Queen Camilla Debuts Mysterious New Diamond Brooch

Queen Camilla wearing a blue coat and hat shaking hands with people — (Image credit: Getty Images)

King Charles and Queen Camilla are getting ready to celebrate their 21st wedding anniversary on April 9, and ahead of the event, The Queen has debuted a striking new piece of jewelry. Their Majesties attended the annual Royal Maundy service on April 2, with Queen Camilla wearing a dazzling diamond and sapphire brooch that looks like it could be straight out of the royal vaults.

The Queen wore an elegant navy coat featuring floral embroidery with a matching hat, pairing her outfit with diamond and pearl drop earrings and her new brooch at St Asaph Cathedral in Wales. The sapphire and diamond design resembles a crown, and although its provenance is unknown, jewelry expert Justin Daughters tells Marie Claire that it may have been a gift from King Charles ahead of their anniversary.

“From an antique jewelry perspective, the piece is defined by a series of high-level gemological details that set it apart from many traditional royal jewels,” says Daughters, who serves as managing director of antique and vintage jewelry retailer Berganza. He notes that the central sapphire stone features a “rare sugarloaf cut,” which is an unfaceted stone with “gently rounded sides.”

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Queen Camilla wearing a blue coat and hat and smiling — Queen Camilla debuts a new brooch at the Maundy Thursday service on April 2.

Queen Camilla wearing a blue coat walking next to King Charles in a suit — The King and Queen arrive at St Asaph Cathedral in Wales.

Queen Camilla wearing a blue coat and hat standing in front of beefeaters — Queen Camilla poses at the Royal Maundy service.

“The result is a sapphire with a rich, almost ‘velvet’ depth that is seldom seen in modern high jewelry,” Daughters says.

While members of the Royal Family have worn a number of historic sapphire and diamond pieces through the years, including Queen Victoria's famed Prince Albert Brooch, it's unclear if Camilla's design is a previously unseen brooch from the vaults or a modern creation. However, Daughters says that the gemstone pin is full of symbolism.

“The choice of sapphire, long associated with loyalty and steadfastness, set within a crown motif creates a powerful visual narrative, particularly for a ceremonial occasion such as Maundy Thursday,” Daughters says. “It reflects a monarchy that is both rooted in tradition and confidently modern in its expression.”

Royal jewelry blog The Court Jeweler notes that the brooch also resembles a bishop's hat or mitre, making it an especially appropriate choice for Royal Maundy.

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Kristin Contino is Marie Claire's Senior Royal and Celebrity editor. She's been covering royalty since 2018—including major moments such as the Platinum Jubilee, Queen Elizabeth II’s death and King Charles III's coronation—and places a particular focus on the British Royal Family's style and what it means.

Prior to working at Marie Claire, she wrote about celebrity and royal fashion at Page Six Style and covered royalty from around the world as chief reporter at Royal Central. Kristin has provided expert commentary for outlets including the BBC, Sky News, US Weekly, the Today Show and many others.

Kristin is also the published author of two novels, “The Legacy of Us” and “A House Full of Windsor.” She's passionate about travel, history, horses, and learning everything she can about her favorite city in the world, London.