On Tuesday, the Queen received a special gift from the Archbishop of Canterbury—and wore one of her most special brooches for the presentation!
The Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, made a visit to Windsor Castle to see the Queen on Tuesday. He arrived with a special gift in tow: a present to mark her record-breaking 70 years as the head of the Church of England.
Welby had been due to pay tribute to the Queen during the Platinum Jubilee service of thanksgiving at St. Paul’s a few weeks ago, but a case of COVID kept him at home instead. Tuesday’s audience gave him a chance to share his gratitude with the monarch in person.
He presented the Queen with a special Canterbury Cross, a badge recognizing her 70 years of service to the crown, the nation, and the church. The cross badge was accompanied by a special framed commendation, which read in part, “This presentation of the Canterbury Cross is a heartfelt symbol of the love, loyalty and affection in which the Church of England holds Her Majesty and it represents the recognition and gratitude of her whole Church for her seventy years of unstinting service.”
For the audience, the Queen wore a summery dress with a pink and green rose pattern.
She wore small pearl stud earrings, a single strand of pearls, and a truly grand brooch: the Cullinan V Brooch.
The Cullinan V is one of the jewels set with stones cut from the incredible Cullinan Diamond. The Queen inherited the brooch from her grandmother, Queen Mary, in 1953, and it has remained a favorite throughout her seven decades on the throne.
Here, the Queen wears the brooch (and sunglasses!) in 1958 as she watches a cricket match at Highclere Castle.
She’s worn the brooch for countless engagements since. One of her most important church-related occasions on the annual calendar has been the Royal Maundy service. Here, she wears the brooch for that service, held in Liverpool in 2004.
Most recently, we caught a glimpse of the Cullinan V during the Platinum Jubilee Party at the Palace. The Queen wore the brooch as she cheekily revealed to Paddington Bear that she carries marmalade sandwiches in her famous handbag.
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