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Posted by Baxter
on November 2, 2009, 8:44 pm, in reply to "Here we go:"
68.11.183.132
Does anyone know when the Queen began wearing this brooch? The Royal Collection site for the recent Commonwealth exhibition only mentions that it was worn in 1951, likely borrowed from her mother.
The Canadian jeweler Birks has this on its website:
And for a Royal visit on the eve of the Second World War Birks craftsmen created a diamond-set, maple leaf brooch as a gift to Queen Elizabeth, who wore the piece at every public appearance she made during the conflict.
That might be an exaggeration, but it was worn frequently during that time, including below in 1939 and again over 60 years later during her centenary year:
Despite two visits to Canada since the Queen Mother's death, I don't recall seeing the Queen wearing the brooch until last year. It was worn when receiving the Lieutenant Governor of Ontario David Onley last October. The Toronto Sun stated:
A buzzer rang. The door opened again. And the Queen welcomed them in.
"Ruth and I were absolutely captivated that she wore an absolutely stunningly beautiful maple leaf broach on her dress," recalls Onley.
And she hadn't just snapped it on to impress the Canadians. In news clips of events later that day, Onley noticed the Queen was still wearing the diamond maple leaf on her sea foam green silk dress.
"It was a really nice courtesy," Onley recalls.
The Queen explained the pin was her mother's favourite.
It was also worn a few weeks later at an event honoring Canada' war dead.
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