Queen Consort Camilla paid a stylish tribute to Queen Elizabeth II at her funeral Monday, attending the Westminster Abbey service with a striking bauble pinned to her black coat dress.
Instead of wearing the traditional pearls like Kate Middleton and Meghan Markle, the royal family chose to wear Queen Victoria’s Hesse Diamond Jubilee brooch, a heart-shaped piece bearing the number 60 – the number of years in a diamond jubilee reign – in sparkling Cyrillic numerals.
Also set with a trio of cabochon sapphires, the striking brooch was gifted to Queen Victoria by her grandchildren.
It’s possible that Camilla chose it to underscore the fact that Queen Elizabeth II, with her historic 70-year reign, sat on the throne even longer than Queen Victoria, who reigned for 63 years.
The Queen Consort also nodded to her late mother-in-law with her selection of handbags, including a clutch from Launer, Queen Elizabeth’s longtime favorite label. Her Majesty was rarely seen without a Launer wallet and even granted the brand a royal warrant in 1968.
It’s the latest in a series of meaningful brooch selections for Camilla, who, upon her arrival at Buckingham Palace on September 9 after the Queen’s death, wore a diamond-studded button brooch believed to symbolize unity and love.
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And at prayer services held in Scotland and Wales in the days that followed, she was seen wearing a diamond thistle pin donated to her by the Queen and a replica of Her Majesty’s Welsh Guards Leek Brooch, respectively.
Camilla may have saved her most unique brooch for Queen Elizabeth’s procession and service at Westminster Hall on September 14 – a sparkling stick insect style.
Although the queen consort hasn’t delved into the queen’s jewelry box as much this month as other members of the royal family, she has now delved into the late monarch’s collection of gems for the first time – which were likely bequeathed to her husband, King Charles III, as Lauren Kiehna of The Court Jeweler told Vidak For Congress Style.