I have just started to browse through the book Treasures from the Royal Archives which arrived in the post today.
From Queen Mary's dress book, 1911-13 it states, for Dinner on June 22nd -
"Pink & silver brocade gown Diamond comb ruby & diamond collar, large uncut ruby necklace arranged on bodice with diamond drop added."
This might surprise some who believe that Queen Mary did not like rubies.
I wonder what that large uncut ruby was.
For Dinner on the 23rd at the Foreign Office -
"Sapphire blue & gold gown Young ladies pearl & diamond tiara, pearl collar with Ladies pearl & diamond necklace under, pearl & diamond stomacher large round pearl brooch 3 family orders"
I think "Young ladies" must mean Girls, and we now know Queen Mary herself used the term "stomacher.
I feel a bit disappointed with the book because it is such a teaser, providing the tiniest snippets, as above. Perhaps no more than that was ever likely, but one wonders how and why the selections were made.