Queen Elizabeth and Queen Camilla in the Girls of Great Britain and Ireland tiara.Photo:Tim Graham Photo Library via Getty; Chris Jackson/Getty
Tim Graham Photo Library via Getty; Chris Jackson/Getty
Queen Camillapaid tribute toQueen Elizabethin some of her most recognizable jewels.
King Charlesand Queen Camilla visited Mansion House on Thursday totake part in longstanding traditionsmarking a new monarch’s first visit to the City of London (the historic square mile that joins 32 boroughs to make up Greater London) in their coronation year.
While Queen Camilla has worn a number of tiaras before, the outing marked a royal first as she made her debut in the Girls of Great Britain and Ireland tiara. The headpiece is closely associated with Queen Elizabeth, who wore the accessory numerous times throughout her 70 years on the throne, including in depictions of her on some British and Commonwealth banknotes and coins.
According to theRoyal Collection Trust, the tiara was a wedding present from the “Girls of Great Britain and Ireland” to the Duchess of York, later Queen Mary, in 1893.The Court Jewelleradds that Lady Eva Greville led the campaign to raise money for the piece, which was purchased from Garrard. The fundraising effort was so successful that the extra money went to the wives and children of sailors who died in the collision of the battleship HMS Victoria.
Queen Camilla attends a dinner at Mansion House on Oct. 18, 2023 in Queen Elizabeth’s tiara.Samir Hussein/WireImage
Samir Hussein/WireImage
Queen Elizabeth inherited the tiara from her grandmother, who made it a wedding present for the future monarch when she married Prince Philip in 1947. Queen Elizabeth even affectionately called the accessory “Granny’s tiara,” remembering who gave her the heirloom.
Queen Elizabeth wears the Girls of Great Britain and Ireland tiara in 1992.Tim Graham Photo Library via Getty
Tim Graham Photo Library via Getty
Queen Camilla also sported other special accessories for Thursday’s dinner event. In another first for the new Queen, she wore her mother-in-law’s sparkling necklace and bracelet set that the late monarch received as a 21st birthday gift. The then-Princess Elizabeth marked the milestone occasion in South Africa, and in a speech broadcast from Cape Town, she dedicated her life to the service of the Commonwealth.
During a gala at the Government House celebrating her birthday, the future Queen was presented with a diamond and platinum necklace featuring 21 diamonds (with a matching bracelet!) from the Prime Minister of the Union of South Africa Field Marshal Jan Smuts, according to theCourt Jeweller.
During the presentation, Smuts said, “This little gift will remind her of this wonderful visit to South Africa and of this milestone in her life. It will be a symbol of the link she has established with our country and its people. It will remind her of the deep and sincere feelings of sympathy and goodwill which this historic visit has stirred in the hearts of all my people."
Queen Elizabeth wears her 21st birthday necklace in 1953.Mirrorpix/Getty
Mirrorpix/Getty
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King Charles and Queen Camilla attended the glamorous dinner at Mansion House to recognize the work of the City of London’s civic institutions and Livery Companies, the city’s ancient and modern trade guilds.
King Charles and Queen Camilla attend coronation dinner on Oct. 18, 2023.Samir Hussein/WireImage
One tradition they carried on was the Pearl Sword ceremony. Representing the authority of the Lord Mayor in the City of London, the King was presented with the sword, named for the 2,600 pearls on the scabbard. King Charles then returned the Pearl Sword, confirming the Lord Mayor’s authority when the monarch is not present. King Charles' mother performed the ceremony in 1953 following her coronation and again in 1977 and 2022 to mark important jubilees, celebrations of milestone years in her reign.
source: people.com
