Prince Ricardo De La Cerda
On Friday, 18 October, King Charles and Queen Camilla will be arriving in Australia to begin their tour. The late Queen Elizabeth II had several pieces of jewellery that she received from Australia; which might we see on this visit?
The then-Princess Elizabeth received the Australian Opal Spray Brooch as a wedding gift in 1947 from the Returned Sailors’, Soldiers’, and Airmen’s Imperial League of Australia. The golden brooch mimics the flowering gum tree and features Australian black opals and diamonds.
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While it was originally a gift to the Queen Mother, the Australian Hibiscus Brooch was a favourite of Queen Elizabeth II. The Queen Mother received it during her 1958 visit as a gift. The platinum brooch features two intertwined hibiscus flowers, set with rubies and diamonds.
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The Queen Mother wore the brooch several times and, after her death in 2002, her daughter also wore it several times.
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The Australian Wattle Brooch is the best known of these pieces and was a favoured piece. The young Queen Elizabeth received it as a gift during her February 1954 visit to Australia. She loved the piece so much that she wore it on the tour only days after being presented with it.
The platinum brooch is set with both yellow and white diamonds, making for a bright and colourful accessory.