YOU don’t have to be a royal expert to know that a LOT of effort goes into each and every single one of The Queen’s outfits.
But while it’s common knowledge that Her Majesty often wears colours to reflect her engagements of the day, her impressive collection of brooches also have sentimental meanings behind them too.
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Here Fabulous examines The Queen’s favourite brooches and how the monarch uses them to pay tribute to her nearest and dearest.
Nizam of Hyderabad Brooch
In her first public appearance following Prince Philip‘s funeral in April, The Queen paid tribute to her late husband by wearing the Nizam of Hyderabad brooch.
The stunning floral diamond piece was once a part of a tiara gifted to her on her wedding day to Prince Philip in 1947.
His Highness the Nizam of Hyderabad, Osman Ali Khan, who was the last ruler of the Indian princely state of Nizam and Berar, purchased the gift from Cartier for Princess Elizabeth – which she later dismantled to wear as brooches.
The diamond bandeau, made by Cartier in 1939, was a rose-and-foliage design which featured three separate roses – the largest in the middle with two smaller versions on either side.
The three flowers could be detached from the tiara frame and worn as separate brooches – which the Queen later did in 1973.
Her Majesty received the Cartier tiara alongside a matching necklace which she chose herself, according to Write Royalty.
The gift was reportedly recorded in her official wedding list with a cost of £5,000 at the time – but is worth much more today.
According to Hugh Robert’s The Queen’s Diamonds, the tiara was set with 1,033 brilliants, 84 baton diamonds and 17 diamond beads.
Prince Albert Brooch
This stunning sapphire and diamond brooch was originally given to Queen Victoria from Prince Albert on the day before their wedding.
In her diary, Queen Victoria described it as a “a splendid brooch, a large sapphire set round with diamonds, which is really quite beautiful.”
And the late monarch loved her new brooch so much that she wore it on wedding gown the following day.
As historian Lauren Kiehna notes on her blog The Crown Jeweller, Queen Victoria classified the brooch as an “heirloom of the crown” in her will – meaning it will always be passed down to the reigning monarch.
The Prince Albert brooch is a piece The Queen wears often – and she’s even previously lent it to daughter Princess Anne too.
According to the jewellery experts at Steven Stone, the brooch was also the inspiration for Princess Diana‘s stunning engagement ring – which features a 12-carat sapphire which is surrounded by 14 diamonds.
Flower Basket Brooch
In 1948, Princess Elizabeth – as she was then – was given this ornate Flower Brooch by her parents to celebrate the birth of Prince Charles.
That year, she wore the poignant present from her parents to her eldest son’s christening.
But in a sweet family gesture, The Queen wore the piece once more for Prince George’s christening 65 years later.
The Rose Centenary Brooch
To celebrate The Queen Mother’s 100th birthday in 2000, Her Majesty commissioned this stunning rose brooch which was surrounded by 100 diamonds.
Collins & Sons designed the piece which was topped with a diamond bow and featured a hand painted Elizabeth Grandiflora Rose – which was bred for her 1953 coronation.
The year after the Queen Mother passed away, Her Majesty paid tribute to her mother by wearing the brooch during her 2002 Christmas address.
The Scarab Brooch
In 1996, Prince Philip and Queen Elizabeth celebrated their Golden Wedding Anniversary which marked 50 years of marriage.
To mark the occasion, the Duke of Edinburgh gave The Queen a gold piece of jewellery known as the Scarab brooch.
The gold brooch features several rubies which are flanked by smaller diamonds.
Millet Brooch
Earlier this month, Her Majesty, 95, wore the Millet Brooch – which has a poignant tie to the Duke and Duchess of Sussex – as she visited the Eden Project in Cornwall.
The Millet Brooch was given to the Queen in 2007 by the President of the Republic of Botswana at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Uganda.
The stunning gold accessory is shaped like a sorghum, also known as millet, which is the main crop of Botswana.
Royal fans were quick to link the Sussexes to the brooch, as Botswana holds a special place in Meghan and Harry’s heart because they headed there on their third date.
Prince Harry previously told Town & Country in 2017: “This is where I feel more like myself than anywhere else in the world.”
Botswana is so special to the couple, that the main stone in Meghan’s engagement ring is from the African country.
In more Royal Family news, Princess Diana said she never wanted to marry again after divorce from Prince Charles.
And Kate Middleton paid sweet tribute to George, Charlotte & Louis with necklace as she launches Centre for Early Childhood.
Plus Princess Diana remained a little in love with Prince Charles even after their divorce.
