Sparkling Royal Jewels From Around the World
We’re finally digging out from a winter storm here in my neck of the woods, but I’ve got one more snowflake on my radar: a sparkling one on a Canadian coin, made to resemble a brooch from Queen Elizabeth II’s collection.
King Charles III isn’t just the sovereign of the United Kingdom. He’s also the monarch of several other nations, including fourteen additional Commonwealth Realms. Recently, Buckingham Palace released a set of official portraits for Australia, Canada, and New Zealand, ahead of the King and Queen’s first overseas Commonwealth visit later this year.
Happy Canada Day, magpies! We’re celebrating Canada’s national day with a look back at a glittering tiara appearance from one of its former heads of state, the late Queen Elizabeth II. In 1951, when she was still a princess, Elizabeth had a memorable night in sparkling diamonds at the Winnipeg Ballet.
Every Friday for the next several weeks, I’m featuring articles written by friends who have expertise in fascinating corners of the royal jewelry world. First up: a discussion of Canadian royal brooches from the fantastic Patricia Treble, a veteran Canadian royal journalist and royal brooch enthusiast who also publishes the Write Royalty website. Enjoy!
Ask any royal jewellery fan to name a Canadian royal brooch and the first answer is likely the diamond maple leaf, worn by four generations of royal women. But after that, it’s a struggle to name the rest. There are at least five and that “at least” caveat is because one of Canada’s offerings appears to have laid in a jewellery vault for more than a century before being pulled out again.