![Queen Elizabeth II attends the Annual Braemar Highland Gathering on September 6, 2008 in Braemar, Scotland](https://i0.wp.com/www.thecourtjeweller.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/2021-0829-braemar04.jpg?resize=1200%2C847&ssl=1)
In normal times, each September brings a fun and boisterous royal event: the Braemar Highland Games, which has been attended by the royal family in Scotland for decades. The Queen has a special brooch for the event: the Braemar Feather Brooch.
![Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, Queen Elizabeth II, Princess Anne, Prince Charles and Queen Mother Elizabeth attend the annual Braemer Gathering in Braemar on September 9, 1960](https://i0.wp.com/www.thecourtjeweller.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/2021-0829-braemar01.jpg?resize=1200%2C883&ssl=1)
The Queen has attended the Braemar Highland Games almost every year during her reign. The image above shows the Queen with the Duke of Edinburgh, the Queen Mother, Prince Charles, and Princess Anne at the event in 1960. The royal family has been attending much longer, since the reign of Queen Victoria.
![Queen Elizabeth II attends the Annual Braemar Highland Gathering on September 6, 2008 in Braemar, Scotland](https://i0.wp.com/www.thecourtjeweller.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/2021-0829-braemar06.jpg?resize=1200%2C1875&ssl=1)
In 2002, the year of the Queen’s Golden Jubilee, the Braemar Royal Highland Society presented Elizabeth with a brooch to commemorate her fifty years on the throne. The society selected a brooch with connections to one of Scotland’s native birds, the golden eagle. Made in the shape of an eagle’s feather, the Braemar brooch features a number of mixed metals —white and yellow gold, silver, and platinum—in its construction. The Queen wears the brooch above at the games in 2008.
![Queen Elizabeth II and HRH Prince William attend the Braemar Royal Highland Gathering on September 3, 2005 in Braemar, Scotland](https://i0.wp.com/www.thecourtjeweller.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/2021-0829-braemar02.jpg?resize=1200%2C892&ssl=1)
Since receiving the feather brooch, the Queen has worn it for every highland games she’s attended. Here she is in September 2005, wearing the brooch pinned to a blue jacket. She was joined by Prince William, who had recently graduated from the University of St Andrews in Scotland.
![Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Charles, The Prince of Wales laugh as they watch competitors during the Braemar Gathering at the Princess Royal and Duke of Fife Memorial Park on September 2, 2006 in Braemar, Scotland](https://i0.wp.com/www.thecourtjeweller.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/2021-0829-braemar03.jpg?resize=1200%2C1073&ssl=1)
The event almost always produces excellent images of the royal family heartily enjoying the games. Here, you’ll spot the brooch on the Queen’s plaid coat as she and Prince Charles laugh during the event in 2006.
![Queen Elizabeth II,arrives at the Braemar Gathering at the Princess Royal and Duke of Fife Memorial Park on September 1, 2007 in Braemar, Scotland](https://i0.wp.com/www.thecourtjeweller.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/2021-0829-braemar05.jpg?resize=1134%2C1389&ssl=1)
In 2007, the metallic feather brooch stood out nicely on a dark green coat for the occasion.
![Queen Elizabeth II smiles as she looks out from the royal box during the Braemar Highland Games at The Princess Royal and Duke of Fife Memorial Park on September 4, 2010 in Braemar, Scotland](https://i0.wp.com/www.thecourtjeweller.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/2021-0829-braemar07.jpg?resize=1200%2C1686&ssl=1)
The brooch also manages to hold its own on pale, neutral colors. Here, the Queen wears it on a textured ivory coat in 2010.
![Queen Elizabeth II attends the Braemar Highland Games at The Princess Royal and Duke of Fife Memorial Park on September 3, 2011 in Braemar, Scotland](https://i0.wp.com/www.thecourtjeweller.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/2021-0829-braemar08.jpg?resize=1200%2C1525&ssl=1)
In 2011, the Queen wore the brooch on a tweedy coat in shades of white, gray, and turquoise.
![Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Charles attend the Braemar Highland Games at The Princess Royal and Duke of Fife Memorial Park on September 1, 2012 in Braemar, Scotland](https://i0.wp.com/www.thecourtjeweller.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/2021-0829-braemar09.jpg?resize=1200%2C792&ssl=1)
And you’ll just spot a sliver of the brooch’s edge on her pale purple jacket for the event in 2012, which took place during her Diamond Jubilee year. This was also the tenth anniversary of the original brooch gift.
![Queen Elizabeth II attends the annual Braemer Highland Games at The Princess Royal and Duke of Fife Memorial Park on September 7, 2013 in Braemar, Scotland](https://i0.wp.com/www.thecourtjeweller.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/2021-0829-braemar10.jpg?resize=1200%2C1010&ssl=1)
The Queen arrived at Braemar with the brooch pinned to a pink plaid coat in 2013.
![Queen Elizabeth II during the Braemar Highland Games on September 6, 2014 in Braemar, Scotland](https://i0.wp.com/www.thecourtjeweller.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/2021-0829-braemar11.jpg?resize=1200%2C1660&ssl=1)
Another textured jacket, this time in shades of ivory and gold, accompanied Her Majesty to the games in 2014. And, of course, the brooch was with her as well.
![Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh watch competitors at the Braemar Gathering on September 5, 2015 in Braemar, Scotland](https://i0.wp.com/www.thecourtjeweller.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/2021-0829-braemar12.jpg?resize=1200%2C800&ssl=1)
The brooch gleamed beautifully against the Queen’s dark red outfit for the event in 2015.
![Queen Elizabeth II watches competitors at the Braemar Gathering on September 3, 2016 in Braemar, Scotland](https://i0.wp.com/www.thecourtjeweller.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/2021-0829-braemar13.jpg?resize=1080%2C1350&ssl=1)
And it also stood out on a bright ensemble in a light shade of purple for the occasion in 2016.
![Britain's Queen Elizabeth II (L) arrives to attend the annual Braemar Gathering in Braemar, central Scotland, on September 2, 2017](https://i0.wp.com/www.thecourtjeweller.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/2021-0829-braemar14.jpg?resize=1200%2C838&ssl=1)
Tweedy plaid was the Queen’s choice for the games in 2017, with the brooch’s yellow gold standing out nicely against the fabric.
![Britain's Queen Elizabeth II receives a bouquet on her arrival at the annual Braemar Gathering in Braemar, central Scotland, on September 1, 2018](https://i0.wp.com/www.thecourtjeweller.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/2021-0829-braemar15.jpg?resize=1200%2C799&ssl=1)
In 2018, the brooch was very easy to spot on the Queen’s bright teal coat.
![Queen Elizabeth II during the 2019 Braemar Highland Games at The Princess Royal and Duke of Fife Memorial Park on September 07, 2019 in Braemar, Scotland](https://i0.wp.com/www.thecourtjeweller.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/2021-0829-braemar16.jpg?resize=1200%2C800&ssl=1)
Most recently, in 2019, the Queen wore the brooch with a regal purple ensemble for the event. The games were canceled in 2020 and 2021, thanks to the ongoing global pandemic. Here’s hoping that we get to see the brooch appear in public again in 2022, a full two decades after it arrived in the Queen’s jewelry box.
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