146-532: Queen Elizabeth II owned a historic collection of jewels – some as monarch and others as a private individual. They are separate from the gems and jewels of the Royal Collection, and from the coronation and state regalia that make up the Crown Jewels . The origin of a distinct royal jewel collection is vague, though it is believed the jewels have their origin somewhere in the 16th century. Many of
292-529: A civil marriage , she would have been expected to renounce her right of succession . Margaret decided to abandon her plans with Townsend. In 1960, she married Antony Armstrong-Jones , who was created Earl of Snowdon the following year. They divorced in 1978; Margaret did not remarry. Despite Queen Mary's death on 24 March 1953, the coronation went ahead as planned on 2 June, as Mary had requested. The coronation ceremony in Westminster Abbey
438-642: A hung parliament ; Heath's Conservatives were not the largest party but could stay in office if they formed a coalition with the Liberals . When discussions on forming a coalition foundered, Heath resigned, and Elizabeth asked the Leader of the Opposition , Labour 's Harold Wilson , to form a government. A year later, at the height of the 1975 Australian constitutional crisis , the Australian prime minister, Gough Whitlam ,
584-459: A psychiatric hospital with the intention of assassinating Charles, who was visiting the country with Diana and their son Prince William . From April to September 1982, Elizabeth's son Andrew served with British forces in the Falklands War , for which she reportedly felt anxiety and pride. On 9 July, she awoke in her bedroom at Buckingham Palace to find an intruder, Michael Fagan , in
730-437: A royal warrant from Charles III while he was Prince of Wales. More recently, Garrard made the sapphire engagement ring given by Charles, Prince of Wales , to Diana, Princess of Wales for their 1981 marriage. In 2011, the ring returned to the public eye as the engagement ring Prince William, Prince of Wales, formerly Duke of Cambridge gave to his wife Catherine . The distinctive cluster setting of this ring has become
876-508: A "shell containing seven pearls" that were given to Elizabeth as a wedding gift by the Hakim of Bahrain , these earrings consist of a round diamond followed by a circle diamond from which three baguette diamonds are suspended. At the bottom, three smaller diamonds are attached to the round pearl. These earrings were occasionally lent by Elizabeth II to her daughters-in-law Diana and Sophie , and granddaughter-in-law Catherine. Both necklaces consist of
1022-404: A 30‑second moment of silence . As a result, much of the fury among the public softened, and the protests were called off. That November, the royal couple held a reception at Banqueting House to mark their golden wedding anniversary. Elizabeth made a speech and praised Philip for his role as consort, referring to him as "my strength and stay". In 1999, as part of the process of devolution in
1168-439: A Royal Knockout in 1987 was ridiculed. In Canada, Elizabeth publicly supported politically divisive constitutional amendments , prompting criticism from opponents of the proposed changes, including Pierre Trudeau. The same year, the elected Fijian government was deposed in a military coup . As monarch of Fiji , Elizabeth supported the attempts of Governor-General Ratu Sir Penaia Ganilau to assert executive power and negotiate
1314-403: A copy of a tiara owned by her grandmother, Princess Augusta of Hesse-Kassel , using Queen Mary's own diamonds and pearls. French in its neo-classical design, the tiara has 19 oriental pearls suspended from lover's knot bows each centered with a large brilliant. Originally, the tiara had 38 pearls; 19 on the upright side and 19 hanging from the arches. The 19 upright pearls were removed. Mary left
1460-451: A diamond rivière, by Queen Mary from Grand Duchess Elena Vladimirovna of Russia , mother of the Duchess of Kent , in 1921 for a price of £28,000. The grand duchess, known after her marriage as Princess Nicholas of Greece, inherited it from her mother, Grand Duchess Maria Pavlovna , who received it as a wedding gift from her husband in 1874. It originally had 15 large drop pearls, and was made by
1606-592: A diamond solitaire topper. The pendant earrings have been worn regularly by Queen Elizabeth including important state occasions, such as the State Opening of Parliament in Mauritius in 1972. These earrings were made for Queen Mary by Garrards, and consist of a large central diamond surrounded by seven smaller diamonds. The two large central diamonds were a wedding present from Sir William Mackinnon. These earrings were made for Queen Mary by Garrards. The central stones were
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#17330940162301752-582: A divorcé 16 years Margaret's senior with two sons from his previous marriage. Elizabeth asked them to wait for a year; in the words of her private secretary , "the Queen was naturally sympathetic towards the Princess, but I think she thought—she hoped—given time, the affair would peter out." Senior politicians were against the match and the Church of England did not permit remarriage after divorce. If Margaret had contracted
1898-500: A draft accession declaration in case the King died while she was on tour. In early 1952, Elizabeth and Philip set out for a tour of Australia and New Zealand by way of the British colony of Kenya . On 6 February, they had just returned to their Kenyan home, Sagana Lodge , after a night spent at Treetops Hotel , when word arrived of the death of Elizabeth's father. Philip broke the news to
2044-630: A formal mechanism for electing a leader, thus relieving the Queen of her involvement. In 1957, Elizabeth made a state visit to the United States, where she addressed the United Nations General Assembly on behalf of the Commonwealth. On the same tour, she opened the 23rd Canadian Parliament , becoming the first monarch of Canada to open a parliamentary session. Two years later, solely in her capacity as Queen of Canada, she revisited
2190-483: A lovely diamond spiked tiara". Upon the death of Queen Alexandra, the tiara passed to her daughter-in-law Queen Mary, who bequeathed it to Elizabeth in 1953. The tiara is featured in a 1960 portrait of the Queen taken by Anthony Buckley, which was used as the banknote portrait of the Queen for several countries and territories. The tiara is also featured on a 1979 New Zealand coin effigy of the Queen designed by James Berry. In 1913, Queen Mary asked Garrard & Co. to make
2336-462: A necklace, stomacher , brooch and earrings. Made of gold and platinum, the tiara is 8 cm (3 in) tall and has the form of a tall circlet of lyres and S-scrolls linked by festoons of diamonds. It was originally set with 10 of the Cambridge emeralds, acquired by Queen Mary in 1910 and first owned by her grandmother, the Duchess of Cambridge . In 1912, the tiara was altered to take one or both of
2482-510: A necklace, was made for Queen Mary in 1919. It is not, as has sometimes been claimed, made with diamonds that once belonged to George III, but reuses diamonds taken from a necklace/tiara purchased by Queen Victoria from Collingwood & Co. as a wedding present for Princess Mary in 1893. In August 1936, Mary gave the tiara to her daughter-in-law Queen Elizabeth (later the Queen Mother). When Queen Elizabeth, consort of King George VI , first wore
2628-462: A pitch of public interest that the boundary between fact and fiction has been lost sight of ... it is not just that some papers don't check their facts or accept denials: they don't care if the stories are true or not." It was reported, most notably in The Sunday Times of 20 July 1986, that Elizabeth was worried that Margaret Thatcher 's economic policies fostered social divisions and
2774-492: A planned transition to self-government. In 1965, however, the Rhodesian prime minister, Ian Smith , in opposition to moves towards majority rule , unilaterally declared independence while expressing "loyalty and devotion" to Elizabeth. Although Elizabeth formally dismissed him, and the international community applied sanctions against Rhodesia, his regime survived for over a decade. As Britain's ties to its former empire weakened,
2920-533: A presence in a number of other locations globally. Garrard was the first official and most notably important Crown Jeweller of the United Kingdom having supplied jewels for Queen Victoria , and was charged with the upkeep of the British Crown Jewels , from 1843 to 2007, and was responsible for the creation of many tiaras and jewels still worn by the British royal family today. As well as jewellery, Garrard
3066-812: A settlement. Coup leader Sitiveni Rabuka deposed Ganilau and declared Fiji a republic. In the wake of coalition victory in the Gulf War , Elizabeth became the first British monarch to address a joint meeting of the United States Congress in May 1991. In November 1992, in a speech to mark the Ruby Jubilee of her accession, Elizabeth called 1992 her annus horribilis (a Latin phrase, meaning "horrible year"). Republican feeling in Britain had risen because of press estimates of Elizabeth's private wealth—contradicted by
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#17330940162303212-519: A signature of the House, and is still seen in the designs of the 1735 collection today. Garrard has created many other jewels that are worn by the British royal family, including the Girls of Great Britain and Ireland tiara which Queen Elizabeth II is seen wearing in the portrait featured on British currency. The Queen Mary Diamond Bandeau Tiara worn by Meghan Markle on the occasion of her marriage to Prince Harry
3358-586: A single row of large graduated pearls with pearl clasps. The Queen Anne Necklace is said to have belonged to Queen Anne , the last British monarch of the Stuart dynasty . Horace Walpole , the English art historian, wrote in his diary, "Queen Anne had but few jewels and those indifferent, except one pearl necklace given to her by Prince George ". Queen Caroline , on the other hand, had a great deal of valuable jewellery, including no fewer than four pearl necklaces. She wore all
3504-677: A smaller one, with a large pear-shaped drop. The drops were originally part of the Koh-i-Noor armlet. After they had been made, Victoria wore the earrings and matching necklace in the painting Queen Victoria by the European court painter, Franz Winterhalter. A pair of large, perfectly matched brilliant cut diamonds set as ear studs for Queen Victoria. These earrings originally had detachable pearl and diamond cluster tops. These tops were given to Princess Elizabeth by Queen Mary in 1947, and Princess Elizabeth wore them on her wedding day. The drops now have
3650-419: A son, he would have been heir apparent and above her in the line of succession, which was determined by the male-preference primogeniture in effect at the time. Elizabeth received private tuition in constitutional history from Henry Marten , Vice-Provost of Eton College , and learned French from a succession of native-speaking governesses. A Girl Guides company, the 1st Buckingham Palace Company ,
3796-504: A tide of happiness and relief." During the war, plans were drawn to quell Welsh nationalism by affiliating Elizabeth more closely with Wales. Proposals, such as appointing her Constable of Caernarfon Castle or a patron of Urdd Gobaith Cymru (the Welsh League of Youth), were abandoned for several reasons, including fear of associating Elizabeth with conscientious objectors in the Urdd at
3942-697: A time when Britain was at war. Welsh politicians suggested she be made Princess of Wales on her 18th birthday. Home Secretary Herbert Morrison supported the idea, but the King rejected it because he felt such a title belonged solely to the wife of a Prince of Wales and the Prince of Wales had always been the heir apparent. In 1946, she was inducted into the Gorsedd of Bards at the National Eisteddfod of Wales . Elizabeth went on her first overseas tour in 1947, accompanying her parents through southern Africa. During
4088-607: A visit to the Grenadier Guards , of which she had been appointed colonel the previous year. As she approached her 18th birthday, Parliament changed the law so that she could act as one of five counsellors of state in the event of her father's incapacity or absence abroad, such as his visit to Italy in July 1944. In February 1945, she was appointed an honorary second subaltern in the Auxiliary Territorial Service with
4234-590: A wedding gift by her father the 14th Earl of Strathmore and Kinghorne , this floral piece was worn by the Queen Mother for a few years following her marriage. It was brought from Catchpole and Williams and the flowers can be detached and used as brooches. It became a part of Elizabeth II's collection since her mother's death in 2002. Like the Greville Honeycomb Tiara, this tiara was also part of Dame Margaret Greville 's 1942 bequest to Queen Elizabeth (later
4380-503: A wedding present from the Bombay Presidency. These 7.5 cm (3 in) long chandelier earrings made by Cartier in 1929 have three large drops adorned with every modern cut of diamond. The earrings were purchased by Margaret Greville , who left them to her friend the Queen Mother in 1942, and Elizabeth's parents gave them to her in 1947 as a wedding present. However, she was not able to use them until she had her ears pierced. When
4526-615: Is a circlet incorporating brilliant diamonds that were formerly owned by George III. Originally commissioned in 1830 and made by Rundell, Bridge & Co, the necklace has been worn by many queens consort . Originally, it could be worn as a collar or necklace. Queen Victoria modified it so it could be mounted on a wire to form the tiara. Queen Victoria wore it as a tiara during a visit to the Royal Opera in 1839. In Franz Xaver Winterhalter 's painting The First of May , completed in 1851, Victoria can be seen wearing it as she holds Prince Arthur ,
Jewels of Elizabeth II - Misplaced Pages Continue
4672-522: Is a necklace in design and set with brilliant and baguette cut diamonds. King Faisal bought the necklace, made by the American jeweller Harry Winston , and presented it to Elizabeth II while on a state visit to the United Kingdom in 1967. Before his departure, she wore it to a banquet at the Dorchester hotel. She also lent the necklace to Diana, Princess of Wales, to wear on a state visit to Australia in 1983. It
4818-511: Is in the classical Greek key pattern, with a large diamond in the centre enclosed by a laurel wreath of diamonds. It also incorporates a wreath of leaves and scrolls on either side. Elizabeth II never wore this item in public, and it was given in 1972 to her daughter, Princess Anne, who has frequently worn the tiara in public, notably during her engagement to Captain Mark Phillips and for an official portrait marking her 50th birthday. Anne lent
4964-732: Is known for having created some of the world's most illustrious sporting trophies, including the America's Cup , the ICC Cricket World Cup Trophy and a number of trophies for Royal Ascot in its role as Official Trophies and Silverware Supplier, which originally dates back to the first Gold Cup in 1842. The company that was to become Garrard was founded by George Wickes (1698–1761), who entered his mark in Goldsmiths' Hall in 1722. Wickes set up business in Threadneedle Street in
5110-517: Is made up of emerald-cut aquamarines and diamonds. It has been redesigned in 1971 with aquamarines given by the Governor of São Paulo in 1968. Like the Coronation Necklace, these earrings have been worn by queens regnant and consort at every coronation since 1901. Made for Queen Victoria in 1858 using the diamonds from an old Garter badge, they are of typical design: a large brilliant followed by
5256-507: Is one of Elizabeth's most recognisable pieces of jewellery due to its widespread appearance in portraits of the monarch on British banknotes and coinage. Elizabeth II's daughter-in-law Queen Camilla wore this tiara for the first time when she visited Mansion House in 2023. Elizabeth ordered the Burmese Ruby Tiara in 1973, and it was made by Garrard & Co. It is designed in the form of a wreath of roses, with silver and diamonds making
5402-449: The City of London in 1722; the company moved to Panton Street off Haymarket in central London in 1735 as a goldsmith and provider of jewellery and other luxury items to aristocratic patrons. Wickes was an accomplished silversmith known for his work in the rococo style, and gained the patronage of Frederick, Prince of Wales . Two apprentices of Wickes, John Parker and Edward Wakelin, purchased
5548-593: The Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting . Cartier had the piece designed as a 2-row necklace in 1929 but three more strands were added in 1938 at the owner's request. The piece was frequently worn by Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother throughout her life. It was worn by the Duchess of Cornwall for the first time during the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in 2007. A diamond necklace made by Cartier in
5694-527: The Royal Navy throughout the Second World War), and had sisters who had married German noblemen with Nazi links. Marion Crawford wrote, "Some of the King's advisors did not think him good enough for her. He was a prince without a home or kingdom. Some of the papers played long and loud tunes on the string of Philip's foreign origin." Later biographies reported that Elizabeth's mother had reservations about
5840-639: The Silver Jubilee of her accession. Parties and events took place throughout the Commonwealth, many coinciding with her associated national and Commonwealth tours . The celebrations re-affirmed Elizabeth's popularity, despite virtually coincident negative press coverage of Princess Margaret's separation from her husband, Lord Snowdon. In 1978, Elizabeth endured a state visit to the United Kingdom by Romania 's communist leader, Nicolae Ceaușescu , and his wife, Elena , though privately she thought they had "blood on their hands". The following year brought two blows:
5986-647: The Social Democratic Party —Thatcher's political opponents. Thatcher's biographer John Campbell claimed "the report was a piece of journalistic mischief-making". Reports of acrimony between them were exaggerated, and Elizabeth gave two honours in her personal gift—membership in the Order of Merit and the Order of the Garter —to Thatcher after her replacement as prime minister by John Major . Brian Mulroney , Canadian prime minister between 1984 and 1993, said Elizabeth
Jewels of Elizabeth II - Misplaced Pages Continue
6132-461: The Suez Canal . Lord Mountbatten said that Elizabeth was opposed to the invasion, though Eden denied it. Eden resigned two months later. The governing Conservative Party had no formal mechanism for choosing a leader, meaning that it fell to Elizabeth to decide whom to commission to form a government following Eden's resignation. Eden recommended she consult Lord Salisbury , the lord president of
6278-468: The Wanli Emperor , and remarked, "fortunately postal services have improved since 1602". Elizabeth's visit also signified the acceptance of both countries that sovereignty over Hong Kong would be transferred from the United Kingdom to China in 1997. By the end of the 1980s, Elizabeth had become the target of satire. The involvement of younger members of the royal family in the charity game show It's
6424-461: The coronation of Charles III in 2023. This necklace was given to Elizabeth II by King Khalid of Saudi Arabia in 1979. It is of the sunray design and contains both round and pear shaped diamonds. Like the King Faisal necklace, it was made by Harry Winston, and Elizabeth often lent the necklace to Diana, Princess of Wales. This necklace was made in 1907 by Boucheron for Margaret Greville . It
6570-465: The royal house would take her husband's name, in line with the custom for married women of the time. Lord Mountbatten advocated for House of Mountbatten , and Philip suggested House of Edinburgh , after his ducal title. The British prime minister, Winston Churchill, and Elizabeth's grandmother Queen Mary favoured the retention of the House of Windsor . Elizabeth issued a declaration on 9 April 1952 that
6716-730: The service number 230873. She trained as a driver and mechanic and was given the rank of honorary junior commander (female equivalent of captain at the time) five months later. At the end of the war in Europe, on Victory in Europe Day , Elizabeth and Margaret mingled incognito with the celebrating crowds in the streets of London. In 1985, Elizabeth recalled in a rare interview, "... we asked my parents if we could go out and see for ourselves. I remember we were terrified of being recognised ... I remember lines of unknown people linking arms and walking down Whitehall , all of us just swept along on
6862-510: The 'House of Hanover'. The Kingdom of Hanover followed the Salic Law , whereby the line of succession went through male heirs. Thus, when Queen Victoria acceded to the throne of the United Kingdom, her uncle Ernest Augustus, Duke of Cumberland and Teviotdale became King of Hanover. King Ernest demanded a portion of the jewellery, not only as the monarch of Hanover but also as the son of Queen Charlotte. Victoria flatly declined to hand over any of
7008-512: The 14-year-old Elizabeth made her first radio broadcast during the BBC 's Children's Hour , addressing other children who had been evacuated from the cities. She stated: "We are trying to do all we can to help our gallant sailors, soldiers, and airmen, and we are trying, too, to bear our own share of the danger and sadness of war. We know, every one of us, that in the end all will be well." In 1943, Elizabeth undertook her first solo public appearance on
7154-451: The 1920s. Made out of pearls and diamonds, it was made from a necklace originally given to Queen Elizabeth (later the Queen Mother) as a wedding gift. It was often worn by Princess Margaret , upon whose death, the tiara was returned to Elizabeth II. The tiara has been worn at a number of state occasions by Elizabeth II's granddaughter-in-law the Princess of Wales . Given to the Queen Mother as
7300-427: The 1930s. It was a wedding gift to Elizabeth on her wedding to Prince Philip from the last Nizam of Hyderabad , Mir Osman Ali Khan , in 1947. The Nizam's entire gift set for the future Queen of the United Kingdom included a diamond tiara and matching necklace, whose design was based on English roses. The tiara has three floral brooches that can be detached and used separately. Catherine, Princess of Wales has also worn
7446-536: The 1981 Trooping the Colour ceremony, six weeks before the wedding of Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spencer , six shots were fired at Elizabeth from close range as she rode down The Mall, London , on her horse, Burmese . Police later discovered the shots were blanks. The 17-year-old assailant, Marcus Sarjeant , was sentenced to five years in prison and released after three. Elizabeth's composure and skill in controlling her mount were widely praised. That October, Elizabeth
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#17330940162307592-577: The British government sought entry to the European Community , a goal it achieved in 1973 . In 1966, the Queen was criticised for waiting eight days before visiting the village of Aberfan , where a mining disaster killed 116 children and 28 adults. Martin Charteris said that the delay, made on his advice, was a mistake that she later regretted. Elizabeth toured Yugoslavia in October 1972, becoming
7738-680: The Commonwealth ; she was the most widely travelled head of state . In 1956, the British and French prime ministers, Sir Anthony Eden and Guy Mollet , discussed the possibility of France joining the Commonwealth. The proposal was never accepted, and the following year France signed the Treaty of Rome , which established the European Economic Community , the precursor to the European Union . In November 1956, Britain and France invaded Egypt in an ultimately unsuccessful attempt to capture
7884-505: The Commonwealth realms besides the United Kingdom have their own crown jewels. Elizabeth II's first tiara was a wedding present in 1947 from her grandmother, Queen Mary, who received it as a gift from the Girls of Great Britain and Ireland in 1893 on the occasion of her marriage to the Duke of York, later George V. Made by E. Wolfe & Co., it was purchased from Garrard & Co. by a committee organised by Lady Eva Greville . In 1914, Mary adapted
8030-669: The Crown by Queen Victoria: The Delhi Durbar Tiara was made by Garrard & Co . for Queen Mary , the wife of King George V , to wear at the Delhi Durbar in 1911. As the Crown Jewels never leave the country, George V had the Imperial Crown of India made to wear at the Durbar, and Queen Mary wore the tiara. It was part of a set of jewellery made for Queen Mary to use at the event which included
8176-535: The Cullinan III and IV diamonds; the pear-shaped diamond was held at the top, and the cushion-shaped stone hung in the oval aperture underneath. Mary lent the tiara to Queen Elizabeth (later the Queen Mother) for the 1947 royal tour of South Africa, and it remained with her until she died in 2002, when it passed to Elizabeth II. In 2005, Elizabeth II lent the tiara to her daughter-in-law the Duchess of Cornwall (now Queen Camilla ). This tiara, which can also be worn as
8322-571: The Hanoverian claim, leaving space open at the back of the tiara. Opals were replaced with rubies by Queen Alexandra in 1902. It is made up of 'Moghul arches and lotus flowers' in diamonds and rubies. The tiara was seen multiple times on the Queen Mother, but Elizabeth II only wore it once during the State Visit to Malta in 2005. The tiara was originally a necklace belonging to Louise of Belgium , Princess of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha in 1858. The Queen bought
8468-591: The House of Garrard unveiled a 118.88 ct royal blue Burmese sapphire presented in a brooch that features a signature cluster setting. The jewel was named in honour of the Sapphire Jubilee of Elizabeth II , a date traditionally marked by the gift of a sapphire, and pays tribute to the House's role in remodelling the Imperial State Crown for the occasion. Garrard is the manufacture of the Staff of office used by
8614-471: The King. And the King will never leave." The princesses stayed at Balmoral Castle , Scotland, until Christmas 1939, when they moved to Sandringham House , Norfolk. From February to May 1940, they lived at Royal Lodge, Windsor, until moving to Windsor Castle , where they lived for most of the next five years. At Windsor, the princesses staged pantomimes at Christmas in aid of the Queen's Wool Fund, which bought yarn to knit into military garments. In 1940,
8760-926: The Palace —and reports of affairs and strained marriages among her extended family. In March, her second son, Prince Andrew, separated from his wife, Sarah ; her daughter, Princess Anne, divorced Captain Mark Phillips in April; angry demonstrators in Dresden threw eggs at Elizabeth during a state visit to Germany in October; and a large fire broke out at Windsor Castle , one of her official residences , in November. The monarchy came under increased criticism and public scrutiny. In an unusually personal speech, Elizabeth said that any institution must expect criticism, but suggested it might be done with "a touch of humour, gentleness and understanding". Two days later, John Major announced plans to reform
8906-449: The Queen Mother a set of pear-drop earrings that she had bought from Cartier in 1938. The pear-shaped drop diamonds each weigh about 20 carats (4 g). Diana, Princess of Wales, borrowed them in 1983 to wear on her first official visit to Australia. At a state banquet, she wore the earrings with a tiara from her family's own collection. The Greville Pear-drop Earrings passed to Elizabeth II upon her mother's death in 2002. Made out of
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#17330940162309052-434: The Queen Mother) by Dame Margaret Greville upon Greville's death in 1942. Made by Boucheron in 1920, the tiara features a honeycomb-patterned diamond lattice and was a favorite of the Queen Mother. In 1953, the Queen Mother commissioned Cartier to modify its height by rearranging the diamonds located on the upper row. Elizabeth II inherited the tiara from her mother in 2002 and subsequently placed it under long-term loan to
9198-452: The Queen Mother) by King George VI, the set was worn by the Queen Mother in the form of a bandeau. It is now a part of Elizabeth II's collection; she had worn the pieces individually as bracelets over the years and had also lent them to other members of the royal family. Designed by Prince Albert and made by Garrard for Queen Victoria in 1853. Originally a complete circlet set with diamonds and opals. Remodeled in 1858 to remove diamonds lost in
9344-399: The Queen Mother). The tiara was constructed by Boucheron in 1919 and features diamonds and several large emeralds in a kokoshnik -style platinum setting. Princess Eugenie of York wore the tiara at her October 2018 wedding ; this marked the first public wearing of the tiara by a member of the royal family . Composed of ruby, emerald, and sapphire bracelets given to Queen Elizabeth (later
9490-460: The United Kingdom , Elizabeth formally opened newly established legislatures for Wales and Scotland: the National Assembly for Wales at Cardiff in May, and the Scottish Parliament at Edinburgh in July. Garrard %26 Co Garrard & Co. Limited designs and manufactures luxury jewellery and silver. George Wickes founded Garrard in London in 1735 and the brand is headquartered at Albemarle Street in Mayfair , London. Garrard also has
9636-589: The United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa , Pakistan , and Ceylon (known today as Sri Lanka), as well as head of the Commonwealth . Elizabeth reigned as a constitutional monarch through major political changes such as the Troubles in Northern Ireland, devolution in the United Kingdom , the decolonisation of Africa , and the United Kingdom's accession to the European Communities as well as its subsequent withdrawal . The number of her realms varied over time as territories gained independence and some realms became republics . As queen, Elizabeth
9782-400: The United States and toured Canada. In 1961, she toured Cyprus, India, Pakistan, Nepal , and Iran . On a visit to Ghana the same year, she dismissed fears for her safety, even though her host, President Kwame Nkrumah , who had replaced her as head of state, was a target for assassins. Harold Macmillan wrote, "The Queen has been absolutely determined all through ... She is impatient of
9928-404: The accession of George I , the Kingdom of Great Britain and the Kingdom of Hanover both came to be ruled in personal union by the House of Hanover . Early Hanoverian monarchs were careful to keep the heirlooms of the two realms separate. George III gave half the British heirlooms to his bride, Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz , as a wedding present. In her will, Charlotte left the jewels to
10074-413: The attitude towards her to treat her as ... a film star ... She has indeed ' the heart and stomach of a man ' ... She loves her duty and means to be a Queen." Before her tour through parts of Quebec in 1964, the press reported that extremists within the Quebec separatist movement were plotting Elizabeth's assassination. No assassination attempt was made, but a riot did break out while she
10220-432: The company became R & S Garrard. The company remained in the hands of the Garrard family until the death of Sebastian Henry Garrard, great-grandson of Robert Garrard senior, in 1946. The name Garrard & Company Ltd was registered in 1909, and the company moved to new premises in Albemarle Street in central London in 1911. In 1843, Queen Victoria appointed Garrard as the first ever official Crown Jewellers, leading to
10366-437: The company following Wickes' retirement in 1760, replaced by John Wakelin and William Taylor in 1776. Following the death of Taylor, Robert Garrard became a partner in the company in 1792. Garrard took sole control of the firm in 1802, with his sons Robert Garrard II, James and Sebastian succeeding him in running the company, trading as R., J., & S. Garrard (or Robert Garrard & Brothers) until James' retirement in 1835, when
10512-410: The company from 2001 until being replaced by Stephen Webster in 2006. In 2012, Sara Prentice was appointed creative director of the brand. In 2007, Garrard & Co's services as crown jeweller were no longer required, with the reason cited being that it was simply 'time for a change'. This ended over 160 years of Garrard's tenure as the inaugural British Royal Jeweller, although Garrard still holds
10658-589: The council . Lord Salisbury and Lord Kilmuir , the lord chancellor , consulted the British Cabinet , Churchill, and the chairman of the backbench 1922 Committee , resulting in Elizabeth appointing their recommended candidate: Harold Macmillan . The Suez crisis and the choice of Eden's successor led, in 1957, to the first major personal criticism of Elizabeth. In a magazine, which he owned and edited, Lord Altrincham accused her of being "out of touch". Altrincham
10804-518: The design well from a tiara belonging to her sister, Maria Feodorovna , the Empress of Russia. It was made by Garrard & Co. and has vertical white gold bars pavé-set with diamonds, the longest of which is 6.5 cm (2.5 in). In a letter to her aunt, the Grand Duchess of Mecklenburg-Strelitz , Princess Mary wrote, "The presents are quite magnificent [...] The ladies of society gave [Alexandra]
10950-430: The devastation of the war. In post-war Britain , it was not acceptable for Philip's German relations, including his three surviving sisters, to be invited to the wedding. Neither was an invitation extended to the Duke of Windsor, formerly King Edward VIII. Elizabeth gave birth to her first child, Prince Charles , in November 1948. One month earlier, the King had issued letters patent allowing her children to use
11096-521: The dismay of the royal family . The book describes Elizabeth's love of horses and dogs, her orderliness, and her attitude of responsibility. Others echoed such observations: Winston Churchill described Elizabeth when she was two as "a character. She has an air of authority and reflectiveness astonishing in an infant." Her cousin Margaret Rhodes described her as "a jolly little girl, but fundamentally sensible and well-behaved". Elizabeth's early life
11242-516: The expanded group. In 1998, Asprey plc was renamed Asprey & Garrard and moved from 112 Regent Street to premises on New Bond Street . The company demerged in 2002, with Garrard returning to the Albemarle Street site it first occupied in 1911. Garrard was acquired by the US private equity firm Yucaipa Companies in 2006, ending its partnership with Asprey. Jade Jagger was the creative director for
11388-404: The failure to fly a flag at half-mast over Buckingham Palace, caused public dismay. Pressured by the hostile reaction, Elizabeth agreed to return to London and address the nation in a live television broadcast on 5 September, the day before Diana's funeral . In the broadcast, she expressed admiration for Diana and her feelings "as a grandmother" for the two princes. As a result, much of
11534-523: The first British monarch to visit a communist country . She was received at the airport by President Josip Broz Tito , and a crowd of thousands greeted her in Belgrade . In February 1974, British prime minister Edward Heath advised Elizabeth to call a general election in the middle of her tour of the Austronesian Pacific Rim , requiring her to fly back to Britain. The election resulted in
11680-400: The first reigning British monarch to set foot on Russian soil. In October 1995, she was tricked into a hoax call by Montreal radio host Pierre Brassard impersonating Canadian prime minister Jean Chrétien . Elizabeth, who believed that she was speaking to Chrétien, said she supported Canadian unity and would try to influence Quebec's referendum on proposals to break away from Canada. In
11826-509: The first royal transatlantic telephone call on 18 May. In September 1939, Britain entered the Second World War . Lord Hailsham suggested that Princesses Elizabeth and Margaret should be evacuated to Canada to avoid the frequent aerial bombings of London by the Luftwaffe . This was rejected by their mother, who declared, "The children won't go without me. I won't leave without
11972-591: The future Duke of Connaught and Strathearn . In a veiled reference to the adoration of the Magi , the Duke of Wellington is seen presenting the young prince with a gift. It was classified as an "heirloom of the Crown" in Garrard's 1858 inventory of Queen Victoria's jewels. The Grand Duchess Vladimir Tiara ( Владимирская тиара ), sometimes the Diamond and Pearl Tiara, was bought, along with
12118-609: The jeweller Carl Edvard Bolin at a cost of 48,200 rubles. During the Russian Revolution in 1917, the tiara was hidden with other jewels somewhere in Vladimir Palace in Petrograd , and later saved from Soviet Russia by Albert Stopford , a British art dealer and secret agent. In the years to follow, Princess Nicholas sold pieces of jewellery from her collection to support her exiled family and various charities. Queen Mary had
12264-465: The jewellery in her collection. She owned more than 300 items of jewellery, including 98 brooches, 46 necklaces, 37 bracelets, 34 pairs of earrings, 20 tiaras, 15 rings, 14 watches and 5 pendants, the most notable of which are detailed in this article. Unlike the Crown Jewels—which mainly date from the accession of Charles II —the jewels are not official regalia or insignia. Much of the collection
12410-401: The jewels, claiming they had been bought with British money. Ernest's son, George V of Hanover , continued to press the claim. Victoria's husband, Prince Albert , suggested that she make a financial settlement with the Hanoverian monarch to keep the jewels, but Parliament informed Queen Victoria they would neither purchase the jewels nor loan funds for the purpose. A parliamentary commission
12556-521: The king's car with its royal flag flying could not get anywhere. Colville completed his journey on foot, and when he arrived at St James's Palace, he had to explain the odd story to the guards who were protecting Elizabeth's 2,660 wedding presents. They let him in after finding his name on a guest list, and he was able to get the pearls to the princess in time for her portrait in the Music Room of Buckingham Palace. A gift from King Faisal of Saudi Arabia , it
12702-501: The line of succession. When her grandfather died in 1936 and her uncle succeeded as Edward VIII, she became second in line to the throne, after her father. Later that year, Edward abdicated , after his proposed marriage to divorced American socialite Wallis Simpson provoked a constitutional crisis . Consequently, Elizabeth's father became king, taking the regnal name George VI. Since Elizabeth had no brothers, she became heir presumptive . If her parents had subsequently had
12848-574: The monarch in right of the Crown and pass from one monarch to the next in perpetuity. Objects made later, including official gifts, can also be added to that part of the Royal Collection at the sole discretion of a monarch. It is not possible to say how much the collection is worth because the jewels have a rich and unique history, and they are unlikely to be sold on the open market. In the early 20th century, five other lists of jewellery, which have also never been published, supplemented those left to
12994-466: The necklace which was converted into a tiara in 1963 to add to her collection. She has paired the tiara with George VI Sapphire Parure which was seen multiple times on the state tours in the 60s and 70s. This tiara made by Garrard in 1957 comes as part of a set of necklace and earrings gifted to the Queen for her coronation in 1953 by the President Getúlio Vargas and the people of Brazil. It
13140-486: The necklace. Made for Queen Victoria in 1858 by Garrard & Co., the Coronation Necklace is 38 cm (15 in) long and consists of 25 cushion diamonds and the 22-carat (4.4 g) Lahore Diamond as a pendant. It has been used together with the Coronation Earrings by queens regnant and consort at every coronation since 1901. Presented to Queen Victoria by the Duchess of Buccleuch on 30 July 1888 on behalf of
13286-464: The new queen. She chose to retain Elizabeth as her regnal name, and was therefore called Elizabeth II. The numeral offended some Scots, as she was the first Elizabeth to rule in Scotland. She was proclaimed queen throughout her realms, and the royal party hastily returned to the United Kingdom. Elizabeth and Philip moved into Buckingham Palace. With Elizabeth's accession, it seemed possible that
13432-645: The opinions and private lives of the royal family during the 1980s led to a series of sensational stories in the press, pioneered by The Sun tabloid. As Kelvin MacKenzie , editor of The Sun , told his staff: "Give me a Sunday for Monday splash on the Royals. Don't worry if it's not true—so long as there's not too much of a fuss about it afterwards." Newspaper editor Donald Trelford wrote in The Observer of 21 September 1986: "The royal soap opera has now reached such
13578-480: The pearl necklaces to her coronation in 1727, but afterwards had the 50 best pearls selected to make one large necklace. In 1947, both necklaces were given to Elizabeth by her father as a wedding present. On her wedding day, Elizabeth realised that she had left her pearls at St James's Palace . Her private secretary, Jock Colville , was asked to go and retrieve them. He commandeered the limousine of King Haakon VII of Norway, but traffic that morning had stopped, so even
13724-464: The petals, and clusters of gold and rubies forming the centre of the flowers. A total of 96 rubies are mounted on the tiara; they were originally part of a necklace given to her in 1947 as a wedding present by the people of Burma (now Myanmar ), who credited them with having the ability to protect their owner from sickness and evil. The diamonds were taken from a floral tiara made by Cartier in 1935 and chosen by Elizabeth herself as her wedding present from
13870-460: The pieces are from overseas and were brought to the United Kingdom as a result of civil war, coups and revolutions, or acquired as gifts to the monarch. Most of the jewellery dates from the 19th and 20th centuries. The Crown Jewels are worn only at coronations ( St Edward's Crown being used to crown the monarch) and the annual State Opening of Parliament (the Imperial State Crown ). At other formal occasions, such as banquets, Elizabeth II wore
14016-476: The popular press and by later biographers with raising his spirits and aiding his recovery. Elizabeth's only sibling, Princess Margaret , was born in 1930. The two princesses were educated at home under the supervision of their mother and their governess , Marion Crawford . Lessons concentrated on history, language, literature, and music. Crawford published a biography of Elizabeth and Margaret's childhood years entitled The Little Princesses in 1950, much to
14162-501: The private chapel of Buckingham Palace on 29 May, and she was named Elizabeth after her mother; Alexandra after her paternal great-grandmother , who had died six months earlier ; and Mary after her paternal grandmother. She was called "Lilibet" by her close family, based on what she called herself at first. She was cherished by her grandfather George V, whom she affectionately called "Grandpa England", and her regular visits during his serious illness in 1929 were credited in
14308-547: The production of numerous pieces of silverware and jewellery for the royal family, as well as the upkeep of the Crown Jewels. The company has dealt with a number of famous jewels, such as the Cullinan diamonds (including Cullinan I, "The Great Star of Africa"), and created such pieces as the Imperial Crown of India in 1911, the crown of Queen Mary for her coronation , and the Crown of Queen Elizabeth in 1937. In 1852, Garrard were given
14454-480: The public hostility evaporated. In October 1997, Elizabeth and Philip made a state visit to India, which included a controversial visit to the site of the Jallianwala Bagh massacre to pay her respects. Protesters chanted "Killer Queen, go back", and there were demands for her to apologise for the action of British troops 78 years earlier. At the memorial in the park, she and Philip laid a wreath and stood for
14600-417: The public noticed that her ears had been pierced, doctors and jewellers found themselves inundated with requests by women anxious to have their ears pierced too. Catherine, Princess of Wales wore the earrings at the state banquet held following the wedding of Hussein, Crown Prince of Jordan, and Rajwa Al Saif in 2023. As well as the chandelier earrings, and 60 other pieces of jewellery, Margaret Greville left
14746-452: The removal of various Canadian royal symbols during his term of office. In 1980, Canadian politicians sent to London to discuss the patriation of the Canadian constitution found Elizabeth "better informed ... than any of the British politicians or bureaucrats". She was particularly interested after the failure of Bill C-60, which would have affected her role as head of state. During
14892-593: The responsibility of re-cutting the famous Koh-i-Noor diamond into a brilliant . In 1848, Garrard produced what is now referred to as the America's Cup , the oldest international sporting trophy . The Cup is an ornate sterling silver bottomless ewer originally awarded in 1851 by the Royal Yacht Squadron for a yacht race around the Isle of Wight in England, which was won by the schooner America . The trophy
15038-403: The room with her. In a serious lapse of security, assistance only arrived after two calls to the Palace police switchboard. After hosting US president Ronald Reagan at Windsor Castle in 1982 and visiting his California ranch in 1983, Elizabeth was angered when his administration ordered the invasion of Grenada , one of her Caribbean realms, without informing her. Intense media interest in
15184-406: The royal finances, drawn up the previous year, including Elizabeth paying income tax from 1993 onwards, and a reduction in the civil list . In December, Prince Charles and his wife, Diana, formally separated. At the end of the year, Elizabeth sued The Sun newspaper for breach of copyright when it published the text of her annual Christmas message two days before it was broadcast. The newspaper
15330-403: The royal house would continue to be Windsor . Philip complained, "I am the only man in the country not allowed to give his name to his own children." In 1960, the surname Mountbatten-Windsor was adopted for Philip and Elizabeth's male-line descendants who do not carry royal titles. Amid preparations for the coronation, Princess Margaret told her sister she wished to marry Peter Townsend ,
15476-516: The style and title of a royal prince or princess, to which they otherwise would not have been entitled as their father was no longer a royal prince. A second child, Princess Anne , was born in August 1950. Following their wedding, the couple leased Windlesham Moor , near Windsor Castle, until July 1949, when they took up residence at Clarence House in London. At various times between 1949 and 1951, Philip
15622-468: The then Duchess of Cornwall . The tiara was made in 1932 for Queen Mary . Its centre brooch had been a wedding gift from the County of Lincoln in 1893. The tiara is a platinum band, made up of eleven sections, a detachable centre brooch with interlaced opals and diamonds. The tiara was lent to the Duchess of Sussex to use at her wedding to Prince Harry in 2018. This tiara was created by Garrard London in
15768-525: The third time at the Royal Naval College in Dartmouth in July 1939, Elizabeth—though only 13 years old—said she fell in love with Philip, who was 18, and they began to exchange letters. She was 21 when their engagement was officially announced on 9 July 1947. The engagement attracted some controversy. Philip had no financial standing, was foreign-born (though a British subject who had served in
15914-764: The throne in 1936 upon the abdication of his brother Edward VIII , making the ten-year-old Princess Elizabeth the heir presumptive . She was educated privately at home and began to undertake public duties during the Second World War, serving in the Auxiliary Territorial Service . In November 1947, she married Philip Mountbatten , a former prince of Greece and Denmark . Their marriage lasted 73 years until his death in 2021 . They had four children: Charles , Anne , Andrew , and Edward . When her father died in February 1952, Elizabeth, then 25 years old, became queen of seven independent Commonwealth countries:
16060-428: The tiara altered to accommodate 15 of the Cambridge cabochon emeralds. The original drop pearls can easily be replaced as an alternative to the emeralds. Elizabeth II inherited the tiara directly from her grandmother in 1953. It is almost exclusively worn together with the Cambridge and Delhi Durbar parures , also containing large emeralds. Elizabeth wore the tiara in her official portrait as Queen of Canada as none of
16206-505: The tiara to Elizabeth II, who later loaned it to Diana, Princess of Wales , for her wedding, but she wore her family tiara instead. She wore it often, notably with her 'Elvis dress' on a visit to Hong Kong in 1989, but on her divorce from Prince Charles it was returned to Elizabeth. Catherine, Princess of Wales has worn it to a number of state occasions since 2015. This tiara was a wedding present to Elizabeth from her mother-in-law, Princess Alice of Greece and Denmark . The Meander Tiara
16352-444: The tiara to her daughter, Zara Philips , to use at her wedding to Mike Tindall in 2011. This tiara, made by Cartier in 1936, was purchased by the Duke of York (later King George VI) for his wife (later the Queen Mother) three weeks before they became king and queen. It has a rolling cascade of 16 scrolls that converge on two central scrolls topped by a diamond. Altogether, it contains 739 brilliants and 149 baton diamonds. The tiara
16498-465: The tiara to take 13 diamonds in place of the large oriental pearls surmounting the tiara. Leslie Field, author of The Queen's Jewels , described it as, "a festoon-and-scroll with nine large oriental pearls on diamond spikes and set on a base of alternate round and lozenge collets between two plain bands of diamonds". At first, Elizabeth wore the tiara without its base and pearls but the base was reattached in 1969. The Girls of Great Britain and Ireland Tiara
16644-419: The tiara, Sir Henry Channon called it "an ugly spiked tiara". Later, she lent the piece to her daughter, Princess Elizabeth (future Elizabeth II), as " something borrowed " for her wedding to Prince Philip in 1947. As Princess Elizabeth was getting dressed at Buckingham Palace before leaving for Westminster Abbey , the tiara snapped. Luckily, the court jeweller was standing by in case of any emergency, and
16790-864: The tour, in a broadcast to the British Commonwealth on her 21st birthday, she made the following pledge: I declare before you all that my whole life, whether it be long or short, shall be devoted to your service and the service of our great imperial family to which we all belong. But I shall not have strength to carry out this resolution alone unless you join in it with me, as I now invite you to do: I know that your support will be unfailingly given. God help me to make good my vow, and God bless all of you who are willing to share in it. Elizabeth met her future husband, Prince Philip of Greece and Denmark , in 1934 and again in 1937. They were second cousins once removed through King Christian IX of Denmark and third cousins through Queen Victoria . After meeting for
16936-456: The union initially and teased Philip as " the Hun ". In later life, however, she told the biographer Tim Heald that Philip was "an English gentleman". Before the marriage, Philip renounced his Greek and Danish titles, officially converted from Greek Orthodoxy to Anglicanism , and adopted the style Lieutenant Philip Mountbatten , taking the surname of his mother's British family . Shortly before
17082-765: The unmasking of Anthony Blunt , former Surveyor of the Queen's Pictures , as a communist spy and the assassination of Lord Mountbatten by the Provisional Irish Republican Army . According to Paul Martin Sr. , by the end of the 1970s, Elizabeth was worried the Crown "had little meaning for" Pierre Trudeau , the Canadian prime minister. Tony Benn said Elizabeth found Trudeau "rather disappointing". Trudeau's supposed republicanism seemed to be confirmed by his antics, such as sliding down banisters at Buckingham Palace and pirouetting behind Elizabeth's back in 1977, and
17228-423: The wealthy Nizam of Hyderabad . While this floral tiara was dismantled, rose brooches were preserved. The Kokoshnik Tiara was presented to Alexandra, Princess of Wales , as a 25th wedding anniversary gift in 1888 by Lady Salisbury on behalf of 365 peeresses of the United Kingdom. She had always wanted a tiara in the style of a kokoshnik (Russian for "cock's comb"), a traditional Russian folk headdress, and knew
17374-400: The wedding, he was created Duke of Edinburgh and granted the style His Royal Highness . Elizabeth and Philip were married on 20 November 1947 at Westminster Abbey . They received 2,500 wedding gifts from around the world. Elizabeth required ration coupons to buy the material for her gown (which was designed by Norman Hartnell ) because Britain had not yet completely recovered from
17520-469: The year that followed, public revelations on the state of Charles and Diana's marriage continued. In consultation with her husband and John Major, as well as the Archbishop of Canterbury ( George Carey ) and her private secretary ( Robert Fellowes ), Elizabeth wrote to Charles and Diana at the end of December 1995, suggesting that a divorce would be advisable. In August 1997, a year after the divorce, Diana
17666-570: The “Daughters of Her Empire”. Made by Carrington & Co. in 1888. This necklace and a pair of matching earrings were given to Princess Alexandra as a wedding present from the City of London. Elizabeth II Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary; 21 April 1926 – 8 September 2022) was Queen of the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth realms from 6 February 1952 until her death in 2022. She had been queen regnant of 32 sovereign states during her lifetime and
17812-652: Was a "behind the scenes force" in ending apartheid. In 1986, Elizabeth paid a six-day state visit to the People's Republic of China, becoming the first British monarch to visit the country. The tour included the Forbidden City , the Great Wall of China , and the Terracotta Warriors . At a state banquet , Elizabeth joked about the first British emissary to China being lost at sea with Queen Elizabeth I 's letter to
17958-418: Was a part of her 1942 bequest to Queen Elizabeth (later the Queen Mother), and Elizabeth's parents gave them to her in 1947 as a wedding present. She wore the necklace frequently in her younger years up until the 1980s. In 2017, it was loaned to the Duchess of Cambridge for a State Banquet for King Felipe VI of Spain . Elizabeth II wore it again for the first time in over 30 years in 2018 at a dinner as part of
18104-491: Was alarmed by high unemployment, a series of riots , the violence of a miners' strike , and Thatcher's refusal to apply sanctions against the apartheid regime in South Africa. The sources of the rumours included royal aide Michael Shea and Commonwealth secretary-general Shridath Ramphal , but Shea claimed his remarks were taken out of context and embellished by speculation. Thatcher reputedly said Elizabeth would vote for
18250-506: Was already established. In 1953, Elizabeth and Philip embarked on a seven-month round-the-world tour, visiting 13 countries and covering more than 40,000 miles (64,000 km) by land, sea and air. She became the first reigning monarch of Australia and New Zealand to visit those nations. During the tour, crowds were immense; three-quarters of the population of Australia were estimated to have seen her. Throughout her reign, she made hundreds of state visits to other countries and tours of
18396-651: Was born on 21 April 1926, the first child of Prince Albert, Duke of York (later King George VI), and his wife, Elizabeth, Duchess of York (later Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother). Her father was the second son of King George V and Queen Mary , and her mother was the youngest daughter of Scottish aristocrat Claude Bowes-Lyon, 14th Earl of Strathmore and Kinghorne . She was delivered at 02:40 ( GMT ) by Caesarean section at her maternal grandfather's London home, 17 Bruton Street in Mayfair . The Anglican Archbishop of York , Cosmo Gordon Lang , baptised her in
18542-670: Was created during Garrard's time as crown jeweller. Garrard created the Premier League trophy and the Cricket World Cup Trophy . They also produced the original cubic zirconia prop-necklace of the Heart of the Ocean for the 1997 film Titanic , as well as a similar necklace made with a sapphire and white diamonds which was worn by Celine Dion at the Oscars and later auctioned. In 2018,
18688-469: Was denounced by public figures and slapped by a member of the public appalled by his comments. Six years later, in 1963, Macmillan resigned and advised Elizabeth to appoint Alec Douglas-Home as the prime minister, advice she followed. Elizabeth again came under criticism for appointing the prime minister on the advice of a small number of ministers or a single minister. In 1965, the Conservatives adopted
18834-577: Was designed for queens regnant and queens consort , though some kings have added to the collection. Most of the jewellery was purchased from other European heads of state and members of the aristocracy, or handed down by older generations of the Royal family, often as birthday and wedding presents. In recent years, Elizabeth had worn them in her capacity as Queen of Australia, Canada and New Zealand, and can be seen wearing jewels from her collection in official portraits made specially for these realms. In 1714, with
18980-611: Was dismissed from his post by Governor-General Sir John Kerr , after the Opposition-controlled Senate rejected Whitlam's budget proposals. As Whitlam had a majority in the House of Representatives , Speaker Gordon Scholes appealed to Elizabeth to reverse Kerr's decision. She declined, saying she would not interfere in decisions reserved by the Constitution of Australia for the governor-general . The crisis fuelled Australian republicanism . In 1977, Elizabeth marked
19126-460: Was forced to pay her legal fees and donated £200,000 to charity. Elizabeth's solicitors had taken successful action against The Sun five years earlier for breach of copyright after it published a photograph of her daughter-in-law the Duchess of York and her granddaughter Princess Beatrice . In January 1994, Elizabeth broke the scaphoid bone in her left wrist as the horse she was riding at Sandringham tripped and fell. In October 1994, she became
19272-452: Was formed specifically so she could socialise with girls her age. Later, she was enrolled as a Sea Ranger . In 1939, Elizabeth's parents toured Canada and the United States. As in 1927, when they had toured Australia and New Zealand , Elizabeth remained in Britain since her father thought she was too young to undertake public tours. She "looked tearful" as her parents departed. They corresponded regularly, and she and her parents made
19418-533: Was given to Elizabeth on her 18th birthday in 1944, and was borrowed by Princess Margaret , who used it at the 1953 coronation of Queen Elizabeth II . Later, Elizabeth lent the Halo Tiara to Princess Anne, before giving her the Greek Meander Tiara in 1972. The Halo Tiara was lent to the then Duchess of Cambridge to wear at her wedding to Prince William in 2011. This tiara was left to Queen Elizabeth (later
19564-603: Was in Montreal ; her "calmness and courage in the face of the violence" was noted. Elizabeth gave birth to her third child, Prince Andrew , in February 1960; this was the first birth to a reigning British monarch since 1857. Her fourth child, Prince Edward , was born in March 1964. The 1960s and 1970s saw an acceleration in the decolonisation of Africa and the Caribbean. More than 20 countries gained independence from Britain as part of
19710-484: Was killed in a car crash in Paris. Elizabeth was on holiday with her extended family at Balmoral. Diana's two sons, Princes William and Harry , wanted to attend church, so Elizabeth and Philip took them that morning. Afterwards, for five days, the royal couple shielded their grandsons from the intense press interest by keeping them at Balmoral where they could grieve in private, but the royal family's silence and seclusion, and
19856-414: Was loaned to Elizabeth's daughter-in-law Sophie, then Countess of Wessex, in 2012. In 1947, George VI commissioned a three-strand necklace with over 150 brilliant cut diamonds from his inherited collection. It consists of three small rows of diamonds with a triangle motif. The minimum weight of this necklace is estimated to be 170 carats (34 g). The necklace was worn by Catherine, Princess of Wales at
20002-445: Was occasional republican sentiment and media criticism of her family—particularly after the breakdowns of her children's marriages, her annus horribilis in 1992, and the death in 1997 of her former daughter-in-law Diana —support for the monarchy and her personal popularity in the United Kingdom remained consistently high. Elizabeth died aged 96 at Balmoral Castle , and was succeeded by her eldest son, Charles III. Elizabeth
20148-677: Was renamed the 'America's Cup' after the yacht and was donated to the New York Yacht Club under the terms of the Deed of Gift , which made the cup available for perpetual international competition. Garrard amalgamated with The Goldsmiths and Silversmiths Company in 1952, when they closed their Albemarle workshops and moved premises to Regent Street . In October 1959, Mappin & Webb , a subsidiary of Sears Holdings , bought Garrard. In July 1990, Sears sold Mappin & Webb and Garrard to fellow jeweller, Asprey plc , retaining an 38.5% interest in
20294-471: Was rushed to his work room by a police escort. Queen Elizabeth (later the Queen Mother) reassured her daughter that it would be fixed in time, and it was. The Queen Mother lent it to her granddaughter, Princess Anne , for her wedding to Captain Mark Phillips in 1973. It was later lent to Princess Beatrice for her wedding to Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi in 2020. It was exhibited with a number of other royal tiaras in 2001. The Queen Adelaide's Fringe Necklace
20440-471: Was served by more than 170 prime ministers across her realms. Her many historic visits and meetings included state visits to China in 1986, to Russia in 1994, and to the Republic of Ireland in 2011, and meetings with five popes and fourteen US presidents. Significant events included her coronation in 1953 and the celebrations of her Silver , Golden , Diamond , and Platinum jubilees . Although there
20586-499: Was set up to investigate the matter and in 1857 they found in favour of the House of Hanover. On 28 January 1858, seven years after Ernest's death, the jewels were handed to the Hanoverian Ambassador, Count Adolf von Kielmansegg . Victoria did manage to keep one of her favourite pieces of jewellery: a fine rope of pearls. Some pieces of jewellery made before the death of Queen Victoria in 1901 are regarded as heirlooms owned by
20732-629: Was spent primarily at the Yorks' residences at 145 Piccadilly (their town house in London) and Royal Lodge in Windsor. During her grandfather's reign, Elizabeth was third in the line of succession to the British throne , behind her uncle Edward, Prince of Wales , and her father. Although her birth generated public interest, she was not expected to become queen, as Edward was still young and likely to marry and have children of his own, who would precede Elizabeth in
20878-717: Was stationed in the British Crown Colony of Malta as a serving Royal Navy officer. He and Elizabeth lived intermittently in Malta for several months at a time in the hamlet of Gwardamanġa , at Villa Guardamangia , the rented home of Philip's uncle Lord Mountbatten . Their two children remained in Britain. As George VI's health declined during 1951, Elizabeth frequently stood in for him at public events. When she visited Canada and Harry S. Truman in Washington, DC, in October 1951, her private secretary Martin Charteris carried
21024-527: Was televised for the first time, with the exception of the anointing and communion . On Elizabeth's instruction, her coronation gown was embroidered with the floral emblems of Commonwealth countries. From Elizabeth's birth onwards, the British Empire continued its transformation into the Commonwealth of Nations . By the time of her accession in 1952, her role as head of multiple independent states
21170-473: Was the monarch of 15 realms at her death. Her reign of 70 years and 214 days is the longest of any British monarch , the second-longest of any sovereign state , and the longest of any queen regnant in history . Elizabeth was born in Mayfair , London, during the reign of her paternal grandfather, King George V . She was the first child of the Duke and Duchess of York (later King George VI and Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother ). Her father acceded to
21316-455: Was the subject of another attack while on a visit to Dunedin , New Zealand. Christopher John Lewis , who was 17 years old, fired a shot with a .22 rifle from the fifth floor of a building overlooking the parade but missed. Lewis was arrested, but instead of being charged with attempted murder or treason was sentenced to three years in jail for unlawful possession and discharge of a firearm. Two years into his sentence, he attempted to escape
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