This week, Queen Camilla paid a glittering tribute to her late mother-in-law.
On Wednesday, during a state visit to France, the Queen donned a dazzling sapphire and diamond necklace previously owned by Queen Elizabeth II, the New York Post reported on Thursday. She paired it with a matching bracelet and a navy blue Dior haute couture dress and cape.
The jewels are known collectively as the King George VI Victorian Suite, Maxwell Stone of Seven Stone Jewellers told the Post. The necklace and matching earrings were given to Queen Elizabeth by her father on her wedding day, and the bracelet was later commissioned by the late queen herself. As Camilla doesn’t have pierced ears, she had to do without the earrings, opting instead for a clip-on pair with the same stones. (Camilla is a documented fan of Queen Elizabeth’s sapphire jewellery. She wore the same necklace and matching tiara to her first state banquet as queen in November, the Post noted).
To round out her accessories, Camilla added one of her own Van Cleef & Arpels bracelets, the $4,800 agate Vintage Alhambra, as well as another gold piece and a second sapphire and diamond bracelet on her other wrist. She accessorised her Dior Haute Couture silk crepe gown with braided detailing at the waist with a matching midnight blue clutch.
In her short time as queen, Camilla has had fun dipping into the royal jewellery archives, particularly those pieces favoured by Queen Elizabeth. In March, she wore Queen Elizabeth’s diamond City of London Fringe necklace to a state banquet in Berlin. And in May, on a trip to Northern Ireland, Camilla brought out a rare emerald and diamond brooch that Queen Elizabeth has only occasionally been seen to wear.
For the dinner at Versailles, Camilla was joined by King Charles III, who opted for a traditional black tuxedo. French President Emmanuel Macron wore a similar look, while his wife Brigitte stuck to Camilla’s colour scheme: She chose a navy dress with rhinestone detailing at the neck, waist and cuffs.
If Queen Camilla’s style over the past year is any indication, we can expect to see her wearing more of Queen Elizabeth’s jewels soon.