#Queen Elizabeth Brooches

[the-jewel-catalogue]

The Duchess of Teck's Pearl and Diamond Brooch

When Queen Mary’s brother Prince Frank died in 1910, they had just repaired a decade long rift, during which he altered his will to reflect his feelings towards his sister.

James Pope-Hennessy said around this time (when his sister has just recently become Princess of Wales) Prince Frank was alienated from her due to her disapproval of his mistress Nellie, Countess of Kilmorey as well as her attempts to help him “with money and good advice.” He says Frank found, “the burden of gratitude too heavy to bear.”

Frank’s will states, “The jewel given me by my godfather Francis Joseph Emperor of Austria I leave to Eleanor Constance, Countess of Kilmorey with the caveat that she will leave it to H.R.H. The Princess Victoria of Great Britain and Ireland daughter of His Majesty King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra.”

Queen Mary was horrified by the contents of the will and in 1910 paid the Countess £10,000 for the Cambridge emeralds to be returned to her. But this jewel was not included in that purchase. The Countess died in 1920 and the brooch presumably went to Princess Victoria. The brooch was later either given to or left to Queen Mary by Princess Victoria (who died in 1935) and was later photographed in her photographic jewel inventory. She left it to Queen Elizabeth II in 1953. The brooch has now presumably been left to King Charles.

~ British Royal Jewels IG

[tiaramania]

The Consort Crown & Coronation Jewels

Queen Camilla has a lot of options for the jewelry that she will wear to her husband's coronation on May 6th. My predictions are based on the jewelry worn by Queen Alexandra, Queen Mary, and Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother, and are pretty safe choices. Other than a crown and the ring all of this jewelry is optional and Queen Camilla may decide not to wear all of it or to wear different pieces altogether.

The jewels used in the coronation are some of the most controversial ones the British Royal Family possess. I won't get into their history or what should be done with them here because plenty of others have already covered it. They have already decided to not use the Koh-i-Noor diamond but there are a few others that go along with it that are not as well know that I think should also be set aside this time around.

Queen Mary's Crown

The last few consorts have had new crowns made for them but Queen Camilla has decided to reuse Queen Mary's Consort Crown. It was made in 1911 by Garrard using over two thousand diamonds set in silver and gold. Instead of the Koh-i-Noor diamond, Queen Camilla is using the Cullinan V diamond in the center of the crown like Queen Mary did for her son's coronation in 1937. She is also going to use only four of the eight arches bringing it more in line with the other crowns used in the ceremony. All of the alterations were already possible, they just haven't been used in this exact configuration before.

The Coronation Earrings

The focus is usually on the Koh-I-Noor diamond itself but going with it are the Coronation Earrings. Queen Victoria had them made using the pear shaped diamonds from the sides of the Koh-I-Noor armlet in 1858. It's sometimes a bit confusing because Queen Victoria did not wear them to her coronation but they got the name Queen Victoria's Coronation Earrings later after being worn by Queen Elizabeth and Queen Elizabeth II at their coronations. Hugh Roberts wrote that Queen Mary also wore them for her husband's coronation but in the pictures it looks like she is wearing her Diamond Collet Earrings made from extra diamonds taken from the Coronation Necklace not these. She could have worn different earrings for the pictures or just worn the tops of the earrings. I think Queen Mary's Diamond Collet Earrings are the better choice but another possibility is that Queen Camilla will wear an entirely different pair of earrings. She doesn't have pierced ears so it may be decided not to alter such old earrings.

The Coronation Necklace

The necklace was made in 1858 by Garrard using diamonds taken from unused garter badges and a sword hilt and can be worn with the Lahore Diamond as a pendant. Like the Coronation Earrings, Queen Victoria didn't actually wear this necklace at her coronation but it has been worn at every one since. Queen Mary and Queen Elizabeth II used the pendant but Queen Alexandra and Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother, did not. I think it's best to not use the Lahore Diamond this time because it’s from the same collection of jewels as the Koh-i-Noor. Queen Elizabeth II regularly wore the Coronation Earrings and the Coronation Necklace with the Lahore Diamond without anyone saying anything or connecting them with the Koh-i-Noor but if there is a chance to avoid controversy they should take it.

Queen Elizabeth's Coronation Necklace

In addition to the Coronation Necklace I would like Queen Camilla to wear Queen Elizabeth's Coronation Necklace. It was a gift from King George VI to his wife for their coronation in 1937 and was worn by her along with the main coronation necklace. Queen Camilla has already worn this necklace and had is shortened from 40 to 31 diamonds. It may need to be lengthened a bit again in order to lay right with the other necklace.

The Buckle Bracelets

Queen Mary had these bracelets made for the 1911 coronation using two diamond and enamel buckles that belonged to King William IV attached to four rows of diamonds each. According to The Queen's Jewels by Leslie Field, one buckle features the cypher of King William IV and the other of Queen Adelaide. Queen Mary also wore them for a few portraits and Queen Elizabeth wore them for her husband's coronation in 1937 but I haven't been able to find any pictures of them being worn since then.

The Diamond Cockade Brooch

This brooch has been worn by the last three Queen Consorts. Queen Alexandra and Queen Mary both wore the full brooch but Mary turned the side sections up so it was V shaped. Queen Elizabeth only wore the central section and I think that's probably how it will be worn by Queen Camilla since the whole piece is pretty massive.

The Consort Ring

This ruby and diamond ring was made for Queen Adelaide to wear to her husband's coronation in 1831 and has been worn by every Queen Consort since. The ring is actually part of the ceremony and will be placed by the Archbishop of Canterbury on Queen Camilla's right hand.

I can’t wait to see what jewels Queen Camilla will wear! What are your predictions?

[world-of-wales]

CATHERINE'S STYLE FILES - 2023

11 NOVEMBER 2023 || The Princess of Wales attended the Royal British Legion Festival of Remembrance at the Royal Albert Hall along with Prince William and other of the Royal Family.

Catherine opted for -

↬ 'Jorgie' Ruched Crepe Dress in 'Black' by Emilia Wickstead

↬ Queen Elizabeth II's Bahrain Pearl Drop Earrings

↬ Queen Elizabeth II's Three-Strand Pearl Necklace

↬ 1st The Queen's Dragoon Guards Brooch in Silver

↬ Paper Poppy Pin by Royal British Legion

↬ 'Muse' Clutch Bag in 'Black Suede' by Stuart Weitzman

↬ 'Purist 105' Pumps in 'Bllack Suede' by Aquazzura

[vox-anglosphere]

The maple leaf diamond brooch was a gift from King George VI to the Queen Mother and was worn throughout their historic 1939 tour.

[thepastisalreadywritten]

In her “accession” photographs, shot in 1952 by Dorothy Wilding, HM Queen Elizabeth II is pictured with the Girls of Great Britain and Ireland Tiara upon her head – a jewel that you might recognize because Her Majesty is seen wearing it on the front of every Bank of England banknote.

Originally the property of Queen Mary, Duchess of York, Princess of Wales and finally Queen Consort of King George V, the Girls of Great Britain and Ireland Tiara was crafted by Garrard in 1893 to be given as a wedding present from the Girls of Great Britain and Ireland committee.

Designed to be transformable, allowing it to be worn as either a necklace or coronet, over the years, Queen Mary requested that Garrard add diamonds, remove pearls, and separate the bandeau from the base so that she could wear it as a headband.

In 1947, Queen Mary gave the tiara to Princess Elizabeth as a wedding present. In 1969, now Queen Elizabeth II, she asked for the bandeau and tiara to be reunited, as it remains today.

Worn frequently by Her Late Majesty The Queen, the Girls of Great Britain and Ireland Tiara is an ongoing source of inspiration for Garrard’s designers, with the repeated pattern of diamonds encircling the base reflected in the round and geometric Windsor motif, which is a signature of the Albemarle and Fanfare jewellery collections.

The Queen’s love of brooches is legendary, and in Bob Thomas’ intimate portrait of Her Majesty at the Royal Windsor Horse Show, she is pictured wearing the Cullinan V Heart Brooch, one of several important brooches commissioned from Garrard by the Royal Family.

Showcasing the 18.80-carat heart shape Cullinan V diamond, the fifth-largest gem to be cut from the 3,106-carat Cullinan Diamond – the largest gem-quality rough diamond ever discovered – the diamond was given to Queen Mary in 1911 as a gift from the South African government.

It was originally worn by Queen Mary as part of the suite of jewellery made by Garrard for her to wear at the Delhi Durbar in 1911.

When Queen Mary died in 1953, the Cullinan V Brooch was passed to her granddaughter, Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, who was photographed wearing it throughout her reign.

The Sapphire and Diamond cluster ring worn by Catherine, Princess of Wales, formerly Duchess of Cambridge, in the 2013 portrait by her father Michael Middleton is among Garrard’s best-known creations.

Set with a magnificent 12-carat oval Ceylon sapphire, encircled by a cluster of diamonds set in 18 carat white gold, the ring was personally chosen by Lady Diana Spencer for her engagement to Prince Charles.

It became instantly famous after it was prominently showcased in an engagement shoot in 1981 that took place in the grounds of Buckingham Palace.

A new chapter in the story of Princess Diana’s engagement ring was written when, in 2010, William, Prince of Wales, formerly Duke of Cambridge, chose to propose to Catherine Middleton with the same engagement ring his father had given to Diana.

As this royal jewel, passed down through generations, takes on new meaning and sentiment upon Princess of Wales’ hand, we continue to honour this history-defining design in the 1735 collection.

Garrard’s iconic cluster setting also features prominently in the Jewelled Vault, where each one-of-a-kind creation is designed around an exceptional central stone.

A page from the scrapbook of Princess Victoria of Wales, daughter of King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra, shows photographs of Alexandra, dating from 1901, wearing a diamond crown that is much smaller than a traditional royal crown.

Crafted by Garrard in 1871 at the request of Queen Victoria, the miniature crown was designed to be worn over Queen Victoria widow’s cap.

Set with more than 1,000 diamonds and featuring alternating crosses and fleur-de-lis motifs, Garrard created the crown so that the arches could be removed.

Queen Victoria wore the Small Diamond Crown for the first time at the opening of Parliament in 1871 and frequently thereafter for state occasions.

After Queen Victoria’s death, the crown was worn by Queen Alexandra, who in turn passed it to her daughter-in-law, Queen Mary.

Today, Queen Victoria’s Small Diamond Crown is housed at the Jewel House at the Tower of London, where it is on display.

Both King George VI and HM The Queen are pictured wearing the Imperial State Crown in the Life Through a Royal Lens exhibition.

The 10th iteration of this historic jewel, the crown was crafted by Garrard in 1937 for King George VI and adjusted for The Queen ahead of her coronation in 1953.

Some of the most historic gems in the royal collection reside in this Crown Jewel, including, at the front of the crown, the Cullinan II, the second largest diamond cut from the 3,106-carat Cullinan Diamond – the largest gem-quality rough diamond ever discovered.

Above it, mounted on a diamond Maltese cross, is the Black Prince Ruby, which is not a ruby at all.

In the 16th century, it was discovered that this blood-red semi-polished stone is, in fact, a spinel, a gem that is often referred to as “the great imposter” after it was discovered that some of the most famous “rubies” seen in crown jewels around the world are, indeed, spinels.

A big moment in Garrard’s history was the recutting of the Koh-i-Noor Diamond.

This sizeable white diamond was first displayed to the public at the Great Exhibition of 1851.

In 1852, Prince Albert, who was instrumental in the creation of the Exhibition, commission Garrard to recut the diamond.

The intensely demanding cutting process lasted eight weeks and was overseen by The Duke of Wellington.

Garrard worked to create more facets to enhance its beauty; consequently, the diamond emerged as a dazzling brilliant weighing 105.6 carats.

In 1911, the Koh-i-Noor was set into Queen Mary’s Crown, newly created by Garrard for the Coronation.

Today, the fabled Koh-i-Noor Diamond (which is now only worn by a woman – if a man wears it, he will supposedly be cursed) is set at the centre of The Queen Mother’s Crown created by Garrard in 1937.

In a black-and-white photograph taken at the Delhi Durbar in 1911, held to mark the coronation of King George V and Queen Mary as Emperor and Empress of India, Queen Mary is pictured wearing the magnificent Delhi Durbar Suite.

Created by Garrard at the request of the Queen, who wanted a suite of jewels that perfectly captured the majesty of the occasion, the suite included an emerald and diamond tiara, earrings, a brooch, a stomacher, and a spectacular necklace.

Designed by Garrard in a striking circlet style, the Delhi Durbar necklace is set with eight large cabochon emeralds known collectively as the Cambridge Emeralds, with a pendant suspended beneath set with a ninth Cambridge Emerald.

In 1912, Garrard made slight alterations to the necklace, making the emerald pendant detachable and adding a second removable pendant showcasing the 8.80-carat marquise cut Cullinan VII diamond.

Queen Mary regularly wore the necklace and the other jewels in the parure for the rest of her life, after which they became the property of Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, who inherited the Delhi Durbar Necklace in 1953 and had worn it on many occasions.

The Delhi Durbar Tiara, meanwhile, was given by Her Late Majesty The Queen to Camilla, Queen Consort, after her marriage to His Majesty King Charles III.

Commissioned by Queen Mary in 1919, the Fringe Tiara was crafted by Garrard in the fashionable Russian style reminiscent of a kokoshnik and designed to be convertible so that it could be worn as either a tiara or a necklace.

Queen Mary gave the tiara to her daughter-in-law, Queen Elizabeth, later the Queen Mother, who was pictured wearing it in Cecil Beaton’s whimsical portrait.

Queen Elizabeth in turn loaned it to her daughter, Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, then Princess Elizabeth, to wear for her wedding to Philip Mountbatten in 1947 as her “something borrowed.”

In 1974, the Queen Mother loaned the Fringe tiara for another royal wedding, that of her granddaughter Princess Anne.

Most recently, it was worn by Princess Beatrice on the occasion of her wedding to Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi in 2020.

Originally created by Garrard in 1870 for Florence, Lady Poltimore, the 2nd Baron of Poltimore, the Poltimore Tiara was not publicly known until it was acquired by Princess Margaret prior to her engagement to Antony Armstrong-Jones in 1959.

Featuring elegant diamond scrolls evocative of flora – an enduring source of inspiration during the Victorian era in which it was made – it quickly became one of the Princess’s most prized possessions.

In the ensuing years, both Margaret and the towering jewel were regularly in the spotlight, including, most famously, the photograph on show as part of the Life Through a Royal Lens exhibition featuring the Princess wearing the Poltimore Tiara in the bathtub.

[xinfinityl0ve17]

Mana's Favorite Outfit

1997 at NIHON SEINENKAN & SHIBUYA KOKAIDO

Hair Accessory: An elaborate hairpiece featuring blue and black feathers, matching the outfit.

Collar: A luxurious design reminiscent of nobility, adorned with a gold brooch at the center of the ribbon.

Sleeves: Detailed with fine pleats to create a flared effect.

Skirt: An over-skirt with black feathers, giving the outfit a streamlined appearance.

Mana (from Stylist)

This outfit was inspired by the image of Queen Elizabeth. Despite being a dress the mini skirt element adds a unique touch. The over-skirt flutters beautifully when moving. It's rare to see a mini skirt on a dress, and I wanted to maintain a sense of elegance while showing some leg. The combination of a dress with visible legs adds a certain eroticism. It was especially memorable for me as it was worn on a major stage for the first time at the Nihon Seinenkan and Shibuya Kokaido.

[gallifreyanhotfive]

Random Doctor Who Facts You Might Not Know, Part 23

River Song chose Bernice Summerfield as her tutor in university because she knew the Doctor. Benny remembers that she was the most annoying student she ever had, rarely attended class, but still graduated on top.

Not only does the Sixth Doctor wear a cat brooch, but he wears cat cufflinks too.

Jenny had managed to track the Eleventh Doctor down during the Siege of Trenzalore but was unable to get to him due to the forcefield kept by the Papal Mainframe.

The Sixth Doctor has twelve identical spare coats in the TARDIS wardrobe.

Leela once stabbed the Second Doctor with a Janus thorn. Jamie immediately began a knife fight with her in response.

Peri Brown once had to disguise herself as Queen Elizabeth I, big dress and all. The Sixth Doctor was much more amused by this than she was.

When Helen first became a companion, she thought the Eighth Doctor was scary.

After the Twelfth Doctor kicked Rassilon off Gallifrey, Rassilon allied himself with the Cybermen, was converted into the CyberPresident, and created an alternate timeline where the Cybermen had taken over the universe. This timeline was later eradicated.

There are 76 different color tones in the Sixth Doctor's coat.

While at university, River stole a vortex manipulator in order to get help from her future self on essays. The reason she wasn't expelled was because she argued that it was impossible to plagiarize off of herself.

When listening to a device that sounds like the voice of someone the listener admires and respects, Ianto heard Jack, and Jack heard the Tenth Doctor.

In a parallel universe, Rob Tyler was the son of Jackie and Pete Tyler. He was the male counterpart of Rose and in a relationship with Mickey.

By one account, Rassilon’s first body was male; by another, female.

After a conversation with the Third Doctor, River became convinced that the Sixth Doctor was copying her hair.

After learning about messages in bottles, Jenny wrote to the Doctor, hoping it would one day find them.

Dalek juice is a beverage made from the secretions that come out of a Dalek as it is tortured.

The Sixth Doctor developed a weak form of night vision from the carrot juice Mel had him drink.

Jamie has disguised himself as a woman on two different occasions (that I can think of).

Part 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28

[warwickroyals]

Sunderland's Royal Jewel Vault (39/∞) ♛

↬ The Duchess of Westminster's Star Tiara

Made in the nineteenth century, this diamond tiara features prominent star clip brooches that once belonged to Princess Amelia of Sunderland (a daughter of King Louis II). It was inherited by Amelia’s namesake and goddaughter Princess Amelia Elizabeth of Westminster in 1870. By 1891 Amelia Elizabeth had altered the stars into a flexible headband, and in 1902, a tiara base featuring scrolling elements was added. Ultimately, Amelia Elizabeth left the tiara to her eldest daughter, Helen. Despite having four children of her own, the tiara didn’t stay within Helen’s family, instead falling into the hands of her cousin: Queen Anne of Sunderland. Since then the jewel has stayed with the Warwicks. It was handed over to Anne’s daughter-in-law, Queen Katherine, in the late 1950s. Katherine wore the piece a few times during her husband’s reign, but was shelved in 1960, having never been Katherine’s favourite. In more recent years, the tiara was loaned to Tatiana, Princess of Danforth, one of the three tiaras she received from her in-laws in the late 90s and early 00s. Tatiana has yet to wear the piece as a tiara, instead opting for its original brooch setting. Creation: Early nineteenth century, altered in 1891 by court jeweller Albemarle Provenance: 1) Princess Amelia of Sunderland 2) Princess Amelia Elizabeth, Duchess of Sunningdale 3) Helen, Marchioness of Dufferin 4) Queen Anne of Sunderland 5) Queen Katherine of Sunderland 6) Queen Irene of Sunderland Other wearers: Tatiana, Princess of Danforth Commissioned/Purchased by: Princess Amelia of Sunderland Status: On loan to Tatiana, Princess of Danforth

[the-jewel-catalogue]

The Sapphire Jubilee Snowflake Brooch

The exquisite sapphire, diamond and 18k white gold pendant was designed by Saskatchewan-based jeweller Hillberg & Berk.

The 4.39 carat Sapphire Jubilee Brooch features more than 400 diamonds and 48 Canadian sapphires sourced from Baffin Island. Its sleek snowflake design is an ode to the chilly landscape of the Arctic.  

[spiritundaunted]

Happy 101st Anniversary to Bertie & Elizabeth

The Duke & Duchess of York on their wedding day, April 26, 1923.

The young royals had no idea that 13 years later they would become King George VI & Queen Elizabeth.

Prince Albert's gift to Elizabeth's bridesmaids was an exquisitely carved crystal brooch of the white Rose of York with the couple's monogram (E A) and the ducal crown in diamonds. I really love how modern the style of the cypher is! Very reflective of the Deco period.

If you look carefully at the wedding portrait, you can see the bridesmaids wearing the brooch. It's a lovely small size; not too much!

Just Married!!

Throwing this one in for fun 'coz you can tell they are smiling even from behind. :)

The newly married Duke & Duchess of York leaving Buckingham Palace for their honeymoon. The Duke is getting pelted with confetti by his brothers.

Theirs is such a beautiful love story. ❤️💍❤️ 

RCT, thebeaumondecollection,

[tiaramania]

Welsh Guard's Leek Brooch

The Princess of Wales is wearing one of the Welsh Guard's Leek Brooches for the first time at the St. David's Day Parade with the 1st Battalion of the Welsh Guards.

There are at least three nearly identical brooches in the family with Queen Elizabeth II, Queen Camilla, and Princess Diana all wearing different ones. The first of the three was given to Queen Elizabeth II by the Welsh Guards in the 1960s and is made of diamonds set in platinum.

The brooch worn by Catherine does not match the one worn by QEII or Camilla but it could be the one worn by Diana. The leaves on both Catherine's and Diana's twist on the left side but it's hard to tell if they are a match because I can't find higher quality pictures of Diana's.

It's also very possible that it's a newly made leek brooch just for the new Princess of Wales since the Welsh Guards seem to be generous with them. This is the second piece of Wales associated jewelry Catherine has worn since becoming Princess of Wales after Queen Alexandra's Prince of Wales Feather Brooch.

[world-of-wales]

CATHERINE'S STYLE FILES - 2019

10 NOVEMBER 2019 || The Duchess of Cambridge attended the annual Remembrance Sunday Service at the Cenotaph in London along with Prince William and other members of the Royal Family.

[scotianostra]

July 13th 1900 saw the birth of Elizabeth “Bessie” Watson in Edinburgh.

Born just off the Grassmarket, at 11 The Vennel to Agnes Newton and Horatio Watson, Bessie did not take long to make her mark in the world, at the tender age of 9 she combined her two greatest loves: bagpiping and woman’s suffrage, the latter makes her arguably the youngest in Scotland, if not the world.

When she turned seven, Bessie’s aunt Margaret contracted tuberculosis – an incident which would change the youngster’s life forever. Margaret lived with the family, and Bessie’s parents, worried that she might fall ill to the contagious disease, encouraged her to take up the bagpipes in a bid to strengthen her weak lungs. Her first set of pipes was specially-produced according to her diminutive stature as she was too small to properly inflate an adult-sized bag. The half-sized set of pipes was purchased from Robertson’s pipe makers at 58 Grove Street. “I hurried home from school and carried it, in a brown paper parcel down to my (music) teacher”, Bessie recalled. As one of the very few female bagpipe players in the world at that time – not to mention one of the youngest – Bessie took to her new instrument with great enthusiasm.

Bessie had more than her bag pipe playing to make her worthy of a post here, while walking with her mother through the streets of Edinburgh, Scotland, Bessie stopped to look at the window of the Women’s Social and Political Union office. Bessie became excited about the idea of women receiving the right to vote, even though she wouldn’t be able to vote for many years.

Bessie realized that her talents could help promote votes for women. She would run from school each day to play her bagpipes outside of the Calton Jail in Edinburgh for fellow suffragettes in prison.

At the first suffrage pageant she performed at, she wore a sash with the words “Votes for Women” as she performed with her bagpipes. At the height of the suffragette movement, Bessie was playing at major demonstrations and parades for the Women’s Social and Political Union, including the famous procession through Edinburgh on 9th October 1909. On that day a large crowd watched as hundreds of banner-laden ladies, wearing the suffragist colours of purple, white and green, marched down Princes Street before congregating at Waverley Market for a rally led by Emmeline Pankhurst. Watson rode on a float beside a woman dressed as Isabella Duff, Countess of Buchan in her cage! Isabella is famed for crowning Robert the Bruce at Scone when he seized the Scottish crown, she was later captured with the Bruce family and held prisoner in a cage in the open air at Berwick for four years.

Back to oor Bessie, who just a ten year-old she travelled to London to play her bagpipes in a women’s march on June 17th, 1911. J ust a few weeks later, for George’s state visit to Edinburgh, Bessie, leading the 2nd Edinburgh Company of the Girl Guides, received recognition from the king himself as she raised her salute. Having secured regal acknowledgement in time for her 11th birthday, Scotland’s youngest female piper continued in her quest to support women’s rights, accompanying inmates bound for Holloway Prison to Waverley Station and playing the pipes as their trains departed.

For the part she played in Edinburgh’s historic women’s rights pageant of 1909, young Bessie received a special gift from one very prominent individual. Christabel Pankhurst (daughter of Emmeline) came to Edinburgh to address a meeting at the King’s Theatre and Bessie was invited to attend. During the evening she was presented with a brooch representing Queen Boadicea (Boudica) in her chariot, as a token of gratitude for her help in the pageant.

During WWI, Bessie was just a teenager and used her talents to make a difference in other ways. She began helping the Scots Guard to recruit army volunteers by playing her bagpipes

In 1926 Bessie moved with her parents to a new house on Clark Road, Trinity where she would remain for the rest of her days. Following her marriage to electrical contractor John Somerville at the end of the Second World War, Bessie devoted her life to teaching music and foreign languages. Former neighbours recall that, even into her late eighties, Bessie continued to play her bagpipes at 11am every morning. It was something she had always done.

Bessie died in 1992, two and a half weeks short of her 92nd birthday. Over the course of her long life she had experienced almost a century of social progression and upheaval, and had played her part in changing the world for the better.

A pictorial tribute was unveiled at The Vennel in Edinburgh on August 1st 2019 in memory of Bessie, the University of Edinburgh also have a lecture room named in her honour.

[charlotte-of-wales]

Royal Tiaras Highlights: The Strathmore Rose Tiara

The tiara was a gift to Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon from her father, the Earl of Strathmore, for her 1923 wedding to the Duke of York, the future King George VI. The tiara features a garland of wild roses in diamonds mounted in silver and gold and was purchased for the future Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother at a London jeweler; it dates from the late nineteenth century.

The flowers in the tiara can be removed and worn as brooches and also be swapped-out for sapphires. The Queen Mother frequently wore the piece low on her head - as it was common in the 20s - but the piece does feature two separate frames, one that allows for a traditional wear.

Last time the tiara was seen was in 2012, when it was photographed for Hugh Roberts’ book ‘The Queen’s Diamonds’. The piece was inherited by Queen Elizabeth II so it’s still apart of the Royal Family’s collection.