Happy Birthday to Penelope Knatchbull, Countess Mountbatten of Burma, who turns 70 today! The accomplished chatelaine of Broadlands, who is High Steward of Romsey, a patron of many charities, and has remained close to the Royal Family over decades, Lady Mountbatten wears several illustrious family heirlooms, which include Queen Louise of Sweden’s Diamond Brooch!
Mountbatten Pearl Star Tiara | Queen Louise’s Diamond Brooch
A striking Art Deco Diamond Navette Brooch, this piece is of an unknown provenance but was likely acquired at some point in the 1920s or 1930s, possibly at Cartier.
Queen Louise was most notably photographed wearing the Diamond Navette Brooch for a prominent series of official portraits taken in 1945, which are among the most publicised images of the Queen.
Queen Louse continued to wear the Diamond Navette Brooch Ito the 1950s and the 1960s, and after her passing in 1965, while her Seed Pearl Brooch went to Queen Anne-Marie of Greece, her Sapphire Spray Brooch to Princess Margaretha of Sweden, and her Hesse Emerald Brooch to Princess Sophie of Greece and Hanover, the Diamond Navette Brooch was inherited by her niece, Patricia Knatchbull, the 2nd Countess Mountbatten of Burma.
While Countess Mountbatten was never photographed wearing Queen Louise of Sweden’s Diamond Brooch, it was worn by her daughter-in-law, the then Lady Romsey, for the Queen and Duke of Edinburgh’s Golden Wedding Anniversary Gala in 1997.
More recently, Countess Mountbatten wore Queen Louise’s Diamond Navette Brooch for Royal Ascot in 2022. There is no doubt we will continue to see this Royal Heirloom for years to come!
Mountbatten Pearl Star Tiara | Queen Louise’s Diamond Brooch | Mountbatten Tiara | Pearl and Diamond Tiara | Art Deco Diamond Necklace
