The Queen’s Jewellery: Victoria’s wheat ear brooches

Depicting curved ears of wheat, these brooches, which total six, feature diamonds set in gold. The six are two pairs of three, mirroring one another.

William IV had these made for Queen Adelaide in 1831, from Rundell, Bridge & Co. The diamonds came from the family’s collection, but stones from three of the wheat brooches had to be returned to the new King of Hannover after he successfully claimed the stones that belonged to George III’s wife, Queen Charlotte, reports From Her Majesty’s Jewel Vault. These brooches were redone by Garrard in 1858, making a full set once more.

The Queen wears two at a time, but they are not seen too often. She did, however, once wear them as hair slides! They don’t appear all that often, the last time being in Oman in 2010.