The Queen’s jewelry collection is packed with brooches set with a rainbow of gemstones, and she has numerous examples of pieces set with rubies. Today, I’ve got a roundup of some of the Queen’s sparkling ruby brooches!
One of the longest-tenured ruby brooches in HM’s jewelry box is this flower basket brooch, which she first wore in the 1930s. The jewel includes several blossoms with ruby-set petals. The brooch is generally associated with the birth of Prince Charles in 1948, and was reportedly given to the Queen by her parents as a present to mark that important occasion. She’s been wearing it ever since.
The Queen Mother’s Australian Hibiscus Brooch
The Hibiscus Brooch, set with diamond and rubies, was given to the Queen Mother by the people of Australia in 1958. The Queen Mother was absolutely delighted with the gift, and she began wearing it right away. The Queen inherited the jewel from her mother in 2002, and she’s worn it occasionally in the years since.
This youthful, pretty brooch features a ruby- and diamond-studded Sweet William flower (set in yellow gold) with a diamond ribbon and stem. The brooch reportedly dates to the 1960s.
The Gold and Ruby Floral Brooch
This brooch, which has a distinctively midcentury design, features golden flowers punctuated by rubies and diamond crosses. Many believe that it was one of the Queen’s wedding gifts, dating to the late 1940s.
The Queen Mother’s Ruby Bouquet Brooch
This large brooch with an abstract bouquet design originally belonged to the Queen Mother. The Queen inherited the piece back in 2002, and she’s worn it for both day and evening events in the years since.
The Queen Mother’s Cartier Ruby Floral Clip Brooches
The Queen Mother loved rubies, and her collection was full of jewels set with the red gemstone. Among them were these diamond and ruby floral clip brooches, made for her in the 1940s by Cartier. The Queen Mum sometimes wore the two brooches together, but the Queen generally wears them one at a time.
This delicate butterfly brooch, which is studded with diamonds and rubies, was the Queen’s wedding gift from Violet, the Dowager Countess of Onslow in 1947. (Side note of interest: Violet comes from the family that originally owned the Poltimore Tiara!) The Queen has worn the butterfly brooch with increasing frequency in recent years.
One of the most modern and recognizable brooches in the Queen’s collection, this jewel was acquired for her by the late Duke of Edinburgh from Andrew Grima in 1966. The unique brooch features a carved ruby in its center, designed to resemble an Egyptian scarab.
The Modern Ruby and Diamond Spray Brooch
This modern jewel, which features a gold setting with diamonds and a slender row of rubies, has been in the Queen’s collection since at least the 1960s. She’s worn it for multiple state visits and Commonwealth tours, and she even chose it for her Diamond Jubilee walkabout in Windsor in 2012.
A newer addition to the Queen’s jewelry vaults, this diamond and ruby brooch features a Tudor rose in its design. Many believe that the brooch was part of a set given to HM by the Sultan of Oman as a Diamond Jubilee gift in 2012.
And finally, we’ve got the grandest ruby brooch in the Queen’s collection. Originally designed by Prince Albert and set with opals, Queen Mary had this classic cluster brooch reset with rubies in the 1920s. The piece was a favorite of the Queen Mother, and the Queen has worn it with increasing frequency since 2015. Look at the size of those rubies!
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