Happy Birthday to the Countess of Wessex, who turns 55 today! The Queen’s favourite daughter-in-law, and the Royal Family’s usual representative at foreign royal events, the Countess possesses a lovely collection of jewels, and to mark her birthday, we are taking a look at her Art Deco Diamond Clip Brooches.

A pair of striking Art Deco Diamond Clips, which can be worn as one or two separate pieces, they were probably bought by the then Duke of York (later King George VI) possibly at Cartier in the early 1930s.

The Duchess of York wore the Art Deco Diamond Clips frequently on her hats in the 1930s, as well as for King George V’s Silver Jubilee Celebrations in 1935, though they appear to have been left in the jewellery box after then.

Decades later, in 1999, the Queen Mother gave her Art Deco Diamond Clip Brooches to Sophie Rhys-Jones when she married her youngest grandson, the Earl of Wessex, and the new Countess first wore the Diamond Clips at the Queen Mother’s 99th Birthday two months later.

The Countess notably wore the Queen Mother’s Art Deco Diamond Clip Brooches for Crown Prince Haakon’s Wedding Gala in 2001 and the Funeral of the Queen Mother in 2002, in addition to several daytime events.

The Queen Mother’s Art Deco Diamond Clips were worn by the Countess of Wessex for several gala events, among them the Wedding of Crown Prince Frederik of Denmark in Copenhagen in 2004 as well as the Enthronement Dinner of Prince Albert II of Monaco in 2005, in addition to Royal Ascot.

In recent years, the now Duchess of Edinburgh has rarely worn the Queen Mother’s Art Deco Diamond Clip Brooches, which were last worn for Royal Ascot on a couple of occasions over a decade ago. Let’s hope the Art Deco Diamond Clips reappear again soon!

Aquamarine Tiara

Lotus Flower Tiara

Wedding Tiara

Five Aquamarine Tiara

Art Deco Diamond Clip Brooches

Black and White Pearl Suite

Graff Sapphire and Diamond Suite

Queen’s Diamond Chandelier Suite

Queen’s Gold and Diamond Choker

Jade Pendant

Bahrain Pearl Earrings

King Faisal Diamond Necklace

Duchess of Edinburgh’s Tiaras

Girls of Great Britain and Ireland Tiara

Vladimir Tiara

Queen Alexandra’s Kokoshnik Tiara

Belgian Sapphire Tiara

Burmese Ruby Tiara

Brazilian Aquamarine Tiara

Queen Mary’s Fringe Tiara

Queen Mary’s Lover’s Knot Tiara

Queen Victoria’s Oriental Circlet Tiara

Nizam of Hyderabad Tiara

Plunket Tiara

Five Aquamarine Tiara

Imperial State Crown

George IV State Diadem

Necklaces

Coronation Necklace and Earrings

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Featuring two Art Deco Diamond Clips, which can be worn as one or two separate pieces, the Diamond Clips were probably bought by the then Duke of York (later King George VI) at Cartier in the 1930s, and worn by the then Duchess of York (later the Queen Mother) frequently on her hats in the 1930s, as well as King George V’s Silver Jubilee in 1935, though they appeared to have been left in the jewellery box after then.

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In 1999, the Queen Mother gave her Art Deco Diamond Clip Brooches to Sophie Rhys-Jones when she married her youngest grandson, the Earl of Wessex. The new Countess first wore the Art Deco Diamond Clips at the Queen Mother’s 99th Birthday two months later and also at her Funeral in 2002.

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The Queen Mother’s Art Deco Diamond Clip Brooches are among the few royal heirlooms personally owned by the Countess, and she has worn them in all types of ways, most often at Royal Ascot.