The Windsors paid tribute to the fallen members of the nation’s armed forces at the Cenotaph on Remembrance Sunday, and there were plenty of event-appropriate jewels on display—including a new brooch worn by the Princess of Wales.
On Sunday, the traditional National Service of Remembrance was held at the Cenotaph in London. The Remembrance Sunday event honors the memories of those who have given their lives for their country in the line of duty. The tradition began following the end of World War I more than a century ago.
King Charles III has been leading the royal tributes at the Cenotaph during the service on his mother’s behalf for several years, but this was his first Remembrance Sunday as monarch. He was joined by the Prince of Wales, the Princess Royal, and the Earl of Wessex, all of whom also laid wreaths at the memorial.
Other members of the royal family watched the service from balconies overlooking the monument. The Queen Consort and the Princess of Wales stood together on one of the central balconies during the service.
Queen Camilla wore her signature diamond and pearl drop earrings for the service. With her paper poppies, she also wore a pair of military badges: the diamond badge of the Rifles and the diamond badge of the Special Reconnaissance Regiment. She has been Colonel-in-Chief of both regiments since 2020.
Princess Catherine reached for a familiar pair of earrings for the service: the diamond horseshoe and laurel leaf earrings with pendant pearl drops. The earrings previously belonged to her late mother-in-law, Diana, Princess of Wales.
With her paper poppies, Kate also wore a diamond brooch that we hadn’t seen before.
The brooch is a new addition to Kate’s collection. The intrepid Sarah from UFO No More tracked down its source: it was sold at Bentley & Skinner in January 2022. Their website describes the brooch as an Art Deco diamond jewel, “of rectangular shape with corners cut away, with an openwork pattern comprising of a central, round brilliant-cut diamond with an estimated weight of 0.35 carat, with a baguette-cut diamond to the top and bottom of the rectangle, total estimated diamond weight 4.5 carats, all mounted in platinum.” Bentley & Skinner estimate that the brooch was made around 1920, and the sale price was listed at £14,500.
January 2022, conveniently, was the month that Kate celebrated her 40th birthday. Perhaps it was a birthday gift from a member of her family? After all, the King does have a history of purchasing jewelry pieces at auction…
Camilla and Kate weren’t the only royals watching the Remembrance Sunday commemorations from the balcony vantage point. The Countess of Wessex joined the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester on one of the nearby balconies during the service.
Sophie wore elegant diamond and pearl drop earrings with a single-stranded pearl necklace. She pinned a crystal poppy brooch to her jacket, as well as the badge of the Corps of Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers. She became their Colonel-in-Chief earlier this year.
Birgitte also wore pearl earrings and her lovely black pearl necklace, which shines silver in the light. With her paper poppies, she wore the badge of the Adjutant General’s Corps, for whom she serves as Deputy Colonel-in-Chief. She also wore the badge for Saturday’s Festival of Remembrance.
The third balcony was occupied by the remaining family members in attendance: the Duke of Kent and (not seen here) Vice Admiral Sir Timothy Laurence, husband of the Princess Royal.
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