![HM Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, wearing formal dress as they attend a concert at Festival Hall, London, May 1951](https://i0.wp.com/www.thecourtjeweller.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/2021-0610-01-edinburgh02.jpg?resize=1200%2C964&ssl=1)
Today marks the 100th birthday of Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. The late Duke passed away only a few months ago, and tributes to him have been extensive and have continued in the weeks since his death. But today, to celebrate his birthday, I thought we’d take another at one of the most sentimental jewels: the diamond bracelet he offered Queen Elizabeth II as a wedding present.
![Princess Elizabeth of England and Prince Philip are seen on their wedding day 20th November 1947, in London](https://i0.wp.com/www.thecourtjeweller.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/2021-0610-01-edinburgh01.jpg?resize=1200%2C1531&ssl=1)
Prince Philip of Greece and Denmark had surrendered his royal titles, becoming Lieutenant Philip Mountbatten, before marrying Princess Elizabeth of the United Kingdom on November 20, 1947. Philip may have come from a royal background, but in 1947 he lacked the finances required to purchase a bejeweled engagement or wedding present worthy of a future monarch.
Enter Philip’s mother: Princess Andrew of Greece and Denmark, born Princess Alice of Battenberg, a great-granddaughter of Queen Victoria. At the beginning of her marriage, Alice had been showered with jewels by her royal relatives. Her aunt and uncle, Emperor Nicholas II and Empress Alexandra Feodorovna of Russia, had given her a magnificent tiara of diamonds and aquamarines as a wedding present in 1903. As the official announcement of Philip’s engagement drew near, Alice gave him that tiara, instructing him to use some of the diamonds from the piece to make an engagement ring for Elizabeth.
![The Edinburgh Wedding Bracelet](https://i0.wp.com/www.thecourtjeweller.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/2021-0610-01-edinburgh12.jpg?resize=1200%2C1516&ssl=1)
The engagement ring is set with a central 3-carat brilliant, plus some smaller diamonds set in the band on either side of the main stone. Thankfully, there were far more stones set in the tiara than were needed for the ring’s construction. Indeed, there were enough diamonds left over to make a second gift: a magnificent diamond bracelet, which Philip would present to Elizabeth as a wedding present.
In The Queen’s Diamonds, Sir Hugh Roberts describes the bracelet as having “the form of three stepped millegrain and pavé-set links, each centered by an old brilliant in rub-over setting.” The design of the bracelet is brash, imposing, and more than a little bit masculine—not unlike the Duke himself. Philip Antrobus Ltd, who had also made Elizabeth’s engagement ring, made the bracelet as well, setting diamonds from Princess Alice’s tiara in platinum.
![Portrait taken 07 June 1951 of the Princess Elizabeth of Great Britain, the future Queen, wearing a diamond tiara](https://i0.wp.com/www.thecourtjeweller.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/2021-0610-01-edinburgh04.jpg?resize=1200%2C837&ssl=1)
Elizabeth clearly loved the present, which she wore often right from the start. You’ll frequently spot the piece sparkling on her right wrist in photographs taken throughout her reign. In the image above, she wears the bracelet with the Girls of Great Britain and Ireland Tiara and the Nizam of Hyderabad Necklace on June 7, 1951, during a state visit from her great-uncle, King Haakon VII of Norway.
![HM Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, wearing formal dress as they attend a concert at Festival Hall, London, May 1951](https://i0.wp.com/www.thecourtjeweller.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/2021-0610-01-edinburgh03.jpg?resize=1200%2C1698&ssl=1)
In May 1951, she was also photographed wearing the bracelet with the Girls of Great Britain and Ireland Tiara and the Nizam of Hyderabad Necklace at a concert at the Festival Hall in London. (You’ll spot some other royals in the background, including Princess Mary, the Countess of Harewood and Princess Royal, wearing her diamond fringe tiara; Princess Marina, Duchess of Kent wearing her fringe tiara; and Marina’s sister, Princess Olga, wearing their mother’s Cartier kokoshnik.)
![Queen Elizabeth II is escorted by Reginald Bromhead, the Chairman of the Cinematograph and Trade Benevolent Fund, as she and Princess Margaret (behind) leave the Royal Film Performance in Leicester Square, London, October 27th 1952](https://i0.wp.com/www.thecourtjeweller.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/2021-0610-01-edinburgh05.jpg?resize=1200%2C1715&ssl=1)
The bracelet continued to have a place of honor in Elizabeth’s jewelry box after she became Queen. On October 27, 1952, she wore the bracelet with the Girls of Great Britain and Ireland Tiara, the Greville Chandelier Earrings, and the Dorset Bow Brooch for the Royal Film Performance of Because You’re Mine in Leicester Square.
![Queen Elizabeth II shaking hands with Bob Hope, with Mireille Mathieu, Ken Dodd and Harry Secombe in the background, at the Royal Variety Performance, London Palladium, November 13th 1967](https://i0.wp.com/www.thecourtjeweller.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/2021-0610-01-edinburgh08.jpg?resize=1200%2C921&ssl=1)
Because the Queen always wears the bracelet on her right wrist, many of those lucky enough to meet her on gala occasions have had the chance to watch it sparkle during royal handshakes. Bob Hope got to see the bracelet (and Queen Mary’s Lover’s Knot Tiara) glitter as he met the Queen at the Royal Variety Performance on November 13, 1967.
![Britain's Queen Elizabeth II (L) shakes hands with French singer Mireille Mathieu in 1969 in London after the French artist performance](https://i0.wp.com/www.thecourtjeweller.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/2021-0610-01-edinburgh09.jpg?resize=1200%2C915&ssl=1)
French singer Mireille Mathieu also got to see the bracelet (and Queen Alexandra’s Kokoshnik, plus the Antique Girandole Earrings) up close when she met the Queen after the Royal Variety Performance at the London Palladium on November 11, 1969.
![Britain's Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh (R) attend the ceremonies marking the opening of Parliament in Ottawa on October 14, 1957](https://i0.wp.com/www.thecourtjeweller.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/2021-0610-01-edinburgh06.jpg?resize=1200%2C1551&ssl=1)
Through the years, both the bracelet and its giver were by the Queen’s side. With Philip beside her, she wears the bracelet for the opening of parliament in Ottawa on October 14, 1957. She also wore Queen Alexandra’s Kokoshnik, Queen Victoria’s Pearl Drop Earrings, and the Coronation Necklace—plus her coronation gown.
![Official photo taken on November 3, 1972 shows Britain's Queen Elizabeth II, wearing the George IV State Diadem, diamond tiara on British and Commonwealth stamps, and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, on the occasion of their 25th wedding anniversary](https://i0.wp.com/www.thecourtjeweller.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/2021-0610-01-edinburgh10.jpg?resize=1200%2C1515&ssl=1)
She also wore the bracelet for the official portrait taken in November 1972 to commemorate the couple’s silver wedding anniversary, pairing it with the Coronation Necklace and Earrings and the George IV Diamond Diadem.
![Britain's Queen Elizabeth II wipes her eye following her speech at the State Opening of Parliament 17 November 1999 in the House of Lords. The Queen made her opening speech in which she outlined what her goverment proposes to introduce to parliament and marks the opening of the session](https://i0.wp.com/www.thecourtjeweller.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/2021-0610-01-edinburgh11.jpg?resize=900%2C1412&ssl=1)
As the jewels (and the Duke’s attire) might suggest, that anniversary portrait was taken after the State Opening of Parliament. The bracelet was a frequent sight at the annual ceremony, twinkling on the Queen’s wrist as she held her speech on the throne. Above, you’ll spot the bracelet (and the Imperial State Crown, and Queen Victoria’s Golden Jubilee Necklace) on the Queen at another State Opening decades later, on November 17, 1999.
![Chinese President Xi Jinping (R) raises a glass with Britain's Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, during State Banquet hosted by Britain's Queen Elizabeth II (unseen) at Buckingham Palace in London, on October 20, 2015, on the first official day of Xi's state visit. Chinese President Xi Jinping arrived for a four-day state visit as the government of Prime Minister David Cameron seeks stronger trade ties with the world's second-largest economy](https://i0.wp.com/www.thecourtjeweller.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/2021-0610-01-edinburgh13.jpg?resize=1200%2C1625&ssl=1)
The Queen wore the bracelet for important occasions for decades, but in 2015, she decided to loan the jewel to another member of the family. The Duchess of Cambridge debuted the Edinburgh Wedding Bracelet at a state banquet honoring President Xi Jinping of China at Buckingham Palace on October 20, 2015. For the occasion, Kate paired the bracelet with several other royal loans: the Lotus Flower Tiara, the Queen’s Diamond Chandelier Earrings, and Queen Mary’s Diamond Choker Bracelet.
![LONDON, ENGLAND - FEBRUARY 12: Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge and Prince William, Duke of Cambridge attend the 70th EE British Academy Film Awards (BAFTA) at the Royal Albert Hall on February 12, 2017 in London, England](https://i0.wp.com/www.thecourtjeweller.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/2021-0610-01-edinburgh14.jpg?resize=1200%2C1703&ssl=1)
The statement-making bracelet fits Kate’s style quite nicely, and we’ve seen it on her in the years since. She notably wore it on February 12, 2017, at the BAFTA Awards at the Royal Albert Hall in London. I can only imagine how Kate must feel, wearing a jewel with such sentimental importance to the Queen and the Duke, set with diamonds that recall generations of royal and imperial family members. I’m certain we’ll be seeing her wear the bracelet often for years to come.
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