Queen discusses reaching her Platinum Jubilee
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The Queen has worn some truly astonishing jewellery over the years, from earrings and necklaces to rings and star-studded tiaras. Here are some of the Queen’s most iconic jewellery pieces that have been worn by the monarch at important state occasions, coronations and royal weddings.
The Girls of Great Britain & Ireland Tiara
The Girls of Great Britain & Ireland Tiara was gifted to then Princess Elizabeth in 1947 by her beloved grandmother and jewellery connoisseur Queen Mary, wife of King George V.
Since she became Queen in 1952, the monarch has turned time and again to this classic diadem and it has been depicted in coinage and several portraits of the Queen.
Jewellery expert Claire Beatson from the ethical jewellery brand Nightingale said: “This tiara’s most iconic feature, aside from the beautiful diamonds set in silver and gold, is the 14 stems.
“Originally each stem was topped with a pearl, however, in 1914 Queen Mary decided to replace them with diamonds for some extra sparkle.
“Today, Queen Elizabeth still affectionately refers to this piece as ‘Granny’s Tiara’.”
The Queen’s engagement ring
The Queen received an engagement ring with incredible sentimental value from Prince Philip, as it has links to the late Duke’s mother Princess Alice of Battenberg.
Daniel O’Farrell, founder of DC Jewellery and gemologist, said of the ring: “The Queen’s engagement ring is arguably her most treasured piece, having been presented to her by Prince Phillip in 1946 when they were staying at Balmoral.
“However the official announcement of the engagement was delayed until after the Queen’s 21st birthday.”
With regards to the ring’s value, Mr O’Farrell added: “The ring would likely retail in the region of £150,000, but due to the provenance and historical significance of the ring, were it ever to come to market it would be worth many millions.”
Queen Mary’s Fringe Tiara
The Queen wore Queen Mary’s Fringe Tiara, a famous piece from her grandmother’s collection, for her 1947 wedding to the Duke of Edinburgh.
The Queen and Prince Philip’s wedding took place just two years after World War 2 ended, and it provided a much-needed lift to the national spirits.
Queen Mary’s Fringe Tiara can also be worn as a necklace and it was made from jewellery purchased by Queen Victoria as a wedding present for then-Princess Mary in 1893 upon her marriage to the future King George V.
The tiara is made in the kokoshnik style made famous by the Russian court, and it consists of 47 diamond spikes separated by 46 narrow bars.
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The Queen’s coronation jewellery
The Queen wore the Coronation Necklace at her 1953 coronation at Westminster Abbey and, in doing so, continued a long-standing royal tradition.
The Coronation Necklace was made for Queen Victoria by Garrard and it has been worn at every coronation since 1901 by every Queen or Queen Consort, including Queen Alexandra, Queen Mary and Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother.
The Coronation Necklace features the Lahore Diamond which, per the Royal Collection Trust, is a 22.48-carat diamond pendant that was “presented to Queen Victoria in 1851”.
The Queen also wore the Coronation Earrings for the symbolic occasion, which were also made by Garrard for Queen Victoria.
Claire Beatson said: “Each earring features a stud set with a cushion cut diamond, a round brilliant diamond link and a large pear cut diamond.
“Despite being very similar, the pear diamonds actually aren’t identical.”
She added: “Whilst a modest design, the origin is anything but. The pear diamonds in these earrings originally came from the Koh-i-Noor armlet, a famous piece that housed a 100-carat diamond which features in the crown jewels.”
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