Queen Camilla’s Sparkling Britannia Brooch at Clarence House

Queen Camilla celebrated a remarkable accomplishment by an all-female yacht crew today in London, and she chose a brooch with very appropriate symbolism for the event.

On Monday, Queen Camilla hosted a reception for the members of the Maiden yachting crew at Clarence House in London. The crew won the 2023-24 Ocean Globe Race, which started and ended in the United Kingdom after circumnavigating the globe.

The crew became the first all-female yachting crew to win an around-the-world race when they triumphed in the Ocean Globe Race after 153 days at sea. The unique race saw the crew racing without computers or GPS, using only traditional tools and paper charts as they sailed.

For the reception, Camilla mixed familiar pieces of jewelry with a highly symbolic brooch choice. Her earrings are the diamond floral and pearl drop earrings that are easily her most-worn pair.

Her brooch, however, is a lesser-worn antique piece set with diamonds, sapphires, and rubies.

Here’s a close-up of the brooch from today’s reception. The brooch is shaped like Britannia, the personified national symbol of Britain first used in Roman times. The female warrior-goddess, depicted in a reclining pose, wears a Corinthian helmet. In one hand, she carries a trident, and in the other, an olive branch. Beside her sits a shield featuring the familiar design of the Union Jack.

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The brooch was previously worn by Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother. Here, she wears the badge with the Duchess of Teck’s Flower Brooch at the opening of the Royal Norfolk Regiment Museum in 1990.

There’s a connection here: the diamond, ruby, and sapphire Britannia worn by both Queen Camilla and the Queen Mother is also the cap badge of the old Royal Norfolk Regiment. The regiment existed in various forms until 1959, when it was amalgamated with the Suffolk Regiment to become the 1st East Anglian Regiment (Royal Norfolk and Suffolk).

Interestingly, though, Queen Camilla has worn the badge for a pair of engagements this year related to female empowerment, leaning more on the symbol of Britannia herself rather than the brooch’s military links. In January, she wore it for a visit to the Gaia Centre in south London. Buckingham Palace notes that the center “provides confidential, non-judgemental support to those living in the borough of Lambeth who are experiencing gender-based violence.”

And today, Camilla chose the brooch for the celebration of a milestone accomplishment for women in sailing. She also added several more personal pieces of jewelry, including a necklace with a gold disc pendant engraved with the initials of her grandchildren.

She also wore her usual tangle of bracelets on her right wrist, including a blue agate Alhambra bracelet and a red carnelian heart bracelet, both from Van Cleef & Arpels.