Queen Camilla chose three pieces of jewellery with special significance for her, as she paid tribute to her late mother-in-law, her husband, as well as her grandchildren during her visit to the Vatican.
Camilla, 78, joined King Charles, 76, for a historic trip to Rome this week and it appeared the Queen was thinking of her loved ones throughout.
She picked not one, but three, separate jewels that each have a sentimental meaning – including a rare brooch that was a favourite of the late Queen Elizabeth II.
Pinned to her black silk Fiona Clare dress was the glistening Raspberry Pip brooch that occupied pride of place in the monarch’s private collection – although she rarely wore it out in public.
The brooch, which is shaped like a Georgian cross and adorned with transparent topaz and diamonds, is estimated to be worth around £40,0000.
Alongside the brooch, Camilla also wore her stunning pearl choker in a nod to Charles while paying tribute to her grandchildren by keeping her gold pendant necklace close to her heart.
For her meeting with Pope Leo XIV, Camilla wore an all-black outfit that adhered to the protocol she was required to follow for her audience with the pontiff.
The Raspberry Pip brooch sparkled brightly as Camilla honoured the memory of the late Queen by picking it for Thursday’s engagement.
In fact, she was the first royal to bring it back into the public eye after Queen Elizabeth rarely wore it out, experts in fine jewellery at UK retailer Steven Stone told the Daily Mail.
Explaining the importance of the brooch, Maxwell Stone said: ‘Queen Camilla chose a deeply sentimental piece from the royal vault to meet the Pope: the beloved Raspberry Pip brooch.
‘This elegant jewel, which she also wore at the start of the year for a service at St Mary Magdalene Church and on the fourth day of Royal Ascot, holds special historical significance.
‘Originally part of Queen Elizabeth II’s private collection, it’s believed to have been one of the late monarch’s favourites.
‘However, it wasn’t publicly worn for decades – until Queen Camilla revived it during the 2023 Christmas service, becoming the first to showcase it in recent history.
‘Shaped like a Georgian cross, the brooch is a breathtaking combination of transparent topaz and sparkling diamonds.
‘Topaz, known for its remarkable clarity, allows the colour of the garment beneath to subtly shine through – a detail that enhanced the brooch’s brilliance against Queen Camilla’s coat.’
Commenting on how much the brooch may be worth, Maxwell added: ‘With its elegant design, royal legacy, and emotional symbolism, I’d estimate the brooch to be worth approximately £40,000.’
Alongside the brooch, Camilla also wore another piece of jewellery of great personal significance – her stunning pearl necklace.
The multi-strand Edwardian pearl choker features a distinctive diamond clasp and Camilla previously wore it in her 14th wedding anniversary photo with her husband, taken by Alexi Lubomirski in 2019.
She was also seen wearing the necklace to the Royal Ascot in 2016 and again in 2022, during the State Opening of Parliament that year.
After Camilla and Charles bid goodbye to the Pope, the Queen changed into a much lighter ensemble to attend a service at the Basilica of St Paul’s Outside the Walls, where Charles became a Royal Confrater of the Abbey.
She wore a white Anna Valentine embroidered coat dress with a pair of brown pumps, and accessorised with yet another piece of memorable jewellery – a gold pendant necklace that bears the initials of her grandchildren’s names.
Camilla is frequently seen wearing the precious necklace that was gifted to her by her grandchildren, born to her children Tom Parker Bowles and Laura Lopes.
It is engraved with five letters to represent her grandchildren on her non-royal family’s side: ‘L’, ‘F’, ‘G’, ‘L’, and ‘E’ for Lola, Freddy, Gus, Eliza, and Louis.
During the service in the basilica, Charles sat in a chair specially crafted to bear his Coat of Arms.
The chair was a gift to the King but will remain in the church.
Charles and Camilla later stepped out of the basilica and met members of the public and the congregation, as well local schoolchildren.
The royal couple’s trip to the Vatican comes nearly 65 years after Her Late Majesty’s own historic visit, when she too wore black in line with protocol.
Her Late Majesty’s trip to meet Pope John XXIII in May 1961 marked the first visit to the Vatican by a reigning English monarch since Henry VIII’s split with Rome in the 16th century.
To add to the significance of the visit, Charles became the first British monarch in 500 years to pray in public with a pope.
Following their visit to the Basilica of St Paul’s Outside the Walls, Camilla met with nuns who are working to promote the education of women and fight trafficking.
Meanwhile, Charles met with trainee priests from across the Commonwealth, as well as British nationals working in the Vatican and Commonwealth ambassadors to the Holy See.
