Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother's Palm Leaf Brooch CARTIER |The Queens Brooches |Royal Jewels Great Britain and Ireland

Designed as a curling oriental palm leaf, the brooch features a centre set with nine brilliant-cut diamonds (marquise, pear, and cushion-shaped) in claw settings, framed by lobed pavé-set brilliant borders. The reverse is fitted with a two-prong sprung clip. It is housed in its original red leather box, stamped: Cartier London … Paris … New York.

According to the Cartier Archive ledger (Special Order AWF.11530, 1 September 1938), the order was recorded as: “Supp 1 btn dia and mtng wi yr 3 drop dias, 3 drop dias & 3 navette dias, 194 brints in pltn as clip brooch to design £71.”

The design takes its inspiration from the sarpech, an Indian turban ornament. Its principal element—a cone shape curved at the tip to imitate the Kashmiri palm or mango—provided Cartier’s designers with the motif for this exquisite style.

Cartier crafted the Palm Leaf Brooch using diamonds from Queen Elizabeth’s (later The Queen Mother) collection of loose stones held by the firm. The special order was placed under the auspices of A.W. Foreman, the Assistant Managing Director of Cartier, with whom Queen Elizabeth frequently conducted business.

The clip mechanism—a Cartier speciality—allows for versatile wear; it can be fastened to a corsage, on the edge of a neckline, or on a hat. It is pictured worn above in 1941 and before her death.

The brooch was inherited by Queen Elizabeth II following her mother’s death in 2002 and was worn by Her Late Majesty on several occasions.

The Palm leaf brooch was inherited by The Queen Elizabeth II from her mother in 2002, and it has been worn a number of times since.

It has since passed to King Charles III and worn by Queen Camilla in 2026 at Westminster Abbey London for Commonwealth Day.

Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother's Palm Leaf Brooch CARTIER |The Queens Brooches |Royal Jewels Great Britain and Ireland

 

Sources: Rebecca English;Royal Collection;