Traditional Scottish Jewels for Queen Camilla in Aberdeen

On Thursday, Queen Camilla headed to Aberdeen for the opening of a special and important new art gallery space—and wore a traditional Scottish brooch for the occasion.

Queen Camilla arrived at the Aberdeen Art Gallery on January 18 to officially open a dedicated Safe Space at the venue. Buckingham Palace explains that the “new Safe Space at the Gallery will be staffed by people who have received additional training on mental health awareness and domestic abuse. It will be an area that can be used to seek help, or simply to reflect and remember.”

Queen Camilla toured the Art of Empowerment gallery during her visit. She also viewed special artwork, created by the artist Shelagh Swanson, that has been installed as part of the gallery’s Safe Space designation. The palace explains, “The art is visible both internally and externally to signify the venue as a safe space location. The Art Gallery is open to the public seven days a week and is free to enter.” Empowering and supporting those who have experienced domestic abuse has been part of Queen Camilla’s public mission for many years.

Camilla was warm in a tweed coat dress and tall boots for the gallery visit, as well as a patterned scarf.

She accessorized with gold clip earrings that feature drops with pavé-set diamonds, plus a traditional Scottish brooch from her collection.

The jewel is a traditional plaid brooch. It’s tough to say which gems are set in the piece. I’ve previously speculated that they might be agates. She’s also wearing a gold bracelet with plaques set with carved gemstones.

Camilla has been wearing the brooch since her earliest days as Duchess of Cornwall. Above, she wears it at the Gordon Highlanders Regimental Museum in April 2005, just a few weeks after her wedding.

She also wore it for the Mey Games in August 2005.

We saw her wear the brooch, with the same bracelet, for a visit to Dunfermline shortly after her husband’s accession in October 2022.

Here’s another look at the brooch and the bracelet on Queen Camilla in Aberdeen last week. This image also gives you a lovely glimpse of her diamond engagement ring—a beautiful heirloom piece from the collection of the late Queen Mother, who was of course a Scottish lass herself.