The Court Jeweller

Sparkling Royal Jewels From Around the World

Christening Jewels for Archie at Windsor Castle

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CHRIS ALLERTON/AFP/Getty Images

I’m officially married and back to work, so it’s time to get caught up on some of the jewels we saw during my break last week! (Don’t worry, I’m going on a honeymoon, but not until the end of the year!) Let’s get started with a look today at the jewels worn for the christening of little Archie Mountbatten-Windsor at Windsor Castle on Saturday.

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For the official photo, adorable little Archie was front and center. The Duchess of Sussex’s wedding, engagement, and eternity rings rested on his little hand in the image. Meghan’s diamond engagement ring recently went through a minor renovation; Archie’s first official photos showed that it now has a slightly slimmer band that is pave-set with diamonds. She now wears that ring stacked with her Welsh gold wedding band and her new diamond eternity ring, which was likely a gift from Harry to mark their first wedding anniversary. The stack now makes a pleasant little pave-diamond sandwich.

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The second official photo from the christening gives us another view of sweet little Archie, as well as a glimpse of Meghan’s earrings. She chose to wear the same Cartier diamond stud earrings that she wore for her wedding ceremony.

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My best-dressed of the day was Archie’s grandmother, Doria Ragland. From her hat to the color of her ensemble to her accessories, the look was spot-on! I love the simple gold hoop earrings and the festive ’60s-style brooch.

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The Duchess of Cornwall wore tried-and-true pieces for the christening of the newest member of the family: her favorite pearl drop earrings and her pearl choker necklace with the large diamond clasp.

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The Duchess of Cambridge wore jewels from the collection of the late Diana, Princess of Wales for the christening: her Collingwood Pearl Drop Earrings and — of course! — her sapphire and diamond engagement ring. Like Meghan, Kate now wears a stack of three rings: her engagement ring, her Welsh gold wedding band, and her pave-set diamond eternity ring.

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Diana’s sisters were also present for the christening of their great-nephew. Lady Jane Fellowes wore button-style earrings that appear to be made of diamonds and black enamel, while Lady Sarah McCorquodale chose simple golden earrings.

Thank you so much for all your kind messages ahead of my wedding last weekend! You made both of us feel so special. I’ll be doing a lengthy post about my jewels and dress here on the blog in a few weeks (after my photographer sends me the pictures!), but if you’d like a sneak peek, head over to my Instagram account!

The Jardine Star Brooch

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The Queen wears the Jardine Star Brooch at Royal Ascot, June 2019 (Chris Jackson/Getty Images)

One of my favorite brooches from the jewelry collection of Queen Elizabeth is undoubtedly the Jardine Star Brooch. Symmetry, diamonds, mystery: this brooch has it all!

The Queen wears the brooch for the Diamond Jubilee Water Pageant, June 2012 (BETHANY CLARKE/AFP/Getty Images)

Our best source of information about the history of this brooch is Leslie Field’s The Queen’s Jewels. (Curiously, even though HM chose to wear the Jardine Star during her Diamond Jubilee weekend in 2012, it wasn’t discussed in any of the three jewelry books — Roberts’s The Queen’s Diamonds, de Guitaut’s Diamonds: A Jubilee Celebration, or Kelly’s Dressing the Queen — published in connection with the big anniversary.)

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Here’s what Field tells us about the brooch: “In 1981 the Queen was left a late-Victorian diamond star brooch by Lady Jardine, which she has worn on many occasions. It has a collet diamond on a knife-wire between each of its eight points.” No information is given regarding the maker of the brooch.

The Queen wears the brooch to celebrate the centenary of the Royal Air Force, July 2018 (CHRIS J RATCLIFFE/AFP/Getty Images)

Who exactly was Lady Jardine? It’s not exactly clear. There’s a Clan Jardine in Scotland, though to my knowledge, none of the wives of the baronets of that clan died in 1981. There are also miscellaneous other people in the twentieth century who have Jardine baronetcies, but again, none of their wives appeared to have died in 1981. Did Field make an error on the date? Is Lady Jardine even real? Verdict’s out. Her identity remains a bit of a mystery.

The Queen wears the brooch for her Christmas Broadcast, December 2017 (Sky News via Getty Images)

The Queen’s affection for this brooch, however, isn’t mysterious at all. She wears the piece very regularly, including at high-profile appearances like holiday church services, Christmas broadcasts, and the aforementioned Diamond Jubilee water pageant. I can’t blame her at all: this brooch is absolutely lovely and classic, and the fact that it’s an all-diamond piece means that it can be coordinated with a large number of outfits.

Note: This is an updated version of an earlier post.