Queen CAMILLA wears 185‑year-old brooch that supposedly inspired Princess DIANA’s engagement ring

Thursday, December 4, 2025 -Queen Camilla turned heads on December 3, 2025, when she kicked off the three‑day state visit by Germany’s president and first lady to the UK wearing a historic 185‑year‑old brooch. 

The piece — a sapphire and diamond brooch originally gifted to Queen Victoria on her wedding day in 1840 — was pinned to Camilla’s royal‑blue coat. The same visit saw Kate Middleton, the Princess of Wales, coordinating in a matching blue ensemble and wearing heirloom sapphire and diamond earrings linked to the same royal jewelry heritage.

Known as the Prince Albert Brooch, this jewel holds deep royal‑house significance. Passed down through generations, it became an heirloom for queens after Queen Victoria designated it as a “crown heirloom.” The brooch has since been worn by successive queens — including Queen Elizabeth II — before being selected by Queen Camilla for this high‑profile diplomatic engagement.

What adds intrigue to the moment is the brooch’s supposed connection to the engagement ring of Princess Diana — the iconic sapphire and diamond ring later passed to Kate Middleton. 

Jewel experts suggest the design of Princess Diana’s ring was inspired by the same sapphire‑and‑diamond motif featured in the Prince Albert Brooch. By choosing to wear the brooch at such a visible event, Queen Camilla effectively nodded to a long royal legacy, tying past and present through a single accessory.