Today marks the Anniversary of the Birth of the late Duchess of Kent, who was born on this day in 1933! The Baronet’s daughter who married the late Queen’s first cousin and was a working royal for over 40 years before retiring from royal duties, the Duchess possessed some spectacular heirloom Jewels, which included this Pearl and Diamond Flower Brooch!
The exact origin of the Diamond Flower Brooch with a central pearl is unknown, but it may possibly originate from Queen Mary, who wore a Bracelet with an identical clasp with her Lover’s Knot Tiara for a portrait in the 1920s.
Since the time of her Wedding in 1961, the Duchess of Kent frequently wore Pearl and Diamond Flower Brooch on all sorts of occasions, with it being one of her most prominent jewels until she inherited Princess Marina’s Art Deco Brooch.
In the 1970s, the Duchess began to wear the Pearl and Diamond Flower Brooch as the clasp of a choker and she also wore a pair of coordinating pearl and diamond earrings, with a pearl pendant, for a variety of formal and formal events often with the Pearl and Diamond Fringe Tiara in the 1980s and 1990s.
The Duchess of Kent continued to wear the Pearl and Diamond Flower Brooch over the following few decades, including for Royal Ascot and also for Christmas at Windsor Castle.
The Diamond and Pearl Flower Suite was one of few jewels still worn by the Duchess of Kent since her retirement from royal duties in 2002, with notable appearances at Prince William’s Pre-Wedding Dinner in 2011 and a young musicians reception hosted by the Duchess at Buckingham Palace in 2016.
Most recently, the Diamond and Pearl Flower Brooch was worn by the Duchess’ daughter, Lady Helen Taylor, for the Funeral of the late Duchess of Kent at Westminster Cathedral in London in 2025. Let’s hope we see the jewel worn again soon!
