Royal Blue and Diamonds for Queen Elizabeth II

This elegant blue evening dress was worn by the Queen during the American state visit in November 2003. For the return dinner during the visit, the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh traveled to Winfield House, the home of the American ambassador in London.

There, they were greeted by President and Mrs. Bush, as well as the American ambassador to Britain, William Farish, and his wife, Sarah. The dress code for the event was black tie, so the Queen left her tiara at home. She brought along plenty of sparkle, though, with her crystal-encrusted gown in two shades of blue, plus her silver-toned accessories.

She also wore diamonds from her personal collection. These are the Antique Girandole Earrings, which she’s had in her collection since at least the 1970s. To my knowledge, these don’t have a documented provenance, but their shape and design (as well as the name that both Leslie Field and I are using to describe them) certainly suggests that they’re from a pre-1920s era.

The Queen also added one more important diamond jewel to the ensemble: her Diamond Festoon Necklace. This piece was made during the reign of the Queen’s father, King George VI, using individual diamonds that were earmarked as Heirlooms of the Crown. The Queen has been wearing the necklace regularly since the 1950s.