The Queen was back on the job this week, holding virtual audiences with diplomats via video link from Windsor Castle to Buckingham Palace—and, of course, her royal brooches were back as well!
On Tuesday, the Queen received two new ambassadors at Buckingham Palace. Because she is in residence at Windsor Castle, the audiences were conducted virtually. Here, she receives credentials from Kedella Younous Hamidi, the Ambassador of Chad.
And here, she meets virtually with Carles Jordana Madero, the Ambassador of Andorra.
Most of the brooch that the Queen wore on Tuesday is sadly out of frame on the video monitor. However, we can see just enough of the piece to conclusively identify it. It’s the Ladies of India Brooch, which originally belonged to Queen Mary.
The Ladies of India Brooch is a part of the jewelry that Queen Mary wore for the Delhi Durbar in December 1911. Most of the jewels were set with emeralds, most of which were taken from the Cambridge Emerald collection. But the large stone in the Ladies of India Brooch, the large hexagonal emerald and diamond brooch on the right side of this display photograph, comes from a different source.
The carved emerald brooch was a gift to Queen Mary during the durbar from the Ladies of India (hence the name). The large emerald is carved on both sides, with a rose on one side and additional floral designs on the other. The jewel is set in silver and gold, with a diamond border and four additional diamond brilliant accents.
Queen Mary wore the Ladies of India Brooch with the rest of her durbar jewelry. In the portrait above, you’ll spot the brooch on her bodice, placed just above the Delhi Durbar Stomacher.
The Queen has owned the brooch for decades, but she only rarely brings it out of her jewelry box. Usually, it’s worn for daytime occasions, with outfits in various shades of green. Above, she wears it pinned to a green coat as she bids farewell to President Abdullah Gul of Turkey following his state visit to London in November 2011.
On Thursday, the Queen was back at it once more, holding more virtual audiences via the link from Windsor to London. Here, she receives the High Commissioner of Trinidad and Tobago, Vishnu Dhanpaul.
And here, she meets with Dr. Thomas Bisika, the High Commissioner of Malawi.
Dr. Bisika brought along a gift: a painting of Mount Mulanje, the highest point in Malawi.
For Thursday’s audiences, the Queen wore another important brooch from her collection: one of Queen Victoria’s Diamond Bow Brooches.
The brooch, made for Queen Victoria, is an heirloom of the crown. The Queen has been wearing the diamond bows regularly for seven decades.
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