The women of the Royal Family are no stranger to a well-placed brooch; whether it's a historic piece referencing a country's national emblem during a State Visit, or a sentimental jewel nodding to a particular person on a significant occasion. Many of the brooches (and indeed other jewellery pieces) are well documented but, on Tuesday (24 March), Queen Camilla stepped out wearing one which has sparked a bit of a mystery.
During a busy day out with The King to the Eden Project and Big Lunch organisation, The Queen wore a sparkling insect shaped brooch. The jewel appears to be fashioned as a horsefly, with a sapphire body and diamond wings. See below:
The first time we saw Queen Camilla wear the piece in public, it was in March 2024 for a visit to Shrewsbury Flaxmill Maltings. At the time, royal watchers were puzzled by its appearance, and questioned it's origin. Queen Camilla, on this occasion, had worn it alongside a larger and more familiar bee brooch, but the horsefly hadn't been seen publicly before.
There a number of reasons the shape could be poignant for Queen Camilla, the first being its reference to horses which are a known love of the Queen's (in fact, she also has specifically horsed-shaped pieces). Another reason could be tied to the nature connection of the day's activities. Given she was celebrating 25 years of the Eden Project - which houses thousands of plant species - in Cornwall, an insect would be a fitting choice.
Where the brooch originated, however, nobody understands. But, there are rumours that it may have belonged to the late Queen, even if she didn't wear it in public. Expert jeweller Stephen Stone writes that, 'speculation is rampant that it may hold a significant tie to Queen Elizabeth II. Among the late monarch’s cherished possessions was diamond bee brooch adorned with a cabochon sapphire, which was reportedly one of her first brooches.' Queen Camilla has inherited many pieces from Queen Elizabeth II's vast collection, so it is a definite possibility that this could have been among the treasures.
The King and Queen shared a video of their busy day to the Royal Family's official social media accounts, and explained how they'd met staff and gardeners during their time at the Eden Project to learn about wildflower habitat restoration and the benefits of people connecting with nature.
Afterwards, the couple met volunteers from the Big Lunch ahead of the Big Lunch and Big Help Out weekend coming this summer, 5 - 8 June. Queen Camilla has been a patron of the organisation since 2013.
