The Most Popular Brooches
The Queen wore more than 50 identifiable brooches in 2019, a tally which is certainly larger in reality than we can count here because this only includes those events which are a) cataloged here and b) featured an identifiable brooch.
1. Kent Amethyst Brooch tied with Round Cambridge Emerald Brooch
2. Cullinan V Brooch tied with Diamond and Pearl Navette Brooch tied with Small Pink and Diamond Brooch
All of this year's favorites have appeared on these lists before. It was a very colorful year, though; with the exception of 2013, when the Amethyst Bouquet Brooch tied with the Frosted Sunflower Brooch at number one, this is the first time in my counting that the top of the list has been taken by colorful gemstones.
The Jewel Debuts
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| Royal Family |
While 2019 brought us some fun rare brooch appearances (the Aquamarine Bar Brooch, the two small Nizam of Hyderabad Rose Brooches, the Queen Mother's Ruby and Diamond Bouquet Brooch), we had only one real brooch first: the Pink and Black Paisley Brooch, debuted during Holyrood Week.
Of course, that little brooch was overshadowed by the time Her Maj rolled out the year's biggest surprise: THAT NECKLACE, worn to the Diplomatic Reception. (Which, yes I know, we haven't done an in-depth post on yet.)
The Diamond Chandelier Drop Demi-Parure was added to the list of loaner jewels this year, first apparently on The Countess of Wessex at the US state banquet, and then the earrings on The Duchess of Cambridge at the Diplomatic Reception. The Countess of Wessex also had her loaner wedding tiara altered for the state banquet. Angela Kelly confirmed what our eyes could see in her book The Other Side of the Coin, adding that the alterations were completed by G. Collins & Sons.
This year also brought us another Windsor wedding, some extra royals for Garter Day, and more! What was your favorite bejeweled moment of 2019?
The Tiara Appearances
The use of the Grand Duchess Vladimir Tiara with emeralds for the Diplomatic Reception capped what was also a colorful tiara year. The Burmese Ruby Tiara was seen in action for the first time since this site began for the summer's state visit. We also saw the George IV State Diadem at October's formal State Opening of Parliament.
The Loans
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| Royal Family |
This year also brought us another Windsor wedding, some extra royals for Garter Day, and more! What was your favorite bejeweled moment of 2019?
