![Britain's Queen Elizabeth II waves to the crowd following an evening gala event as part of the Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Celebration in Toronto, Canada, on 10 October 2002](https://i0.wp.com/www.thecourtjeweller.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/2022-0529-01-emeraldtassel01.jpg?resize=1200%2C874&ssl=1)
The Queen’s jewelry box includes numerous examples set with May’s gorgeous green birthstone, the emerald. Today, we’ve got a closer look at one of the most modern of those sets: the Emerald Tassel Suite.
The world’s first glimpse of jewels from this demi-parure came in 1989. That July, she arrived for a dinner at Claridge’s in London wearing the emerald tassel necklace, paired with other diamond and emerald jewels from the royal vaults (namely, the Girls of Great Britain and Ireland Tiara, Queen Mary’s Emerald Frame Earrings, and the Delhi Durbar Scroll Brooch). Because the dinner took place during a state visit from the President of the United Arab Emirates, Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, many have guessed that the new emerald tassel necklace was a gift presented to her by the sheikh during the visit.
![Britain's Queen Elizabeth II leads French President François Mitterrand (L), German Chancellor Helmut Kohl (R) and other participants onto a balcony of Buckingham Palace following a banquet during the London 17th G7 Summit on July 16, 1991](https://i0.wp.com/www.thecourtjeweller.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/2022-0529-01-emeraldtassel02.jpg?resize=1200%2C1727&ssl=1)
In fact, the necklace was a part of a larger suite of modern jewels made of yellow gold, emeralds, and diamonds. The demi-parure includes at least four pieces: the necklace, a pair of earrings, a bracelet, and a ring. Above, in July 1991, the Queen wears the earrings, necklace, and bracelet during a dinner at Buckingham Palace, part of the G7 Summit in London.
![Britain's Queen Elizabeth II stands in the Royal Box prior to a gala in Toronto 10 October 2002](https://i0.wp.com/www.thecourtjeweller.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/2022-0529-01-emeraldtassel03.jpg?resize=800%2C1089&ssl=1)
In October 2002, during her Golden Jubilee year, the Queen wore the necklace, earrings, and bracelet for a gala in Toronto. She paired the jewels with another magnificent diamond and emerald piece from her collection: the Vladimir Tiara.
![US President Barack Obama (L) greets Britain's Queen Elizabeth II for a reciprocal dinner at the Winfield House in London, on May 25, 2011](https://i0.wp.com/www.thecourtjeweller.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/2022-0529-01-emeraldtassel04.jpg?resize=1200%2C1505&ssl=1)
We saw her wearing the suite once more in May 2011. The occasion was a dinner at Winfield House in London, the residence of the American ambassador to the UK, during a state visit from President Obama. These return events generally have a black-tie dress code (meaning no tiaras), and the Queen often wears her newer and more modern sets of jewelry on those evenings.
![U.S. President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama bid farewell to Queen Elizabeth II and The Duke of Edinburgh (not in picture) at Winfield House - the residence of the Ambassador of the United States of America, in Regent's Park, on May 25, 2011 in London, England](https://i0.wp.com/www.thecourtjeweller.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/2022-0529-01-emeraldtassel05.jpg?resize=1200%2C1730&ssl=1)
With an evening gown festooned with sequins, the Queen wore all four pieces—necklace, earrings, bracelet, and ring—from the demi-parure. She also added a gift presented to her by the Obamas during the visit: a small floral brooch made of moss agate.
![US President Barack Obama (L) looks on as Britain's Queen Elizabeth II signs a guest book after a reciprocal dinner at the Winfield House in London, on May 25, 2011](https://i0.wp.com/www.thecourtjeweller.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/2022-0529-01-emeraldtassel06.jpg?resize=1200%2C1426&ssl=1)
We got a good glimpse of the ring on the Queen’s left hand as she signed the guestbook at Winfield House. She stacked a whole bunch of rings on her left hand for the occasion, but the modern emerald and diamond ring from the set can be spotted closest to the knuckle on her middle finger.
![Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge at the dinner hosted by Patrick Allen, Governor General of Jamaica, at King's House, on March 23, 2022 in Kingston, Jamaica](https://i0.wp.com/www.thecourtjeweller.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/2022-0529-01-emeraldtassel07.jpg?resize=1200%2C1737&ssl=1)
More recently, pieces from the emerald tassel suite have been loaned to the Queen’s granddaughter-in-law, the Duchess of Cambridge. She wore the jewels for a March 2022 dinner hosted by Patrick Allen, the Governor General of Jamaica, at King’s House in Kingston. The event took place during a royal tour of the Caribbean timed to celebrate the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee.
![Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge attends a dinner hosted by the Governor General of Jamaica at King's House on March 23, 2022 in Kingston, Jamaica](https://i0.wp.com/www.thecourtjeweller.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/2022-0529-01-emeraldtassel08.jpg?resize=1200%2C698&ssl=1)
Kate chose to wear the earrings and the bracelet from the set for the dinner. Here’s an excellent close-up view of the earrings, showing the knotted tassel design and the deep green emerald drops.
![Catherine Duchess of Cambridge and Prime Minister of Jamaica Andrew Holness attend a dinner hosted by the Governor General of Jamaica at King's House on March 23, 2022 in Kingston, Jamaica](https://i0.wp.com/www.thecourtjeweller.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/2022-0529-01-emeraldtassel09.jpg?resize=1200%2C1728&ssl=1)
And here’s a view of Kate wearing the bracelet on her right arm during the dinner. The bracelet’s central motif echoes the twist design also present in the other pieces from the suite.
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