It has been worn one other time, to my recollection, although I do not have a picture of it.
I have no doubt that this is a real piece, the Queen simply doesn't wear fake stones, she doesn't need to.
Due to the fact that the diamonds are set in yellow gold, this is most likely a gift from an arab or gulf state. Her Majesty goes on many trips, and receives many people in audience at Buckingham Palace, and it is an arab custom to exchange extravagant gifts, thus there have been scores of times throughout HM's reign where such gifts will have been exchanged.
Too many for us to ever keep track of. Luckily these gifts, received by the Queen in her official capacity are now, under new guidelines (laid out after the Paul Burrell gifts scandal), to be included in the royal collection, so within time, more information on many of the jewellery gifts given to the Queen throughout her reign may well be released.
on April 27, 2012, 6:04 pm, in reply to "