Queen Elizabeth II’s Cartier Sapphire and Ruby Flower Brooch – A 19th Birthday Gift, 1945
A royal birthday present that remained treasured for more than seven decades.
On 21 April 1945, as the Second World War in Europe was drawing to a close, Princess Elizabeth celebrated her 19th birthday. Among her gifts was an exquisite floral brooch by Cartier, London, presented by her parents, King George VI and Queen Elizabeth.
The jewel features two delicately arranged flowers, one set with vivid blue sapphires and diamonds, the other with pink sapphires, rubies and diamonds. Their colourful blossoms rise from a sculptural gold setting of intertwined stems and leaves, creating a charming contrast between the brilliance of the gemstones and the warm tones of the gold.
According to Leslie Field's The Queen's Jewels, the gift also included a pair of matching earrings in the form of miniature flowers.
The brooch remained in Elizabeth's personal jewellery collection throughout her reign. She wore it on various occasions, including a visit to the Floriade flower festival in Canberra, Australia, in October 2011.
On 23 May 2022, at the age of 96, Queen Elizabeth II selected the same Cartier brooch for her visit to the RHS Chelsea Flower Show in London. Worn against her soft pink coat, the colourful jewel was a touching reminder of the birthday gift she had received from her parents 77 years earlier.
From a young princess in wartime Britain to a monarch celebrating her Platinum Jubilee, this Cartier flower brooch accompanied Elizabeth II through an extraordinary lifetime.
