Patriotic Royal Diamonds and Pearls at the VE Day Concert in London

The celebrations of the 80th anniversary of VE Day continued in Britain on Thursday evening with a concert at Horse Guards Parade, with the royal men in medals and badges and the ladies in diamonds and pearls.

King Charles III and Queen Camilla were flanked by World War II veterans in the grandstand during the VE Day anniversary concert at Horse Guards Parade in London Thursday. Several other members of the royal family were also present for the event, including the Prince and Princess of Wales, the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh, and the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester.

The concert featured performances of songs popular during World War II, including “We’ll Meet Again” and a tribute to the music of the Andrews Sisters. In between the musical acts, stories and recollections from veterans of the war were shared. The actor Brian Cox delivered Winston Churchill’s victory speech, and nine o’clock—the precise time that King George VI announced the end of the war in a radio address 80 years earlier—King Charles III gave a speech, saying, “In remembering the past, we must also look to the future. As the number of those who lived through the Second World War so sadly dwindles, the more it becomes our duty to carry their stories forward, to ensure their experiences are never to be forgotten. We must listen, learn and share.”

For the concert, the men of the royal family wore business suits with medals and decorations. Here’s a look at the medals and badges worn by King Charles III. He also wore the neck badge of the Order of Merit, which recognizes “distinguished service in the armed forces, science, art, literature, or the promotion of culture.”

And here’s a look at the medals and decorations worn by Prince William. Many royal medals are commemorative, recognizing their participation in events like coronations and jubilees, and all of William’s medals fall under that umbrella. He’s also wearing the neck badge of the Order of the Bath, an honor he received from his father in April 2024.

The royal ladies wore casual evening jewelry for the concert. With her embroidered jacket, Queen Camilla wore her diamond Magic Alhambra earrings and a patriotic brooch: the gem-set cap badge of the old Royal Norfolk Regiment, which depicts the goddess Britannia carrying a trident and an olive branch.

Here’s a close-up of the brooch from a previous outing.

The Princess of Wales wore a cream-colored ensemble from Self Portrait, accessorized with vintage-inspired jewels from Susan Caplan. Catherine previously debuted this five-row necklace of faux pearls on Holocaust Memorial Day. For this occasion, she also wore a pair of gold-plated faux pearl earrings from the brand.

Here’s a closer look at the 1980s Vintage Renaissance Revival Earrings, which retail for £75, from the company’s website. The earrings are not vintage pieces, but rather were inspired by jewelry popular during the 1980s.

The Duchess of Edinburgh wore a blush-colored trench coat (from Theory, per UFO No More) with a pair of gold-plated earrings from Giulia Barela. We’ve seen her wear the earrings on previous occasions, including last year’s Trooping the Colour festivities.

The Duchess of Gloucester was elegant in navy blue for the concert. She wore the same diamond and sapphire floral earrings that she donned for the Buckingham Palace garden party earlier in the week.

The Princess Royal and Vice Admiral Sir Timothy Laurence were not present from the concert, because they were heading to Guernsey to join in the liberation commemorations there. Here, Princess Anne and Sir Tim arrive in St. Peter Port for the celebrations.

For the occasion, Anne wore several pieces of jewelry that have been mainstays in her collection for decades: her gold, sapphire, and pearl drop earrings, her two-row seed pearl necklace, and her gold and diamond ribbon brooch.