The Queen is known for her caring and thoughtful qualities, having welcomed Meghan Markle into the royal family with open arms. She even decided to pay tribute to the stunning bride at the royal wedding last weekend, by wearing a brooch that had a special connection to Meghan. Both the Queen's brooch and Meghan's wedding tiara come from the same jewellery set that belongs to the monarch.
She inherited the set from Queen Mary when King George V's wife died in 1953. The collection featured the stunning Queen Mary Diamond Bandeau tiara, which Meghan borrowed for her wedding, and the glittering Richmond Brooch, which the Queen pinned to her dress. At one point, the brooch actually formed part of the tiara but is detachable, hence why Her Majesty was able to wear it on her frock.
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The Queen's Richmond brooch used to be attached to Meghan's wedding tiara
The dazzling brooch is made of diamonds set with a large round central pearl. The Queen, 92, has worn the family heirloom on several occasions, both with the central pearl and without. Before the royal wedding last week, she most recently wore it at the Festival of Remembrance in November 2014. She also donned the brooch in 2009 at a lavish state banquet for India's then-President Pratibha Patil.
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Take a peek inside the royal family's tiara collection below!
Her ancestor Mary of Teck was the wife of King George V. Mary was given the brooch as a wedding present in 1893 by the people of Richmond, hence its name. While the royal and her family were of German origin, the Tecks lived at the White Lodge in Richmond Park for more than two decades.
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According to royal jewellery expert Ella Kay, Mary first wore the brooch during her honeymoon at Osborne House, the summer residence of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert on the Isle of Wight. She also wore it at the famed Devonshire House Ball, when she showcased other glittering jewels.
