Yesterday, Queen Camilla debuted a a pair of heirloom Cartier Gold and Sapphire Flower Brooches from the collection of the late Queen Elizabeth II as she represented the King at the Royal Maundy Service at Worcester Cathedral.
A pair of striking Gold Flower Brooches set with sapphires and diamonds, they were described by Leslie Field in ‘The Queen’s Jewels’:
The Queen’s Cartier gold flower clips, with clusters of cushion-shaped sapphires and brilliant-cut diamonds in their centres, were bought separately in 1942 and 1945 by King George and Queen Elizabeth.”
The Cartier Gold and Sapphire Flower Clips were notably taken by Princess Elizabeth on her first Tour of Canada in 1951, appearing on several occasions, particularly in Windsor and Kingston, Ontario.
A few years later, the Queen took the Cartier Gold and Sapphire Clips to Canada again in 1957, where they were worn for a Church Service in Ottawa, before appearing for a Luncheon held in Washington DC during a subsequent State Visit to the United States.
In the 1960s, the Queen only wore the Cartier Gold and Sapphire Flower Clips for personal occasions, with them making a notable appearance in the spring of 1962 before disappearing for decades.
It wasn’t until the early 1990s that the Cartier Gold and Sapphire Flower Clips were again added into the Queen’s brooch rotation, almost 50 years after they had been given, appearing for daytime engagements.
In 1994, the Queen took the Cartier Gold and Sapphire Flower Clips to Canada again, wearing the Clips in Victoria, British Columbia, where she was opening the Commonwealth Games.
The following year, the Cartier Gold and Sapphire Clips were worn by the Queen at the Epsom Derby.
The Queen continued to wear the Cartier Gold and Sapphire Flower Clips for several engagements up into the late 1990s, when they again disappeared from public view.
That was until yesterday, when Queen Camila paired the Queen’s Cartier Gold and Sapphire Flower Clips with her Coronation Diamond Earrings as she represented King Charles III, the Head of the Church of England, and presented the Maundy Money to 75 men and 75 women pensioners during the Royal Maundy Service at Worcester Cathedral.
Queen Camilla has been debuting several royal heirlooms in recent weeks, which have included the Queen Mother’s Cartier Bracelets, the Greville Ivy Leaf Clips, and Queen Alexandra’s Aquamarine and Diamond Brooch, but lets hope we see these spectacular brooches worn again soon!
