Queen’s Jordanian Turquoise Suite

King Hussein of Jordan presented the late Queen Elizabeth II with this spectacular Turquoise and Sapphire Suite in 1966, which she first wore on this day in 1984, 40 years ago, during the first and only British State Visit to Jordan.

When King Hussein and Princess Muna of Jordan made a State Visit to the United Kingdom in 1966, the King presented Queen Elizabeth II with this spectacular Turquoise and Sapphire Suite, described as

a cluster-and-drop necklace and matching earrings of turquoises, with diamonds and sapphires”

We have not ever seen photographs of the Queen attending any of the Gala Dinners during the 1966 State Visit, one would assume that she wore the Turquoise and Sapphire Suite to honour her guests.

The Queen was first photographed wearing her Jordanian Suite with the Girls of Great Britain and Ireland Tiara at a Return Banquet in honour of King Hussein and Queen Noor at the British Embassy in Amman, during the first and only British State Visit to Jordan.

A few years later, the Queen wore the Jordanian Turquoise Suite for the Berlin Tattoo at the Deutschlandhalle in Berlin during her State Visit to Germany in 1992.

The Queen next wore the Jordanian Turquoise Suite just a few days later, for a Gala Concert by the Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra at the Barbican in London, which was the last public appearance of the necklace.

We had hoped that the Jordanian Turquoise Suite might have been worn by Queen Camilla on one of her visits to Jordan or the Princess of Wales at the Wedding of Crown Prince Hussein of Jordan, but we might just have to wait for the next State Visit between Jordan and the United Kingdom.