The Queen’s jewelry boxes are packed with brooches featuring florals in their design. Unique among them is today’s brooch: a modern diamond jewel made to resemble a spray of yellow daffodils.
Queen Maud’s Aquamarine Brooch
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One of the most luminous aquamarines in the Norwegian royal vaults is set in a lovely brooch worn by Crown Princess Mette-Marit. Today, we’ve got a little bit of backstory on the piece.
JONATHAN NACKSTRAND/AFP via Getty Images |
The brooch features a beautiful faceted sea-green aquamarine set in an intricate diamond surround. The diamond elements of the brooch seem to date it to the late Victorian era or Edwardian era.
Jørgen Gomnæs, the Royal Court via Getty Images |
Here’s another look that gives you a good idea of the brooch’s color, setting, and dimension. The piece reportedly first belonged to Queen Maud of Norway, and it was worn by both Maud and later by Queen Sonja. The design of the setting easily dates it to the early years of Queen Maud’s marriage.
Chris Jackson/WireImage |
Today, the jewel is worn exclusively by Crown Princess Mette-Marit. She began wearing the piece in 2012, which makes me wonder if it was an anniversary present. (She and Crown Prince Haakon celebrated their tenth wedding anniversary in August 2011.) In January 2012, she paired the brooch with her Diamond Daisy Bandeau and Crown Princess Martha’s Silver Wedding Earrings for a banquet during the Ruby Jubilee celebrations for Queen Margrethe II of Denmark in Copenhagen.
Jørgen Gomnæs, the Royal Court via Getty Images |
Four years later, she wore the same combination of jewels for a set of new official portraits, taken to mark the Silver Jubilee of her parents-in-law, King Harald V and Queen Sonja of Norway, in January 2016.
Chris Jackson/Getty Images |
Crown Princess Mette-Marit generally reserves this brooch for gala occasions, diplomatic events, and sometimes for more formal daytime events. In April 2013, she wore it for a water pageant in Amsterdam following the inauguration of King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands.
JONATHAN NACKSTRAND/AFP via Getty Images |
And in May 2016, she wore the brooch in Stockholm for the christening of Prince Oscar of Sweden, the son of Crown Princess Victoria and Prince Daniel. Mette-Marit is one of the little prince’s godparents.
The Queen’s Commonwealth Day Brooches
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In a normal, non-pandemic year, we’d be gearing up for the annual Commonwealth Day service at Westminster Abbey in London. Instead, today I’ve got a look back at the last two decades of Commonwealth Day brooches.
2000: The Flower Basket Brooch
2001: The Jardine Star Brooch
Sion Touhig/Getty Images |
2002: The Grima Ruby Brooch
2004: The Cullinan V Brooch
2005: The Flower Basket Brooch
Patrick Riviere/Getty Images |
(The service was held at St. Andrew’s Cathedral in Sydney, Australia, where the Queen had traveled for the opening of the Commonwealth Games)
2007: The Jardine Star Brooch
Peter Macdiarmid/Getty Images |
2009: Queen Adelaide’s Brooch
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Peter Macdiarmid/Getty Images |
2011: The Golden Dahlia Brooch
LEON NEAL/AFP via Getty Images |
ADRIAN DENNIS/AFP via Getty Images |
2013: The Duke of Edinburgh represented the Queen alone at the service; she was still recovering after being hospitalized with gastroenteritis, but she was able to attend a reception later in the day
ARTHUR EDWARDS/AFP via Getty Images |
2014: The Golden Dahlia Brooch
Chris Jackson/Getty Images |
GEOFF PUGH/POOL/AFP via Getty Images |
BEN STANSALL/AFP via Getty Images |
KIRSTY WIGGLESWORTH/POOL/AFP via Getty Images |
RICHARD POHLE/AFP via Getty Images |
2019: The Kent Amethyst Brooch
Chris Jackson/Getty Images |
2020: The Jardine Star Brooch
We’ll have to see which brooch the Queen chooses for her televised message this year, which will air on the BBC on Sunday! Any guesses?
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