The jewelry narrative of Queen Consort Camilla is a distinct study in the evolution of royal status. Unlike monarchs born to the purple, whose collections are largely static and inherited at birth, Queen Camilla’s collection has expanded in tandem with her gradual integration into the heart of the British Monarchy. It is a collection that bridges the divide between the landed gentry and the Sovereign, moving from the personal heirlooms of the Keppel family to the colossal bequest of Dame Margaret Greville, and finally, to the constitutionally significant regalia of the Crown itself. Her choices have consistently balanced a respect for the late Queen Elizabeth II with a distinct personal aesthetic that favors Edwardian grandeur and Art Deco geometry.
The Coronation: A Break with Tradition
The defining moment of Queen Camilla’s jewelry history occurred on May 6, 2023. For the first time since the 18th century, a Queen Consort did not commission a new crown for her coronation. Instead, in a gesture of sustainability and historical continuity, she chose to repurpose Queen Mary’s Crown, originally crafted for the 1911 coronation.
However, the modification of this crown was highly symbolic. The controversial Koh-i-Noor diamond, which had traditionally adorned the crowns of Queen Alexandra, Queen Mary, and the Queen Mother, was conspicuously absent, a diplomatic decision reflecting the sensitivities of the modern Commonwealth. In its place, the Queen Consort paid a personal tribute to the late Queen Elizabeth II by mounting the Cullinan III, IV, and V diamonds into the frame. These massive stones, often worn by the late Queen as "Granny’s Chips" (brooches), were returned to their original purpose as crown jewels. The removal of four of the crown's eight arches lowered the profile of the piece, transforming the imposing imperial silhouette of 1911 into a more streamlined, modern aesthetic suited to the 21st century.
The Greville Bequest: The Honeycomb and The Emeralds
Before her accession, the signature tiara of the then-Duchess of Cornwall was undoubtedly the Greville Tiara, often referred to as the "Greville Honeycomb." This piece is the centerpiece of the vast jewelry hoard left to the Queen Mother in 1942 by Dame Margaret Greville, a society hostess of immense wealth and ambition.
Produced by a prestigious French jewelry house in 1921, the tiara was originally a lower, more bandeau-like structure. However, in 1953, the Queen Mother had it altered, adding height and volume with brilliant-cut diamonds arranged in a distinctive honeycomb lattice, punctuated by larger round diamonds. For Camilla, this tiara became a visual trademark during her years as Duchess. Its sheer scale and wall-of-light effect complemented the voluminous hairstyles she favored, and it served as a loan of significant approval from the late Queen.
The Greville legacy continues to define her Queenship. In a significant recent development, Queen Camilla unlocked the vaults to wear the Greville Emerald Kokoshnik Tiara. This piece, unseen in public for decades, features a massive cabochon emerald centerpiece set in platinum and diamonds in the Russian style. By reviving this piece, she not only showcased the depth of the Greville inheritance but also signaled a willingness to bring the "hidden" treasures of the collection back into the diplomatic spotlight.
The Symbol of Sovereignty: The George VI Sapphires
Upon the death of Queen Elizabeth II, Camilla’s transition from Duchess to Queen Consort was marked visually by her adoption of the George VI Sapphire Parure. This suite is of immense sentimental value to the House of Windsor, as the necklace and earrings were a wedding gift to Princess Elizabeth from her father, King George VI, in 1947.
The tiara associated with this set, the Belgian Sapphire Tiara, has a complex provenance. It was not an heirloom of the British crown but was purchased by Queen Elizabeth II in the 1960s to complete her father's sapphire suite. The piece was originally a necklace belonging to Princess Louise of Belgium, a scandalous figure of the late 19th century. Queen Elizabeth II had it mounted on a frame to create a tiara that perfectly matched the Victorian sapphires. Queen Camilla chose this specific tiara for the first State Banquets of the new reign (hosting South Africa and visiting France). Her decision to wear the "King’s gift" to the late Queen was widely interpreted as a message of continuity, visually linking the new reign to the beloved memory of the former monarch.
The Keppel Lineage: The Cubitt-And Tiara
While the Crown Jewels represent the state, the Cubitt-Shand Tiara represents Queen Camilla’s own aristocratic lineage. This piece is the only major tiara she owns personally, inherited from her grandmother, Sonia Keppel (daughter of Alice Keppel, the famous mistress of King Edward VII).
The design is delicate and floral, featuring a high central spray of diamond flowers and leaves rising from a diamond bandeau. It is noticeably lighter and more modest than the royal diadems. Camilla wore this piece for her first wedding in 1973 and continued to wear it for less formal white-tie events during her time as Duchess. It was also worn by her daughter, Laura Lopes, for her wedding. The continued use of the Cubitt-Shand tiara serves as a reminder that before she was a Windsor, she was a member of the Shand and Keppel families, with her own deep roots in British high society.
The Signature Style: Chokers and Brooches
Beyond the grand tiaras, Queen Camilla has established a distinct daily jewelry uniform centered on pearl chokers. Her preference leans towards three-strand pearl necklaces fastened with elaborate, jeweled clasps. The most famous of these features a large, emerald-cut aquamarine surrounded by diamonds, a family heirloom that she has worn for decades. Another variation features a massive pink topaz center, an antique clasp converted from a brooch. This style is evocative of the Edwardian era, distinguishing her aesthetic from the single or double-strand pearl necklaces favored by Queen Elizabeth II.
In the realm of brooches, her choices are often laden with historical narrative. Most poignant was her selection of the Hesse Diamond Jubilee Brooch for the state funeral of Queen Elizabeth II. This heart-shaped diamond brooch, featuring the number "60" in Cyrillic numerals and three sapphire pendants, was a gift to Queen Victoria from her Hessian grandchildren for her Diamond Jubilee in 1897. By wearing a brooch given to a record-breaking monarch (Victoria) to the funeral of another record-breaking monarch (Elizabeth), Queen Camilla utilized the language of jewelry to acknowledge the weight of history and the passing of an era.
Another notable piece is the Rock Crystal Brooch, an Art Deco masterpiece crafted from transparent rock crystal, carved and set with diamonds and black enamel. This piece, which she inherited from the Queen Mother, reflects Camilla's personal affinity for the bold, geometric designs of the 1920s and 30s, a sharp contrast to the floral sentimentalism of the Victorian pieces.
The jewelry of Queen Consort Camilla is a curated blend of the personal and the political. It narrates her journey from the shires of England to the throne room of Buckingham Palace. By combining her own family heirlooms (the Cubitt-Shand) with the status-defining pieces of the Greville bequest, and finally assuming the custodianship of the Crown’s most potent symbols (the Cullinans and the Sapphires), she has constructed a visual identity that is at once regal, historically aware, and distinctly her own.
