Gifts of Grandeur: Queen Elizabeth’s Star of the Order of the Garter

Star of the Order of the Garter
English, 1923
Diamonds, Enamel
The Royal Collection

Traditionally, when a member of the Royal family of Britain marries, a new title or honor is bestowed on either one or both of the betrothed. We saw this most recently when Prince William of Wales and Katherine Middleton were created the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge respectively on the day of their wedding.


When the future King George VI married Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon (later known as “The Queen Mother”) in 1923, he was given this star upon his investiture with the Order of the Garter. George VI presented his daughter, Princess Elizabeth (now Queen Elizabeth II), with this star upon her investiture with the Order of the Garter prior to her 1947 wedding.

HM Queen Elizabeth II
Cecil Beaton, 1968
The Royal Collection

A masterpiece of diamonds and enamel, the Queen often wears this garter star—as seen in this photograph by Cecil Beaton from 1968.

Gifts of Grandeur: Queen Elizabeth II’s Aquamarine and Diamond Tiara, 1957

Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II happens to have quite a few tiaras at her disposal. She also happens to wear all of them, though not at once. A good many of them were gifts—particularly from her grandmother, Mary of Teck. This particular one wasn’t a gift, per se, but it was crafted from several gifts given to the Queen for her 1953 coronation.

Aquamarine and Diamond Tiara
1957-1971
Adapted by R. & S. Garrard & Co.
The Royal Collection

When originally constructed in 1957, this tiara featured three upright stones which matched the central portion of the tiara. All three were detachable and could be worn as brooches. The stones rose gracefully from a simple platinum and diamond band.

As a Coronation gift from the people of Brazil, Queen Elizabeth II was given a luxurious suite of aquamarine pieces. In 1971, the Queen had several of these aquamarine pieces adapted into additions to this tiara. The two flanking stones were removed in favor of these aquamarine and diamond scrolls and the central stone was replaced with the centerpiece from a particularly beautiful diamond and aquamarine necklace from the Brazilian suite.

The resulting tiara incorporates the original head-band with these adapted pieces, creating an unusual work of dazzling blue and sparkling diamonds. Her majesty frequently wears this tiara with the remaining pieces from the Brazilian suite and other items from her collection of aquamarines.

Gifts of Grandeur: The Dorset Bow Brooch, 1893 (Reposted from May 12, 2011)

The Dorset Bow Fan
English, 1893
The Royal Collection

This exceptionally fine diamond brooch helped start a trend in jewelry design, giving rise to the popularity of “bow brooches,” a style which endures to this day. The brooch was a gift to Mary of Teck on the occasion of her marriage (to the future King George V) in 1893.


When Mary’s granddaughter, Princess Elizabeth (now Queen Elizabeth II) married in 1947, this was among the many exquisite diamond pieces which Queen Mary lavished on the young bride.

Gifts of Grandeur: Tsar Nicholas II’s Imperial Presentation Box, 1900

Imperial Presentation Box
Made for Tsar Nicholas II, 1900
Carl Blank for K. Hahn Co.
Two-color gold, guilloché enamel,
rose-cut diamonds, and seed pearls.
Queen Mary, by whom given to
King George V
The Royal Collection

This gorgeous box created of two-color gold, guilloché enamel, rose-cut diamonds, and seed pearls appears, at first glance, to be the work of Fabergé, but it isn’t. Crafted in 1900, the box bears the mark of Carl Blank of K. Hahn. Hahn was one Fabergé’s main competitors for imperial commissions and Blank was one of his chief artisans.


Of the 370 Russian Imperial Presentation boxes, 150 were made by Fabergé and 50 were made by Hahn. This box is one of Hahn and Blank’s finest. Within a field of sky-blue enamel, the cipher of Tsar Nicholas II has been set in diamonds and accented by pearls.

One of several items from the Revolution that Queen Mary acquired, she purchased the box from a dealer, recording it in the Royal Collection as an Imperial Presentation Box made for Tsar Nicholas II. Mary of Teck did make one error in her recording of the piece. She attributed the work to Fabergé. She later gave the box to her husband, King George V.

Gifts of Grandeur: Queen Mary’s Diamond Bangles, 1893

Pair of Gold and Diamond Bangles
Presented to Mary of Teck in 1893
The Royal Collection

In 1893, as a wedding gift, Mary of Teck (after 1911, known as Queen Mary), was presented with a gorgeous pair of gold and diamond bangles by the Bombay Presidency. Knowing how much Mary loved sparkly things, I’m pretty sure she liked them.


There were two things that Queen Mary cared for more than art and jewels—her family and her country. In 1947, she presented these bangles to her granddaughter, Princess Elizabeth (now Queen Elizabeth II) on the occasion of her marriage to the Duke of Edinburgh.

Gifts of Grandeur: The Queen Mother’s Diamond Chandelier Earrings, 1918

Pair of Diamond Chandelier Earrings
Cartier, 1918 and 1922
Commissioned by The Hon. Mrs. R. Greville
Bequeathed to the Queen Mother, 1942
Presented to Queen Elizabeth II, 1947
The Royal Collection

The original owner of these magnificent earrings was the Honorable Mrs. Ronald Greville who asked Cartier to create the pair using every conceivable cut of diamond. In 1918, Cartier presented Mrs. Greville with the earring sans the six large pear-shaped drops. In 1922, the jewelers are Cartier added the drops, giving the finished product an astonishing variety of modern diamond cuts: half moon, trapeze, square, pear, baguette and emerald.


These were among the magnificent collection of jewelry which Mrs. Greville bequeathed to Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother, upon her passing in 1942. In 1947, the Queen Mother gifted the earrings to her daughter, the future Queen Elizabeth II, as a wedding gift.