Princess Margaret’s Diamond Fleur-de-Lys Brooch

Today marks the Anniversary of the Birth of Princess Margaret, the Queen’s late sister, who was born on this day in 1930! As one of the leading members of the Royal Family for decades, the late Princess had a huge jewellery collection, which included this Diamond Fleur-de-Lys Brooch!

A striking Diamond Fleur-de-Lys Stomacher of antique provenance, this Brooch was likely a gift to Princess Margaret from a shipping company at some point in the late 1950s.

This spectacular Diamond Fleur-de-Lys Brooch seems to have been debuted by Princess Margaret with the Lotus Flower Tiara at a Ball in Victoria during her visit to Canada to to mark the centennial of the Colony of British Columbia in 1958.

Princess Margaret regularly wore the Diamond Fleur-de-Lys Brooch on several occasions through the late 1950s, for a variety of Gala events including the Royal Film Premiere of Gigi’ at the Columbia Theatre and the Royal Ballet Benevolent Fund Gala at the Royal Opera House in 1959.

Princess Margaret notably wore the Fleur-de-Lys Stomacher with the Poltimore Tiara and the Teck Diamond Hoop Necklace for the Wedding Ball of King Baudouin and Doña Fabiola de Mora y Aragón at the Royal Palace of Brussles in 1960.

Through the 1960s, Princess Margaret wore the Diamond Fleur-de-Lys Stomacher for several important Gala Occasions during the Jamaican Independence Celebrations in 1962 and the Belgian State Visit to Britain in 1963.

Princess Margaret continued to wear the Diamond Fleur-de-Lys Stomacher through the 1960s and 1970s, most notably with the Poltimore Tiara for her and Lord Snowdon’s Tour of America in 1965.

In 1986, Princess Margaret wore the Diamond Fleur-de-Lys Stomacher as a headdress with elements of the Poltimore Tiara for Lord Glenconner’s 60th Birthday Party on the Island of Mustique.

Unlike many jewels, Princess Margaret continued to wear the Diamond Fleur-de-Lys Stomacher into her old age, though appearances became quite rare. One of the final appearances of the Brooch was at a Concert with the Queen at the Royal College of Music in 1995.

After Princess Margaret’s death in 2002, the Diamond Fleur-de-Lys Brooch was not among the jewels that were sold by her children at the famous 2006 Christie’s Auction, instead having been retained by the 2nd Earl of Snowdon and Lady Sarah Chatto, though the Brooch has yet to make a reappearance.