One glance at Queen Elizabeth II’s jewels and the story of a century lights up. Diamonds with names, tiaras that travel through time, ritual pieces and intimate heirlooms – all carrying history you can actually see.
The tricky part: not every gem belonged to her personally. Some pieces are the Crown Jewels, held in trust by the monarch and used at state ceremonies. Others were part of her private collection. Since her death in 2022, photos of Queen Camilla and Catherine, Princess of Wales, wearing familiar jewels sparked a rush of questions. The framework is clear, though, and the figures help.
Queen Elizabeth II’s jewels explained: Crown vs. personal
Historic Royal Palaces states the Crown Jewels comprise more than 100 ceremonial objects set with over 23,000 gemstones, including regalia worn at coronations. These are not owned personally – they are held in trust for the nation and the next sovereign.
The Royal Collection Trust describes another category: pieces held by the sovereign in right of the Crown, used for official duties and preserved for successors. Then, there were Queen Elizabeth II’s personal jewels, gifts and purchases that could be inherited privately.
The will of Queen Elizabeth II was ordered sealed by the High Court in September 2022 for 90 years, following long-standing practice for senior royals, as reported by The Guardian. So the precise distribution of her personal jewellry is not public.
Iconic tiaras and diamonds: dates and figures that matter
The Girls of Great Britain and Ireland Tiara, given to Queen Mary in 1893 and gifted by her to Princess Elizabeth in 1947, became a signature. Simple to spot, it is the diamond lattice tiara seen in many official portraits, noted by the Royal Collection Trust.
For weddings, the Queen Mary Fringe Tiara tells another chapter. Queen Elizabeth II wore it on 20 November 1947 for her own marriage. It later appeared at Princess Anne’s wedding in 1973 and Princess Beatrice’s in 2020, keeping a quiet continuity across generations.
The Grand Duchess Vladimir Tiara, acquired by Queen Mary in 1921, can be worn three ways. The Royal Collection Trust details its 15 diamond circles that take either 15 pearl drops, 15 Cambridge emeralds, or nothing at all – a deft, modular feat.
Numbers sparkle everywhere. The George IV State Diadem carries 1,333 diamonds and 169 pearls, according to the Royal Collection Trust. The Cullinan diamond – discovered in 1905 at 3,106 carats – produced Cullinan I at 530.2 carats and Cullinan II at 317.4 carats for the sovereign’s regalia, while Cullinan III and IV, at 94.4 and 63.6 carats, form the famous brooch the late Queen nicknamed “Granny’s Chips”. The Williamson Pink Diamond Brooch, set by Cartier in 1952, centers a 23.6 carat pink stone given to Princess Elizabeth in 1947.
Who wears the jewels now – and why that does not equal ownership
Use is not the same as ownership. The Royal Collection pieces continue with the Crown. During the coronation on 6 May 2023, Queen Camilla wore Queen Mary’s Crown and the Coronation Necklace originally created for Queen Victoria in 1858 – a tradition documented by the Royal Collection Trust and widely reported by the BBC.
Personal jewels can be loaned within the family. Catherine has been photographed wearing pieces associated with Queen Elizabeth II at state events, including pearl jewels during the late Queen’s funeral on 19 September 2022, as covered by the BBC. These appearances indicate custodianship and continuity, not necessarily where legal title sits.
Given the sealed will, public knowledge stops at what can be verified in archives, object records, or on-the-record reporting. That is why dates, object names, and official descriptions matter so much. They anchor what everyone sees.
How to read a royal jewel on sight
Spotting what is what gets easier with a few cues. Think of it like decoding a news photo in real time – one detail at a time.
Look for these anchors when you see a tiara or brooch in the wild at a state event:
- Name and modular design : Vladimir equals 15 interlaced circles with pearls or emeralds. Fringe equals radiating bars for wedding tradition.
- Numbers that never change : State Diadem has 1,333 diamonds and 169 pearls. Cullinan I is 530.2 carats, Cullinan II is 317.4 carats.
- Purpose and setting : Crown Jewels appear for coronations and State Openings. Personal or Crown-held pieces surface at banquets and day engagements.
- Source trail : Royal Collection Trust object pages, Historic Royal Palaces for Crown Jewels, and BBC event coverage pin down dates and usage.
Seen this way, the story lines up. Crown Jewels stay with the Crown and are documented. Many working jewels are held in trust for successors. Personal pieces move by private inheritance, with the High Court’s 2022 sealing confirming no public inventory for decades. The solution for readers is simple and surprisingly satisfying – match the piece’s fixed facts to authoritative sources, then note who wears it on a given date. The diamonds do the talking.