camilla© Photo: Getty Images

Queen Camilla pays homage to the Queen with wholesome gesture

The royal smiled graciously as she greeted crowds

Fashion features writer
September 16, 2022

Camilla, Queen Consort, joined her husband King Charles III during a visit to Wales to attend a service of prayer for the life of Queen Elizabeth II, held at St Llandaff Cathedral in Cardiff. The royal looked elegant as ever, adhering to royal protocol in a timeless black ensemble.

LOOK: The Queen's top fashion moment remembered - and it was huge

Queen Camilla subtly paid tribute to her late mother-in-law by concealing a hidden message within her outfit. Her beautiful leek brooch, resembling the Welsh national emblem, was gifted to her by the Queen.

WATCH: King and Queen Consort arrive in Belfast as home nations tour goes on

The exquisite diamond-encrusted item, called the Diamond Leek Brooch, took pride of place as it was fastened onto a sleek black coat donned by the royal. She also wore a large black hat featuring wrap detailing and a pair of pearl earrings, a gemstone that is traditionally worn by the royal ladies during a period of mourning.

MORE: Queen Consort Camilla 'out of her comfort zone' as her 'old life is disrupted'

Before her sad death, the Queen wore a nearly-identical brooch called the Welsh Guards Leek Brooch for various occasions across the decades. The last sighting of the Queen's stunning brooch was during her birthday celebrations in 2020.

© Photo: Getty Images

Queen Camilla looked beautiful while wearing the brooch

The brooch is one of many pieces passed down through the family from the late monarch. The Queen, the longest-serving British monarch to date, owned one of the world's most expensive and largest jewellery collections.

Much of the Queen's jewellery collection, which forms part of the Crown Jewels, remains on display for all to marvel at. Situated in The Tower of London, the collection is composed of tiaras, brooches, diadems and much more.

© Photo: Getty Images

The jewel was a gift from the late monarch

These pieces are likely to remain on show because they belong to the state and are held in a trust, as opposed to being part of the former monarch's private collection.

The Queen Consort is particularly fond of funky brooches and owns an array of eclectic pieces. For the procession of Her Majesty's coffin from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Hall on Wednesday, the royal wore a unique stick insect brooch.

© Photo: Getty Images

The late Queen owned a very similar brooch

Camilla regularly wears insect brooches, also boasting dragonfly and butterfly-shaped pins in her collection.

SEE: Queen Consort's £850k Wiltshire home - photos

The stick insect brooch is from her personal collection and King Charles III's wife has worn it a number of times over the years. It is believed to be a gift from her father, with an estimated value of £40,000-50,000, according to gemologist Alexandra Michell of Prestige Pawnbrokers, from Channel 4’s Posh Pawn.

Make sure you never miss a ROYAL story! Sign up to our newsletter to get all of our celebrity and royal news delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up to Royal Style and discover the latest royal fashion moments

Email Address

By entering your details, you are agreeing to HELLO! Magazine User Data Protection Policy. You can unsubscribe at any time. For more information, please click here.

More Royal Style

See more