Queen Camilla Dazzles in Queen Mary’s Diamond Thistle at the Scottish Parliament

On Saturday, King Charles III and Queen Camilla headed to Scotland for an important parliamentary anniversary, accompanied by a magnificent crown and a dazzling royal heirloom brooch.

The King and Queen arrived at the Scottish Parliament in Edinburgh on Saturday for an event to celebrate the legislative body’s 25th anniversary. The devolved parliament’s opening ceremony was held on July 1, 1999, with the late Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip in attendance, along with the then-Prince Charles. On Saturday, the kilted King delivered remarks at Holyrood that recalled that milestone moment: “This Parliament opened on the first day of July, 1999, on the cusp of a new millennium. It marked a new dawn for Scotland, one filled with anticipation, optimism and hope. Alongside The late Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh, I listened in the Palace of Holyroodhouse that day with great interest as the then First Minister spoke of a new voice, of new dreams, of a new – and renewed – Scotland.” You can read the King’s full speech here.

The King and Queen were also joined by another royal icon at the anniversary celebrations at Holyrood: the Crown of Scotland, which was carried in on a cushion by the Duke of Hamilton and Brandon. The Duke holds the title of “Hereditary Bearer of the Crown of Scotland.”

Here’s a look at the crown itself, which was made in 1540 using materials from an even older crown. It has been used in Scottish coronations since the 16th century, when it was worn by King James V during the coronation of his second wife, Marie de Guise. Today, the crown lives at Edinburgh Castle, where it is usually on display to the public in the Crown Room. You can read much more on the fascinating history of the crown here.

For the parliamentary anniversary, Queen Camilla wore a favorite blue coat with tartan detailing on the collar, cuffs, buttons, and pockets.

She accessorized with her favorite earrings, featuring diamond floral clips and pearl pendant drops, as well as a special jewel from the royal vaults: Queen Mary’s Diamond Thistle Brooch.

As the name of the brooch suggests, the piece is in the shape of a large, stylized thistle set with diamonds. Triangular diamonds are used throughout to delightfully suggest the texture of a real thistle.

The first documented wearer of the royal brooch was Queen Mary, the present King’s great-grandmother. Here, she wears the brooch on her hat as she heads back to Balmoral with King George V and little Princess Elizabeth (later Queen Elizabeth II) after attending a service at Crathie Kirk in 1935.

For years, the brooch was worn by Mary’s granddaughter, the late Queen Elizabeth II, especially for events in Scotland. Here, she wears the brooch at Holyrood in 2019 as she celebrates the 20th anniversary of the establishment of the Scottish Parliament.

Queen Camilla made her debut in the brooch earlier this year, wearing it for a garden party at the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh in July.

Here’s one more look at Camilla wearing the brooch in Edinburgh on Saturday. Along with the earrings and brooch, she also wore her usual rings and bracelets, which you can see peeking out from the edge of her sleeve in this photograph.