Queen Camilla Wears Sparkling Sapphires to View the Bayeux Tapestry

The President of France came to London this week for a very special diplomatic moment: a viewing of the new exhibition of the Bayeux Tapestry at the British Museum. Naturally, Queen Camilla also opted for diplomatic jewels for the occasion.

King Charles III and Queen Camilla arrived at the British Museum on Wednesday with President Emmanuel Macron and his wife, Brigitte, to visit the new exhibition of the Bayeux Tapestry at the British Museum. Prime Minister Andy Burnham also joined them during the visit with his wife, Marie-France van Heel.

The Bayeux Tapestry is an embroidered cloth, 70 meters in length, that depicts the events of the Norman Conquest. It is thought to have been commissioned by Bishop Odo of Bayeux, the brother of William the Conqueror. Made in England in the 1070s, it has spent most of the millennium in Normandy. While the museum in Bayeux that houses it is under construction, it has made a rare trip across the Channel to London, where it will be displayed to the public from September 10 until July 2027.

For the visit to the tapestry, Queen Camilla appropriately paired a British-made garment with French accessories. Her dress, which features delicate floral embroidery, comes from one of her favorite designers, Anna Valentine. (We previously saw her wear the dress this spring in America.) She paired it with a Dior handbag and Chanel shoes.

Camilla also wore an interesting pair of diamond and sapphire earrings for the museum visit. The earrings, which have a four-pointed star design, appear to be new additions to her collection. To me, these resemble the Louis Vuitton star logo. (Brigitte Macron is a dedicated Louis Vuitton client.)

Camilla also wore her usual stacks of bracelets on both wrists. The most easily recognizable was the blue agate Alhambra bracelet from Van Cleef & Arpels. Like her grandmother before her, Camilla is a huge fan of VC&A jewelry and has amassed a large personal collection of their pieces over the years.

Before I leave you today, a preview of what’s to come this weekend. After a postponement following the death of the King of Norway, my article on the Greek royal wedding ball of 1964 will finally be available to paid subscribers at Hidden Gems on Saturday. (There are a lot of tiaras involved!) And on Sunday, I’ll be sending out my usual free newsletter featuring a digest of the week’s content and a recent favorite book recommendation. See you there!