Princess Charlotte's Funeral Brooch Is Even More Sentimental Than We Realized
Royal women love wearing meaningful jewelry. Take the Princess of Wales' choice to wear a pearl choker for the Queen's funeral this past Monday. As a royal expert exclusively told The List, the dazzling accessory has a fascinating connection to Kate Middleton's late mother-in-law Princess Diana, the former Princess of Wales.
Meanwhile, Meghan Markle selected a dainty pair of pearl earrings that were gifted to her by the long-serving monarch. And, not to be outdone, the potential future queen of England, Princess Charlotte of Wales, donned a brooch that not only paid subtle homage to the Queen's favorite pastime, but has a storied history that may stretch back over 100 years.
On the day of the funeral, Charlotte was commended by the likes of Sharon Osbourne for her "impeccable" behavior. But royal fans also appreciated the little girl's sense of style, even for the somber occasion. One detail that stood out among her all-black attire was a tiny horseshoe brooch, which seemed to simply be a nod to her great-grandmother's love of horses.
But there is more to the accessory than meets the eye.
Princess Charlotte's brooch has a fascinating backstory
According to the Daily Mail, Princess Charlotte of Wales' sweet horseshoe brooch was a gift from the Queen, whom the 7-year-old called "Gan Gan" according to Romper. A jewelry super-sleuth on Instagram pointed out that the bauble resembled one that was worn the Queen Mother a century ago.
As the post noted, the pin was "worn by Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother in the 1920s." As the post went on to share, other internet detectives determined the brooch was originally a gift from Queen Mary, who was born in 1867 (via Britannica). The post went on to share an image of the Queen Mother wearing the historic pin in a portrait from 1929. Commenters were notably grateful to learn the "fascinating" backstory of the piece of jewelry.
Meanwhile, it's worth noting that Princess Charlotte's brooch wasn't the only accessory royal fans were drooling over, with W Magazine reporting the occasion marked the first time the mini-royal donned a hat to a public appearance.