Queen Camilla brought out a favorite heirloom brooch for a Scottish celebration last week–but it looks like the jewel may have lost a little bit of its sparkle since we last saw it!
On July 3, after the Order of the Thistle service at St. Giles’ Cathedral, King Charles III and Queen Camilla headed to Edinburgh Castle for a special reception. They were joined by Major General Alastair Bruce, who is Governor of Edinburgh Castle (as well as a commentator and historical advisor to productions like Downton Abbey and The King’s Speech), and Joshua Morrow, the current Lord Lyon King of Arms (the official who overseas Scottish heraldry).
The reception was held to mark a momentous milestone: the 900th anniversary of the granting of the royal burgh charter of the city of Edinburgh by King David I of Scotland in 1124 (!). The Court Circular noted, “The King and Queen viewed dance performances, visited stalls showcasing Scottish charities and organisations and Edinburgh’s culture, education and diversity, and met members of the local community.” There was also a birthday cake, of course.
For the reception, Queen Camilla wore an ensemble in a very pale shade of mint green with neutral accessories. She also carried one of the signature clear umbrellas popularized by the late Queen Elizabeth II.
Camilla also added jeweled touches to the outfit, wearing pieces from her collection of diamonds and pearls. She paired her favorite diamond floral and pearl drop clip earrings with her four-stranded pearl choker, which has a distinctive round diamond clasp.
On her jacket, Camilla pinned a royal heirloom brooch that she’s been wearing for almost a decade, since the days when she was Duchess of Cornwall (or, more appropriately when in Scotland, Duchess of Rothesay). The Queen Mother’s Diamond Thistle Brooch features a pair of thistles and leaves set in diamonds.
For years, the brooch was a favorite of Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother. Above, she wears it pinned to her hat as she visits with paratroopers ahead of the D-Day landings in 1944.
The brooch was presented to Camilla as a personal gift by Queen Elizabeth II. Camilla made her public debut in the brooch in New Zealand in 2015, and she’s worn it often over the years, usually for events in Scotland. Here, she wears it for the opening of Scotland’s Parliament in October 2021.
We also saw the brooch multiple times as the royal family mourned for the late Queen Elizabeth II in Scotland just after her death in September 2022.
Queen Camilla has worn the brooch during Holyrood Week in both 2023 and 2024. This time, though, something interesting caught my eye. Doesn’t it look like one of the thistles has lost a diamond? Time for Camilla’s wardrobe assistants to send out a search party!
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