBC

2018 brought us two appearances of the Cullinan III and IV Brooch. (I honestly thought we’d seen the last of it in use, so this was a serious treat!) Both appearances held special significance: once for The Coronation documentary and once for the Dutch State Banquet, honoring Dutch ties because the Cullinan was cut in Amsterdam.

The Tiara Appearances

Royal Family

The Girls of Great Britain & Ireland Tiara returned in 2018 after a couple years’ break, and it quickly made up for lost time. The Queen wore it for all three of her 2018 tiara appearances: the CHOGM Dinner, the Dutch State Banquet, and the Diplomatic Reception.

The Loans of the Year 

BBC/ITV

Of course, the two biggest tiara surprises of the year came in the form of loans, as The Queen used a double royal wedding year to confirm the existence of two mysterious tiaras: Queen Mary’s Diamond Bandeau Tiara and the Greville Emerald Kokoshnik Tiara, worn by The Duchess of Sussex and Princess Eugenie, respectively, on their wedding days.
 
Loans of other pieces of jewelry continued apace as well, including Queen Alexandra’s Wedding Necklace for The Duchess of Cambridge at the Dutch State Banquet. One of the most exciting loans was one we didn’t even get to properly see: Princess Eugenie wore one of Queen Victoria’s Wheat-Ear Brooches in her hair for her wedding reception.

And that's a wrap on 2018! Here's to more sparkling surprises in 2019...

What was your favorite sparkly moment in The Queen's year?