During the final day of her state visit to Germany, Queen Camilla showcased a stunning piece of royal history. The Queen Consort, 75, adorned herself with Prince Albert's brooch, a sapphire and diamond pin cherished by Queen Victoria. According to the Royal Collection Trust, Prince Albert presented the brooch to Queen Victoria on the eve of their wedding in 1840. Queen Victoria wore the brooch on her iconic white wedding gown and passed it down as a crown heirloom for future generations, as reported by The Court Jeweller.
Every queen since Queen Victoria has worn the striking piece, and Camilla's choice to wear it in Germany was particularly significant. Prince Albert was born in Germany in 1819, and the Queen Consort emulated Queen Elizabeth's fashion by wearing the brooch during her German tour. Queen Elizabeth donned the brooch for her 2015 visit to Berlin.
This marks the second time in recent months that Queen Camilla has worn Queen Victoria's jewelry. In September 2022, at Queen Elizabeth's state funeral, the Queen Consort sported Victoria's Hesse Diamond Jubilee brooch, an exquisite sapphire pin.
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King Charles and Queen Camilla had a busy schedule on Friday, the final day of their first overseas visit since the start of the new reign. Their itinerary began with a train journey from Berlin to Hamburg, followed by a visit to the Kindertransport Memorial to honor the 85th anniversary of the first Kindertransporte, a rescue mission that saved 10,000 Jewish children by offering them safe passage to the UK during the Nazi regime. Queen Camilla laid a white rose at the memorial.
The royal couple then visited the St. Nikolai Memorial, the ruins of a church destroyed during the Allied bombing of Hamburg in World War II. The visit, which commemorated the 80th anniversary of the bombings, symbolized "reconciliation, understanding, and today's strong German-British friendship," according to Buckingham Palace. King Charles and President Frank-Walter Steinmeier laid wreaths together during a brief remembrance ceremony.
Afterward, the King and Queen Consort visited City Hall, where they met with the mayor and signed the Golden Book, previously signed by Queen Elizabeth during an earlier visit.
The couple then split up for separate engagements, with King Charles attending a green energy boat tour and Queen Camilla visiting a local elementary school. There, she and Germany's First Lady, Frau Elke Budenbender, joined a class and read excerpts from The Gruffalo, a popular children's book illustrated by Hamburg-born, UK-educated artist Axel Scheffler, who also attended and participated.
King Charles and Queen Camilla reunited for the final event of their action-packed day, a celebration at the Schuppen 52 warehouse venue with over a thousand guests from youth groups, local organizations, and more. The royals enjoyed musical performances and met Lords of the Lost, Germany's Eurovision song contest entry this year.
The King and Queen Consort concluded their visit by raising a pint at the lively reception before departing from Hamburg Airport. The trip to Germany is their only scheduled international visit before their coronation in London on May 6. The tour aimed to "celebrate the UK's relationship with France and Germany, highlighting our shared histories, culture, and values," according to a palace spokesperson.