More On The Prince of Wales Feathers Brooch

As you might remember, yesterday I posted a picture of the Duchess of Cornwall on Day 2 of Royal Ascot, sporting her Prince of Wales Feathers Brooch with emerald pendant.

 

So I thought it might be nice to share a bit of background information on this piece of jewellery, one which I particularly like: it is delicate and pretty, yet the enormous proportions of the emerald pendant give it added oomph!

 

The brooch was a wedding gift to Princess Alexandra (later Queen Alexandra) from the "Ladies of Bristol" on the occasion of her wedding to the Prince of Wales (later King Edward VII) on 10 March 1863. It consists of an oval of 18 brilliant-cut diamonds accented with tiny emeralds, encircling the Prince of Wales ostrich feathers, set with diamonds, and a scroll inscribed with the Prince of Wales motto "Ich Dien", German for "I serve". Completing the jewel is a detachable cabochon emerald pendant suspended from the bottomo of the circle.

 

For more details on the history of the heraldic badge of the Prince of Wales, see here.

 

Royal Collection

 

 

Upon the death of Queen Alexandra in 1925, the brooch was inherited first by her daughter-in-law Queen Mary, then by Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother. She then gave it to Diana, Princess of Wales, soon after her engagement to the Prince of Wales was announced in 1981.

 

Apparently, Diana loved the brooch, and was often photographed wearing it, with or without the Emerald drop. She used to wear it as a necklace pendant, suspended from the diamond necklace that formed part of the suite of jewellery presented to her by the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia upon her wedding. Originally, the diamond necklace had its own pendant, a huge Burmese sapphire, surrounded by baguette-cut diamonds in a sunrays shape, and the Princess wore it both this way, or with the Ladies of Bristol brooch, with or without the emerald pendant.

 

Princess Diana in a red evening gown, wearing the Spencer family tiara, the Emir of Qatar diamond and pearl dangle earrings (another wedding present), the Royal Family Order of Queen Elizabeth II and the feathers brooch suspended from her diamond necklace, sans emerald drop, 30 March 1983.

The Princess is seen here wearing the diamond necklace with its original sapphire pendant and matching sapphire earrings.



When using the emerald pendant version, the Princess like to wear the brooch with a pair of emerald earrings that Prince Charles had got her as a wedding present, as can be seen in this 1986 photos taken at a gala event in Vienna:

 

 

The Catherine Walker blue/green sequinned gown perfectly complemented the jewels hues.

 

As a royal heirloom, the brooch was handed back to the Queen at the time of Diana's divorce from the Prince of Wales in 1996 and, in the absence of a new Princess of Wales who could wear it, went into hiding for a while.

 

It has since resurface, being debuted by the Prince of Wales new bride, the Duchess of Cornwall at the premiere of the film "The History Boys" at the Odeon Leicester Sq on 2 October 2006. Camilla, too, choose to pair the brooch with emerald earrings.

 

 

 

The Duchess has worn the jewel a number of times since its first outing on her lapel back in 2006. In fact, it is said that Prince Charles was particularly keen for her to have it, thanks to its traditional association with successive Princesses of Wales. To my knowledge, though, the Duchess has never worn it as a necklace pendant, perhaps due to this wearing option being strongly associated with the late Diana, Princess of Wales.



 

In fact, the media never fail to comment when the brooch is spotted on the Duchess' lapel.


The Duchess at Cheltenham Festvial races, in a fur trimmed hat and teal bouclé coat accessorised with the brooch, 14 March 2012.

Once again, riding in the Queen's carriage at Royal Acot, 19 March 2013.

 

This is for sure a piece of jewellery I would like to see the Duchess of Cambridge wear, when she eventually becomes Princess of Wales!