The Queen's jewellery appeared to contain a subtle tribute to armed forces veterans during a visit to the Royal British Legion Industries village in Kent on Wednesday. Her Majesty, 93, wore a striking purple wood tweed coat and dress by Karl Ludwig with a matching hat by Angela Kelly and the Kent Amethyst Demi-Parure brooch.
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Not only does its name pay tribute to the county the Queen visited, but its gemstone could also have some significance too. The piece, which was once belonged to Queen Victoria's mother, the Duchess of Kent, contains a hexagonal amethyst surrounded by diamonds. Amethysts are often seen as a stone for comfort when mourning and Her Majesty appeared to be paying tribute to the war veterans she met, as she opened the new Appleton Lodge care facility for residents.
The Queen at the Poppy Factory in 2012
The Queen has previously worn the brooch for a Poppy Factory visit in 2012, a Walking with the Wounded reception in 2013 and the Duke of Wellington memorial service in 2015. The royals often use their jewellery to convey diplomatic messages on overseas tours, for example, the Duchess of Cambridge borrowed Her Majesty's maple leaf brooch on her visits to Canada in 2011 and 2016, which is the nation's emblem.
During the engagement in Kent, the Queen met the RBLI village's eldest resident, 99-year-old World War II veteran John Riggs, who told Her Majesty: "You will be sending me - God willing - a card on the first of March next year. I will be 100!"
She replied: "That’s wonderful, isn't it? You beat me!"
The Queen and Prince Harry at a Walking with the Wounded reception in 2013
The monarch also buried a time capsule, to be opened in 100 years, which included stories of the veterans and their families living in the RBLI village, a commemorative coin and a copy of today's Times newspaper, which included a picture of the Queen on the front page.
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