Queen Elizabeth II was no stranger to elevating her outfits with luxury accessories. Before her death on September 8, 2022, she almost always donned a colorful hat along with her three-strand pearl necklace — but it was her impressive collection of fancy brooches that never failed to grab our attention.
(“The queen died peacefully at Balmoral this afternoon,” the palace said in a statement. “The king and the queen consort will remain at Balmoral this evening and will return to London tomorrow.”)
The queen’s brooch collection is — how do we say it? — was off the charts. She debuted hundreds of them over her 96 years, including those passed down with the crown from Queen Victoria and from her grandmother, Queen Mary.
There are also those designed specifically for Queen Elizabeth, like a stunning pair of aquamarine clips commissioned by her parents for the royal’s 18th birthday. Keeping in line with the celebratory brooches, her parents also gifted her a multicolored stunner following the birth of her first child, Prince Charles.
The corgi lover had so many brooches — including rubies, sapphires, pearls, emeralds, aquamarines, amethysts and so, so many diamonds — that she never had to worry about accessorizing an outfit.
Despite having so many to choose from, Her Majesty had her favorites. For example, she frequently wore her colorful flower basket-inspired brooch and the unmissable diamond Jardine Star.
At Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s 2018 wedding, the queen wore a large pearl and diamond design named the Richmond Brooch. When Prince William and Kate Middleton tied the knot a few years prior, the queen chose to wear one of her go-to bow brooches: the True Lover’s Knot.
“[Queen Elizabeth] believes in jewelry in the traditional sense for the Royal family, which is that it is the pride of the nation to have this beautiful jewelry, so she’s always very wonderful about wearing them,” jewelry historian Marion Fasel said in 2021.
Keep scrolling to see Queen Elizabeth’s fanciest brooches of all time — they might just convince you to start your very own collection:
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Nizam of Hyderabad Rose Brooches
On the eve of her Platinum Jubilee, celebrating 70 years on the throne as Britain’s longest reigning monarch, Queen Elizabeth adorned a blue dress by Angela Kelly with a pair of diamond brooches that were originally part of the tiara given to her as a gift for her wedding to Prince Philip in 1947. The tiara was later reworked as three brooches and another headpiece by Cartier. She also wore a three-strand pearl necklace that was a gift from her father King George VI.
Credit: Joe Giddens/WPA Pool/Shutterstock
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Sapphire chrysanthemum brooch
Her Majesty wore the sapphire chrysanthemum brooch in her annual Christmas address in December 2021 as a tribute to late husband Prince Phillip. She's worn it on several life milestones, especially those with the Duke of Edinburg — including on their 70th wedding anniversary in 2017.
Credit: Victoria Jones/WPA Pool/Shutterstock
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The Butterfly Brooch
For her virtual appearance at the United Nations Climate Change Conference in October 2021, the royal donned her diamond and ruby butterfly brooch. The stunning piece of jewelry was gifted to her as a wedding present when she married the late Prince Philip in 1947.
Credit: ITV News/Twitter
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Richmond Brooch
Previously worn to Meghan Markle’s wedding to Prince Harry and the Royal British Legion Festival of remembrance in 2018, Queen Elizabeth fastened the pearl and diamond piece of jewelry to her black coat for Prince Philip’s funeral April 17, 2021. The sentimental brooch was first gifted to Queen Elizabeth’s grandmother, Queen Mary, as a wedding gift in 1893.
Credit: Yui Mok/AP/Shutterstock
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Jardine Star Brooch
The queen loves to style this 8-point star brooch to dress up her colorful outfits. Lady Jardine gifted it to Queen Elizabeth II in 1981.
Credit: Tim Rooke/Shutterstock
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Palm Leaf Brooch
Queen Mother was the original owner of this Cartier diamond-encrusted palm-shaped brooch. It was inherited by Queen Elizabeth II when her mother passed away in 2002.
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The Amethyst Bouquet Brooch
Her majesty loves to wear this amethyst flower bouquet-shaped brooch with all-purple ensembles.
Credit: FACUNDO ARRIZABALAGA/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock
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Flower Basket
The queen’s multicolored flower basket brooch was a gift from her parents following the birth of her first son, Prince Charles, in 1948.
Credit: Shutterstock
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Cullinan V Heart Diamond Brooch
Featuring a heart-shaped 19 carat diamond in the center, this dazzler is one of the most famous of the queen’s brooches. It was given to Queen Mary from the South African government in 1910.
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Prince Albert Brooch
The queen frequently pairs this round sapphire diamond brooch with blue pieces from her wardrobe. It was a gift from Prince Albert to Queen Victoria and she loved it so much, she wore it on her wedding day in 1840.
Credit: Tim Rooke/Shutterstock
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Richmond Brooch
This dazzling diamond and pearl design comes from Queen Mary’s brooch collection. The royal wore it to Meghan Markle’s wedding to accessorize her lime green pantsuit.
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Scarab Brooch
This gold, ruby and diamond brooch was a gift from her husband, The Duke of Edinburgh, in 1966.
Credit: Kirsty Wigglesworth/AP/Shutterstock
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Centenary Rose Brooch
This brooch was inherited by Queen Elizabeth II from Queen Victoria and was said to be a gift to her from her husband, Prince Albert.
Credit: Hugh Routledge/Shutterstock
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True Lover’s Knot Brooch
This hard-to-miss design is one of the queen’s many bow-shaped brooches. She wore it to Kate Middleton’s wedding to Prince William in 2011.
Credit: Tim Rooke/Shutterstock
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Granny's Chips
Nicknamed “Granny’s Chips,” this double take-worthy brooch was passed down from Queen Mary. The pear-shaped diamond is 94 carats and the other is 63!
Credit: Jonathan Brady/EPA/Shutterstock
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Crown Ruby Brooch
This brooch was inherited by Queen Elizabeth II from Queen Victoria and was said to be a gift to her from her husband, Prince Albert.
Credit: Will Oliver/EPA/Shutterstock
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Aquamarine Clips
These unique aquamarine and diamond clips were a gift to Queen Elizabeth II from her parents for her 18th birthday.
Credit: Facundo Arrizabalaga/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock