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Sparkling Royal Jewels From Around the World

Thistle and Rose for Queen Elizabeth

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John Stillwell – WPA Pool/Getty Images

Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom joined the Duke of Kent this morning at Buckingham Palace to present new colours to the 1st Battalion and and F Company Scots Guards — and it appears that she may have brought a new brooch along with her!

John Stillwell – WPA Pool/Getty Images

Here’s a (slightly blurry) close-up of the brooch. The colorful piece features at least two major design elements: a thistle (appropriate for a Scots Guards occasion) and a Tudor rose. Some of the brooch is obscured by the lapel of the Queen’s coat, but the piece also appears to feature leaf designs along with the two flowers.

John Stillwell – WPA Pool/Getty Images

I’ve done quite a lot of digging this morning, but I can’t seem to recall a similar brooch in the Queen’s collection. (Or, for that matter, in the collections of the Queen Mother or Queen Mary.) Do we have a new Tudor Thistle Brooch on our hands? If you know otherwise, please let us know in the comments below!

MARTYN HAYHOW/AFP/Getty Images

UPDATE: Thanks to Gill for pointing us toward a previous appearance of the brooch! The piece was worn in April 2002 when the Queen presented new colours to the Scots Guards at Windsor Castle.

Scientific Sparkle for Queen Maxima

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KOEN VAN WEEL/AFP/Getty Images

This afternoon, Queen Maxima of the Netherlands visited the Princess Maxima Center for Pediatric Oncology in Utrecht. Her tour of one of the facility’s laboratories gave us some fascinating views of her jewelry.

KOEN VAN WEEL/AFP/Getty Images

These earrings would have been a big no-no in my high school lab class, but when you’re the Queen, you’re the Queen!

KOEN VAN WEEL/AFP/Getty Images

Here’s an excellent close-up of the dramatic earrings, which feature six milky cabochon stones in shades of ivory and beige.

KOEN VAN WEEL/AFP/Getty Images

Maxima also went wild in her bracelet drawer before the event. I count at least five bracelets on her right wrist, including the family cabochon gemstone bracelet, the family diamond initial bracelet, and the new bracelet with her daughters’ names. I think I also spot her diamond wedding bracelet in the stack.

KOEN VAN WEEL/AFP/Getty Images

She wore her engagement and wedding rings on her right hand; on her left, she wore this triple-gemstone ring.