![The Queen: A Life in Jewels](https://i0.wp.com/www.thecourtjeweller.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/alifeinjewels.jpg?resize=1200%2C713&ssl=1)
The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh were blessed to live long enough to witness the weddings of six of their eight grandchildren—all glittering royal affairs with gorgeous wedding tiaras.
![Their Royal Highnesses Prince William Duke of Cambridge and Catherine Duchess of Cambridge kiss from the balcony at Buckingham Palace on April 29, 2011 in London, England](https://i0.wp.com/www.thecourtjeweller.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/2011-0429-weddings01.jpg?resize=1200%2C809&ssl=1)
As you might expect, the highest-profile wedding of one of the Queen’s grandchildren was that of Prince William (now the Prince of Wales) on April 29, 2011. Because he is one day expected to inherit the throne, his wedding to Catherine “Kate” Middleton was a glittering affair held at Westminster Abbey in London.
![Prince William, Duke of Cambridge bows and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge curtsies in front of Queen Elizabeth II as they leave Westminster Abbey accompanied by his best man Prince Harry and the maid of honour Pippa Middleton during their Royal Wedding at Westminster Abbey on April 29, 2011 in London, England](https://i0.wp.com/www.thecourtjeweller.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/2011-0429-weddings02.jpg?resize=1200%2C820&ssl=1)
For the wedding day, the Queen loaned Kate a special jewel: the Cartier Halo Tiara. The ’30s tiara had originally been a gift from the Queen’s father, King George VI, to her mother, Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother.
![Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh ride in a carriage procession to Buckingham Palace following the marriage of Their Royal Highnesses Prince William Duke of Cambridge and Catherine Duchess of Cambridge at Westminster Abbey on April 29, 2011 in London, England](https://i0.wp.com/www.thecourtjeweller.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/2011-0429-weddings03.jpg?resize=1200%2C1992&ssl=1)
The Queen also wore a special diamond brooch with her pearls: Queen Mary’s Lover’s Knot Brooch, which she inherited from her grandmother in 1953.
![Wedding group photo taken May 17, 2008, of Mr Peter Phillips and Miss Autumn at Frogmore House (seated left to right front row) The Duke of Edinburgh, Queen Elizabeth II, Mrs Ivy Kelly, Mrs Edith McCarthy, (standing left to right) Capt. Mark Phillips, The Princess Royal, Mr Peter Philips, Mrs Peter Philips, Mrs Kity Kelly, Mr Brian Kelly](https://i0.wp.com/www.thecourtjeweller.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/2011-0429-weddings04.jpg?resize=1200%2C898&ssl=1)
The Queen’s other grandchildren had smaller, more intimate family weddings outside of the nation’s capital city. On May 17, 2008, the family gathered at Windsor for the wedding of Peter Phillips (Princess Anne’s son) to Autumn Kelly. Anne loaned her Diamond Festoon Tiara to the bride for the ceremony, which took place at St. George’s Chapel, Windsor.
![Britain's Queen Elizabeth II, (L) and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh smile as they watch their grandson Peter Phillips and Canadian Autumn Kelly leave St George's Chapel in Windsor, England, after their marriage ceremony, on May 17, 2008](https://i0.wp.com/www.thecourtjeweller.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/2011-0429-weddings05.jpg?resize=1200%2C1597&ssl=1)
Because the Phillips wedding was a late afternoon/evening affair, the Queen did not wear a brooch. Instead, she accessorized with some of her more significant pearl pieces: the Ladies of Devonshire Earrings and a double-stranded pearl necklace (I think the Queen Anne and Queen Caroline Pearls).
![England rugby player Mike Tindall (L) and his new wife Britain's Zara Phillips, granddaughter of Queen Elizabeth II, leave after their wedding ceremony at Canongate Kirk in Edinburgh, Scotland, on July 30, 2011](https://i0.wp.com/www.thecourtjeweller.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/2011-0429-weddings06.jpg?resize=1200%2C886&ssl=1)
On July 30, 2011, Princess Anne’s daughter, Zara Phillips, married Mike Tindall at Canongate Kirk in Edinburgh. Zara borrowed another of her mother’s tiaras, Princess Andrew’s Meander Bandeau, for the ceremony.
![Queen Elizabeth II leaves Canongate Kirk on the afternoon of the wedding of Mike Tindall and Zara Philips on July 30, 2011 in Edinburgh, Scotland](https://i0.wp.com/www.thecourtjeweller.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/2011-0429-weddings07.jpg?resize=1200%2C1647&ssl=1)
The Queen wore her usual daytime pearls and the Courtauld Thomson Scallop-Shell Brooch for Zara’s big day.
![Britain's Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex (R) and US actress Meghan Markle (L) stand facing each other hand-in-hand before Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby (C) during their wedding ceremony in St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle, in Windsor, on May 19, 2018](https://i0.wp.com/www.thecourtjeweller.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/2011-0429-weddings08.jpg?resize=1200%2C1511&ssl=1)
The Duke of Sussex married his Duchess, Meghan Markle, at St. George’s Chapel, Windsor on May 19, 2018. The Queen loaned an heirloom jewel, Queen Mary’s Diamond Bandeau, to Meghan for the wedding day.
![Britain's Queen Elizabeth II (L) talks with Britain's Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh (R) as they leave after attending the wedding ceremony of Britain's Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex and US actress Meghan Markle at St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle, in Windsor, on May 19, 2018](https://i0.wp.com/www.thecourtjeweller.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/2011-0429-weddings09.jpg?resize=1200%2C1568&ssl=1)
For the wedding, the Queen wore pearls with another of Queen Mary’s jewels, the Richmond Brooch, worn without its pendant.
![Princess Eugenie of York of York and her husband Jack Brooksbank leave after their wedding at St George's Chapel in Windsor Castle on October 12, 2018 in Windsor, England](https://i0.wp.com/www.thecourtjeweller.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/2011-0429-weddings10.jpg?resize=1200%2C1474&ssl=1)
St. George’s Chapel, Windsor was also the location for the wedding of Princess Eugenie of York and Jack Brooksbank on October 12, 2018. The Queen loaned another special jewel, the Greville Emerald Kokoshnik Tiara, to Eugenie for her bridal tiara.
![Queen Elizabeth II looks on after the wedding of Princess Eugenie of York and Mr. Jack Brooksbank at St. George's Chapel on October 12, 2018 in Windsor, England](https://i0.wp.com/www.thecourtjeweller.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/2011-0429-weddings11.jpg?resize=1200%2C1654&ssl=1)
The Queen wore one of her most romantic royal jewels, the Cullinan V Brooch, for Eugenie’s wedding. (She also wore the brooch to celebrate her own golden wedding anniversary.)
![Princess Beatrice's royal wedding, July 2020](https://i0.wp.com/www.thecourtjeweller.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/2011-0429-weddings13.jpg?resize=1200%2C900&ssl=1)
In their final years, the Queen and the Duke were able to attend the wedding of Princess Beatrice of York and Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi on July 17, 2020. The wedding was held at the Royal Chapel of All Saints on the grounds of Royal Lodge in Windsor Great Park. The location allowed Beatrice’s royal grandparents, who were living at Windsor Castle during the pandemic, to be among the small number of guests at the ceremony.
![Princess Beatrice's royal wedding, July 2020](https://i0.wp.com/www.thecourtjeweller.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/2011-0429-weddings12.jpg?resize=1200%2C1600&ssl=1)
The Queen loaned Princess Beatrice both a very special tiara and a very special wedding dress. Beatrice wore Queen Mary’s Fringe Tiara, which had been worn by the Queen for her own wedding in 1947. She also wore a Norman Hartnell gown from the Queen’s archive. The dress was altered slightly to fit Beatrice and make it wedding-appropriate.
![Britain's Queen Elizabeth II poses after confering the honour of a knighthood upon 100-year-old veteran Captain Tom Moore during an investiture at Windsor Castle in Windsor, west of London on July 17, 2020](https://i0.wp.com/www.thecourtjeweller.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/2011-0429-weddings14.jpg?resize=1200%2C1597&ssl=1)
For the wedding ceremony (and the investiture that preceded it), the Queen wore the Rose of England Brooch. The gold brooch is set with white and pink diamonds. It was a Diamond Jubilee gift from the Sultan of Oman in 2012.
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