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| Brooch of Gold and Porcelain Part of the Orange Blossom Parure Commissioned by Prince Albert, 1845 Crown Copyright The Royal Collection Image Courtesy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II |
This dear brooch of gold and white porcelain was a gift from Albert, the Prince Consort in 1845 for their wedding anniversary. Albert had appreciated the combination of white porcelain and gold, and had commissioned similar pieces for the Queen in this style.
This brooch takes the form of a sprig of orange blossoms—a flower usually associated with weddings. On the day of their wedding, Queen Victoria wore real sprays of orange blossoms on her bodice as well as in her hair. In commemoration of that, for their anniversaries, the Prince presented the Queen with jewels in the shape of orange blossoms—matching a pin he had made as an engagement gift. Eventually, Her Majesty amassed a beautiful orange blossom parure of which this piece became a part.
Upon the 1861 death of Prince Albert, Queen Victoria made a list of special jewels which were to be placed in “The Albert Room” at Windso Castle. This room was left untouched and none of its contents were allowed to be moved. Among the jewels displayed there were the pieces of the Orange Blossom Parure, including this brooch and its original presentation box.
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| Crown Copyright The Royal Collection Image Courtesy of Queen Elizabeth II |
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| Crown Copyright The Royal Collection Image Courtesy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II |
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