Many thanks Thomas. I had never thought of how old pearls might look in photos taken with a flash.

That Queen Caroline Matilda was forced to leave her jewels in Denmark is not surprising; yet, as they are said to have been a gift from Scottish ladies, it is interesting that she was not allowed to take them. If at some stage I find time I will see if there is any mention of them in the correspondence of George III which the Royal Collection has made available.

I had a brief look in the contemporary newspapers to see if I could verify if the pearls were a gift from Scottish ladies but, so far, I have not found any references.