Each piece symbolised the love and bond between the royal family and their supporters. Among these gifts was a stunning emerald and diamond Celtic knot brooch, given to her by the future Tsar Nicholas II of Russia. Queen Mary wore the brooch on a number of important occasions.

One of its earliest appearances was in 1898, when she posed for a portrait wearing it. After her death in 1953, the brooch was inherited by her granddaughter, Queen Elizabeth II. Although it has quietly become part of Elizabeth’s collection, it came to public attention in 2014.

She wore it to her first Irish State Banquet at Windsor Castle, a significant moment that symbolised her desire to improve relations with Ireland. In 2015, the Queen wore the brooch again during a private meeting with Ban Ki-moon, then Secretary-General of the United Nations, in Malta. The combination of emeralds and diamonds symbolises prosperity and strength, making it an appropriate accessory for such events.

In 2022, she wore it during a formal ceremony at Windsor Castle when she presented the George Cross to the National Health Service. Later that year, she also wore it to Balmoral Castle, one of the last times it was seen before her death in September. Following the death of Queen Elizabeth II, the brooch entered a new chapter under Queen Camilla.

She first wore it during a visit to the Coronation Gardens at New Town Abbey, at the start of her tour of Northern Ireland. This choice continued the brooch’s legacy of promoting good relations between the British and Irish monarchies. In November 2023, Queen Camilla wore the brooch again at the Commonwealth Women’s Leadership event at Marlborough House, underscoring its importance in high-profile engagements.