• News
  • Life
  • TV & Film
  • Beauty
  • Style
  • Home
  • News
    • Celebrity
    • Entertainment
    • Politics
    • Royal Family
  • Life
    • Animals
    • Food & Drink
    • Women's Health
    • Mental Health
    • Sex & Relationships
    • Travel
    • Real Life
  • TV & Film
    • True Crime
    • Documentaries
    • Netflix
    • BBC
    • ITV
    • Tyla Recommends
  • Beauty
    • Hair
    • Make-up
    • Skincare
  • Style
    • Home
    • Fashion
    • Shopping
  • Advertise
  • Terms
  • Privacy & Cookies
  • LADbible Group
  • LADbible
  • UNILAD
  • SPORTbible
  • GAMINGbible
  • UNILAD Tech
  • FOODbible
  • License Our Content
  • About Us & Contact
  • Jobs
  • Latest
  • Topics A-Z
  • Authors
Facebook
Instagram
X
Threads
TikTok
Submit Your Content
Queen's brooch worth over £50 million has hilarious nickname

Home> News

Published 12:21 29 Sep 2022 GMT+1

Queen's brooch worth over £50 million has hilarious nickname

The most valuable brooch in the world has an unusual nickname

Ali Condon

Ali Condon

Over the span of her 70-year reign, the late Queen Elizabeth II amassed a magnificent jewellery collection, from priceless pearl earrings to diamond-encrusted necklaces.

But one of the late monarch's most spectacular pieces, worth a jaw-dropping £50 million, has a much less glamorous, and pretty hilarious, nickname.

The sparkling diamond brooch was handed down as an heirloom from Queen Mary to her granddaughter Queen Elizabeth - which is actually why it was given its unusual name.

The diamond brooch is worth a whopping £50 million.
REUTERS / Alamy Stock Photo

Advert

The Cillinan III and IV brooch, which is made from two diamonds cut from the legendary Cullinan diamond, was lovingly nicknamed by the Queen as 'Granny's Chips'.

After her son George VI was crowned King, Queen Mary formed a close bond with his daughters Elizabeth and Margaret.

Queen Mary passed down her invaluable brooch to her granddaughter Elizabeth just as she was about to be crowned Queen, and the monarch has held on to the stunning diamond piece ever since.

The timeless piece consists of two individual Cullinan diamonds - one pear-shaped and one cushion-shaped. While the former weighs 94.4 carats, the latter weighs 63.6 carats.

The Cullinan diamond was originally found in a South African mine in 1905 before it was gifted to King Edward VII as a badge of loyalty from the South African British Colony.

It then took 18 months for the Cullinan to be cut and polished into nine gem stones, named numerically from I to IX.

The brooch, which consists of Cullinan III and Cullinan IV, is the most expensive in the world.
PA Images / Alamy Stock Photo

Cullinan I, the largest of the nine gem stones, is known as the Great Star of Africa. Both Cullinan I and II are part of the British crown jewels in the Tower of London, and can be found on the British Royal Sceptre and Imperial Crown of Great Britain, respectively.

Thus, Cullinan III and IV - the gems on the Queen's brooch - were officially named the Lesser Stars of Africa, explaining why the late Queen Elizabeth II might have lovingly referred to them as 'chips'.

Most recently, Queen Elizabeth II was seen wearing the 158-Carat gift, which has been valued as the most expensive brooch in the world, during her Diamond Jubilee back in 2012 as a tribute to her grandmother.

The late Queen Elizabeth II also used another one of her brooches to pay tribute to her father in her final portrait before her passing.

The Queen wore the brooch at her Diamond Jubilee in 2012.
Paul Cunningham / Alamy Stock Photo

Her Aquamarine Clip brooches were gifted to her by King George VI on her 18th birthday, and has been seen wearing them on a number of occasions, from the 75th anniversary of VE Day to her Diamond Jubilee.

In her final portrait, which was taken earlier this year at Windsor Castle, the Queen flashed a wide smile, wearing pearl earrings, a pastel blue dress, and the pair of eye-catching diamond and aquamarine brooches.

Featured Image Credit: Paul Cunningham / Alamy Stock Photo REUTERS / Alamy Stock Photo

Topics: News, Jewellery, The Queen, Royal Family

Ali Condon
Ali Condon

Ali is a journalist for LADbible Group, writing on all things film, music, and entertainment across Tyla, LADbible and UNILAD. You can contact Ali at [email protected].

X

@alicondon

Advert

Advert

Advert

Choose your content:

8 hours ago
10 hours ago
11 hours ago
12 hours ago
  • Michael Reaves/Getty Images
    8 hours ago

    Trump calls Olympian Hunter Hess a 'real loser’ over skier's brutally honest opinion on US

    The US president used his Truth Social platform to respond

    News
  • Ring Doorbell
    10 hours ago

    Ring Doorbell's 'dystopian' Super Bowl ad is sparking privacy concerns

    Amazon announced a new tech update for its Ring Doorbell but some people feel uncomfortable.

    News
  • Matthew Huang/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
    11 hours ago

    Super Bowl streaker identified as his three-word message revealed

    The shirtless man stormed the field during yesterday's Super Bowl with a cryptic message written on his chest

    News
  • Jamie Squire/Getty Images
    12 hours ago

    US Olympian performs ‘illegal’ move that was banned over 50 years ago

    The 'Quad God' has already made his mark at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan

    News
  • Queen Camilla makes sad admission about her grandkids as she reveals one major thing has changed
  • Prince Harry leaves heartwarming gift at late Queen's tomb following return to UK
  • Little-known reason why The Queen never needed a driving licence to drive
  • Most people only found out Queen’s real name and occupation when her death certificate was released