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A new portrait of Queen Elizabeth‘s has been released one day before her state funeral — and the 96-year-old paid a loving tribute to her late father King George VI. She wore a set of stunning aquamarine and diamond brooches gifted on her 18th birthday in April 1944 by her father in the image, shared by Buckingham Palace on Sunday, Sept. 18. The longest reigning monarch in British history sported her signature smile in the image, which was taken in May 2022 just after her 96th birthday at Windsor Castle. The image was taken to commemorate her Platinum Jubilee.
“Ahead of Her Majesty The Queen’s Funeral, a new photograph has been released,” a caption by the official Royal Family Instagram account read. “It was taken this year to mark Her Majesty’s Platinum Jubilee, as she became the first British Monarch to reach this milestone. Tomorrow, millions will come together to commemorate her remarkable life.”
The duo of brooches are in an art deco design, and the creation of French luxury jeweler Boucheron. The exquisite pieces include stones cut in round, oval and baguette shapes, reflecting light in a unique way. She was seen wearing the sentimental accessories many times over the years, including for a series of another set of images released in Feb. 2022 to mark her 70 years on the throne. Her father — who was affectionally called Bertie by his family and close friends — passed away at the age of 56 in Feb. 1952.
She wore a powder blue dress in the exquisite photo, complimenting the aquamarine shade in the brooches. The Queen finished her ensemble with two of her favorite pieces of jewelry: a three-strand pearl necklace worn regularly by the royal, as well as a set of pearl earrings.
Both are also highly sentimental to her: the necklace was a gift from her late grandfather King George V to mark his Silver Jubilee in 1935 when she was just nine years old, per The Queen’s Jewels by author Leslie Field. The insightful book also notes she has two styles nearly identical: one she had commissioned from graduated family pearls and another gifted for her 1953 coronation with a diamond clasp from the Emir of Qatar.
Queen Elizabeth also appeared to be wearing her diamond and pearl drop earrings, which she wore for her own Silver Jubilee in 1977.
Both the necklace and earrings have made appearances in recent days as Kate Middleton wore both in tribute to her late grandmother-in-law. The newly named Princess of Wales, 40, was photographed wearing the pieces during a reception for the governors-general of the Commonwealth nations at Buckingham Palace on Saturday, Sept. 17.
Queen Elizabeth passed away at the age of 96 on Thursday, September 8 at Balmoral Castle in Scotland — just two days after she appointed newly elected Prime Minister Liz Truss. The United Kingdom and Commonwealth entered a 10 day period of mourning immediately after, which included vigils held by her children and grandchildren, as well as four days “lying in state” for the public to line up and pay respects. She will be honored with a formal state funeral on Monday, Sept. 19 at Westminster Abbey.