Royals in sparkling form for the tiara and garter show
DRAPED in some of the most breathtaking diamonds from the royal vaults, the Queen and the most senior members of her family posed for an unprecedented and unique photograph last night.
The historic image of the Queen and Prince Philip, Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall, and the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, was taken at Buckingham Palace before the annual white-tie Diplomatic Reception.
It is the first time a photographer has been allowed to picture the Royal Family at an event normally shrouded in secrecy, for reasons no one in the royal household can quite remember.
But now, in the Queen’s 90th birthday year, officials have decided to release an image of the family group as they prepared to welcome more than 1,000 guests into the palace – and in their tiaras and garters what an impressive sight they are, even if Prince William couldn’t look more awkward.
CAMILLA:
The Duchess of Cornwall is wearing the late Queen Mother’s magnificent Boucheron tiara, also known as the Greville tiara after the socialite who left it to her in 1942.
Her white-beaded Bruce Oldfield dress is teamed with a pearl choker and diamond earrings.
The Royal Family Order, a diamond encrusted miniature of the Queen given to senior female royals, is pinned to her dress. Camilla is also wearing her Dame Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order, a personal gift of the Queen, attached to her sash.
CHARLES:
Like Philip and William, the prince is wearing knee breeches with the garter of the Order of the Garter insignia – rarely seen in public – attached just below his left knee.
All three men also wear the Garter sash. The Order of the Garter is the most senior and the oldest Order of British chivalry.
The Insignia of the Most Noble Order of the Garter and the Most Honourable Order of the Bath are on left side of the men’s jacket.
Charles’s diplomatic medals include the Queen’s Service Order, the Queen’s Coronation Medal, the Canadian Forces Decoration.
THE QUEEN:
She wears a sapphire and diamond tiara, with a diamond and sapphire bracelet, necklace and earrings from the George VI sapphire collection. The Royal Family Orders featuring portraits of both herself and her late father, George VI, are pinned to her Garter sash. The Garter Star is pinned to her dress. Her dress is by her senior dresser Angela Kelly.
PHILIP:
The Duke of Edinburgh’s left breast groans under the weight of 17 medals which range from his own service medals from the Second World War to the various Jubilee and Coronation medals he has acquired through sheer longevity.
The red and blue cross worn on a red and blue ribbon around his neck is the Order of Merit, a dynastic order in the personal gift of the Queen and restricted to 24 members. The Order of the Garter star – Philip is a Knight of the Order – and garter is attached to his breeches.
WILLIAM:
The Duke of Cambridge has just two medals – the Queen’s Golden Jubilee Medal and the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal, awarded to all military personnel serving at the time of the jubilees. The Order of the Garter insignia is on the left of his jacket, with the Garter Sash and garter on his breeches.
KATE:
The Duchess of Cambridge wears the diamond and pearl Cambridge Lover’s Knot tiara previously worn by Princess Diana. It was made for Queen Mary in 1914 to her own design and left to the Queen, who gave it to Diana as wedding present in 1981.
Kate wears it with a favourite pair of chandelier diamond earrings, while her diamond bracelet is believed to be a wedding present from Prince Charles.
Her red Jenny Packham dress was first worn for the Chinese state banquet last year. Unlike the Queen and Camilla, Kate has yet to receive the Royal Family Order.