The Queen of England is Camilla, consort of King Charles III. Want to know what her jewels are?
How much is the jewelry collection of the future Queen of England, Camilla Shand, married to Mountbatten-Windsor? The British newspaper Daily Mail recently showcased the Crown Jewels and estimated their value. According to an investigation by the newspaper, Camilla has amassed, 12 years after her marriage to King Charles III, a considerable collection of exquisite jewels. For example, a magnificent diamond and ruby necklace, believed to be a gift from King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia, who died in January 2015.
The necklace is paired with a bracelet and earrings. A particularly ostentatious piece of jewelry, yet worn with taste, the British newspaper emphasizes.
Much of the jewelry are gifts, in particular of Arab sheiks. After a two-day tour in Saudi in 2006, for example, here is a 37 rubies necklace and as many diamonds, with an estimated value of nearly 1 million euro. Two years later came a set of jewels with rubies and sapphires: necklace, earrings and bracelet. Another bracelet is a tribute by the Emir of Bahrain, while a necklace, brooch and belt are the kind of the present ruler of Kuwait.
Obviously, these gifts are in addition to those from Charles himself, as well as those from the family. The Queen, it seems, is particularly fond of her collection of pearl chokers (she actually owns half a dozen). Curious coincidence: the necklaces’ clasps are made with precious and semi-precious stones that belonged to her great-grandmother, Alice Keppel, King Edward VII’s last and most famous mistress. Talk about preserving family traditions… In any case, Charles has always been amused by the connection between Camilla and his great-great-grandfather’s mistress. So much so that, with the help of jeweler Wartski, Charles has attempted to purchase jewelry collections once owned by Alice Keppel. For example, he reportedly paid €120,000 for a ruby and diamond tiara that belonged to Camilla’s great-grandmother, purchased by Edward VII in Paris.
Charles, in any case, has bought a pink topaz by Sotheby’s, to be transformed into a clasp for a pearl necklace with three wires. He then donated the earrings Alhambra, symbol of luck, a brooch in the shape of a dancer, and one with the silhouette of dragonfly, all of Van Cleef & Arpels. The inspiration for the dancer is the result of collaboration between the jeweler Claude Arpels and choreographer George Balanchine. The ruby, which symbolizes passionate love, is said to be the favorite stone of Camilla, also because it is not associated with Diana, who preferred sapphires. Camilla has another series (as well as donated by King Abdullah) of rubies and sapphires, worth 3.5 million euro. A pin with emerald drop, which was a favorite jewelry of Princess Diana, is composed of a circle of diamonds with the insignia of three feathers of the Prince of Wales, as a pendant emerald cabochon. Remains a doubt: it was just the pendant of a necklace of Diana, it has reappeared in the form of a brooch on the lapel of the Duchess?
In 2006 Camilla has also received a necklace decorated with sapphires and emeralds, valued at more than 1 million euro. The Snake Necklace is a gift of Charles in 2001, four years before their marriage: it consists of round diamonds and emerald cut, in a platinum setting. Then there is the engagement ring by 250 thousand euro: belonged to Carlo’s grandmother, Queen Elizabeth. This ring with diamonds, art deco, it was estimated 250 thousand euro.
The brooch Ladies of North Wales is another element of the collection that belonged to the Queen Mother. The brooch of Hesse diamonds, diamonds and sapphires, has a long history: it was given to Queen Victoria from grandchildren Hesse, Germany, for her Diamond Jubilee.
Camilla chose to wear for his 60th birthday the diamond necklace worn by the Queen Mother for the coronation of her husband, in 1937. A necklace commissioned in 1858 by Queen Victoria using two insignia of the Order of the Garter and the hilt of a sword. The original series included 28 stones, and is estimated to be worth around 7 million Euros.
