10 most exquisite gems and jewellery owned by the British Royal Family

When it comes to the British Royal Family, their long-standing traditions and ancestral status is not the only thing that meets the eye of the public. Besides being one of the most renowned royal households in the world, the British royals are also known for their remarkable collection of royal jewels, passed down through generations. From the magnificent St. Edward’s Crown, last worn by the current Queen Elizabeth II of England during her coronation, to Princess Diana’s iconic engagement ring, the British royalty sure has an extraordinary line of elegant yet stunning royal heirlooms and precious adornments. To give you a proper glimpse of it all, here are 10 most exquisite gems and jewelleries owned by the British Royal Family.

Photo: Getty images

Currently protected and kept hidden in the Tower of London, the Crown Jewels of the United Kingdom are the ceremonial objects used at the coronation of British Kings and Queens. Amongst the many sacred items, the Crown Jewels consist of the St. Edwards Crown, which is the centerpiece of the Crown Jewel, the Imperial State Crown, the orb, the sovereign's scepter, rod and the ring.

The Coronation regalia contains 23,578 precious stones, amongst which the Cullinan I is the largest clear cut diamond in the world, set in the Sovereign's Sceptre with Cross. However, one of the most controversial yet most significant jewels amongst all the other precious stones is the Koh-i-Noor diamond, which was originally from India and later acquired by Queen Victoria. Up until today, the diamond has featured on over three consort crowns.

This beautiful diamond and pearl headpiece, also known as the Lover's Knot tiara, was originally made for Queen Mary in 1913. It was later passed on to her granddaughter, the current Queen Elizabeth II of England. The stunning tiara was further loaned out to Princess Diana for her wedding and although the Princess chose to wear her family’s heirloom piece for her wedding, she was spotted flaunting the same at various occasions.

The exquisite Four Row Pearl Choker was reportedly presented to Queen Elizabeth II by the Japanese government in the 1970’s. Since then, the Queen has worn this beautiful pearl neckpiece at her visit to Bangladesh in 1983 and also lent it to Princess Diana and Kate Middleton.

In 1953, the sets of diamond and aquamarine pieces in the Brazilian Aquamarine Parure Tiara, Earrings, and Necklace were originally presented to the Queen by the Brazilian president as a coronation gift on behalf of the people of Brazil. It first started off with a necklace followed by the other matching sets of jewellery, including the tiara made by Garrard from an additional collection of Brazilian stones.

One of the most iconic engagement rings in the history of British royalty is that of Princess Diana’s. Adorned with 12-carat oval Ceylon sapphire surrounded by diamonds studded in white gold, the ring was reportedly hand-picked by the Princess herself from the Garrard jewelry collection catalog. Currently, the ring reigns on the fingers of Kate Middleton, after Prince William proposed to her with the same.

Dating back to the colonial era of the British monarchy, the Delhi Durbar Tiara was originally made in 1911 for a celebration that marked the coronation of King George V and Queen Mary in the Delhi Durbar. This magnificent headpiece was later given to the Queen’s daughter-in-law or the Queen Mother. The tiara made its most recent appearance in 2005, when the Duchess of Cornwall, Camilla Parker Bowles wore it to a royal event.

Queen Mary’s Diamond Bandeau is a simple yet beautiful headpiece, adorned with multiple diamonds of different sizes. The royal diadem was last worn by Meghan Markle on her wedding day in 2018, almost seven decades after it was worn by Queen Mary in 1950.

The Maple Leaf Brooch was first given to Queen Elizabeth by her husband, King George VI, to mark their state visit to Canada in 1939. In 1951, the brooch was loaned to Princess Elizabeth – the current Queen of England - during her trip to Canada. However, after the passing away of the Queen Mother, Queen Elizabeth II inherited the jewellery piece and since then has lent it to Camilla Parker-Bowles and Kate Middleton for their trips to Canada.

This exquisite piece of tiara, also known as the Cartier Halo Tiara, was first purchased by King George VI for his wife, Queen Elizabeth. Later, the Queen Mother gifted it to her newly turned 18 year-old-daughter, Princess Elizabeth. This beautiful diamond studded diadem was most recently worn by Kate Middleton on her wedding to Prince William.

In 2012, during the premier of the British spy film “Skyfall”, all eyes were turned towards the mesmerizing Amethyst Heart Necklace worn by the Duchess of Cornwall, Camilla Parker Bowles. The elegant neckpiece was originally given to Queen Elizabeth a.k.a. the Queen Mother, on her wedding to King George VI in 1923. Later, the necklace was inherited by the current Queen Elizabeth II.

- By Tenzin Chodon