Queen Camilla Honors the Late Queen Elizabeth with a Symbolic Piece of Jewelry at Royal Party
Queen Camilla arrived alongside King Charles and Princess Anne for a royal garden party at Holyroodhouse, Scotland, on July 1. The King and Queen Consort were in Edinburgh for a series of events marking Holyrood Week, the annual royal celebration of Scottish culture and achievements. While Camilla looked regal in a blue dress and coat with a matching hat, one detail paid tribute to her late mother-in-law, Queen Elizabeth. She wore the Diamond Thistle Brooch, a sentimental piece of jewelry once owned by the late Queen, pinned to her outfit.
Queen Camilla paired her regal brooch with a stunning Fiona Clare dress and a matching Phillip Treacy hat. As reported by Tatler, her historic brooch, which once belonged to Queen Mary, was later inherited by her granddaughter, Queen Elizabeth. After Queen Mary’s passing in 1953, then-Princess Elizabeth inherited her grandmother’s extensive jewelry collection. It wasn’t until 2010 that the Queen debuted the brooch in an official portrait taken at Holyroodhouse Palace. She has also worn the sentimental piece for the 20th anniversary of the Scottish Parliament in 2019 and its official reopening in 2021. In 2017, she donned the Diamond Thistle Brooch for the opening of the Queensferry Crossing Bridge over the Firth of Forth.
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Camilla's brooch also carries immense significance to Scottish culture and her royal heritage. The thistle has been recognized as the national emblem of Scotland since author Sir Walter Scott selected it as a symbol for King George IV’s visit to the country in 1822. As per Town & Country, she had debuted the same brooch at last year’s garden party in Edinburgh, as well as at an event celebrating 25 years of the Scottish parliament in September 2024. The piece is said to be designed by jewellers Edward & Sons and given to Queen Mary in 1927.
Jewelry expert James Harris explained the significance of Queen Camilla wearing Queen Elizabeth's historic brooches for royal events. He told GB News, "There are a number of iconic brooches in the late Queen Elizabeth II's collection that we may see being worn by Queen Camilla. Wearing a piece of jewelry as remembrance is a meaningful way to keep loved ones close and honor their memory." As per tradition, the monarch typically hosts three garden parties each summer at Buckingham Palace, along with one at Holyroodhouse in Scotland. The Edinburgh event welcomes over 8,000 guests, who enjoy music performed by regimental bands and The Royal Scottish Pipers Society.
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The Queen Consort has paid homage to the late Queen with her brooches in the past. On May 26, while accompanying King Charles on his throne speech to Canada, she paired her elegant pink coat dress with a maple leaf brooch. King George VI had gifted the iconic brooch to his wife, Queen Elizabeth (the Queen Mother). The Queen Mother then passed on the heirloom to her eldest daughter, Queen Elizabeth II. For her part, the late Queen wore the brooch for her first trip to Canada as Princess in 1951. She also wore it for a visit to Canada House for the 150th anniversary of Canadian Confederation, on her Sapphire Jubilee.