A Modern Italian Brooch for Queen Camilla in Wiltshire

Fresh off her trip to the Vatican, Queen Camilla brought out an Italian brooch for a trip to see an impressive, meaningful art installation in Wiltshire on Tuesday.

Queen Camilla traveled to the village of Corsham in Wiltshire on Tuesday to carry out engagements, including a visit to St. Bartholomew’s Church. The ancient church sits on a foundation made in Saxon times, with the structure itself featuring examples of Norman, medieval, early renaissance, and Victorian architecture. The church is not far from Camilla’s home in Wiltshire, Ray Mill House.

Camilla’s visit was coordinated so that she could be a part of the church’s incredible installation of knitted and crocheted poppies, which commemorates the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II. More than 30,000 poppies were collected for the community project, including donations from across the United Kingdom and even some sent in from other countries. Camilla herself placed the final poppy on the cascading presentation, which surrounds the church’s war memorial. She also laid a wreath at the memorial with a card that read “In remembrance, Camilla R.”

For the visit, Queen Camilla wore a favorite ensemble in neutral tones, including a jacket with whipstitch finishing and a pair of matching tall boots.

She kept her jewelry for the occasion subdued, letting the bright crimson hue of the handmade poppies shine brightly. But the pieces, though they were also in neutral colors, were still significant, including her favorite diamond and pearl drop earrings and a special modern brooch made by an Italian designer.

The square brooch features flat hematite cubes in silver, gold, and bronze finishes. It was made by the Italian jewelry designer Lucia Odescalchi. Camilla added it to her jewelry collection earlier this year during the state visit to Italy, and she wore the brooch in Ravenna at the end of the trip.

Here’s one more look at Camilla wearing the fascinating modern brooch at St. Bart’s in Corsham. It would have been easy to decide to wear a poppy brooch for this particular engagement, but I like the unexpected brooch choice. We’ll be seeing plenty of poppy jewels in the lead-up to Remembrance Sunday over the next two weeks.