An unusual piece of Her Majesty’s in the fact that it isn’t of a standard form, but mimicking a cameo. The brooch features a pink Queen Elizabeth rose, hand-painted and carved reverse intaglio (that is, impressed into the back of transparent or translucent material). The ‘cameo’ is set in rock crystal, sitting in a frame of 100 diamonds, finished at the top with a bow.
The Queen wears a cameo rose brooch to the D-Day 75 Commemorations in Portsmouth
The Queen had this created for her mother’s 100th birthday in 2000; it was created by G. Collins & Sons. It is called the Centenary Rose brooch due to its creation but is also referred to as the cameo rose brooch, due to its similarity to a cameo.
Poignantly, after The Queen Mother’s death in March 2002, Her Majesty wore it for her Christmas broadcast with pictures of her family beside her, notes FHMJV. The Queen lost her sister, Princess Margaret, and her mother within weeks of one another.
Thanks to its rose-coloured tones, we see this most often on pink backgrounds, although we have seen it on a yellow coat, when the hat has pale pink flowers, too.
Feature photo: NASA (public domain)
