In late September 1957 prior to a trip Princess Margaret was making to parts of Africa, the press reported that the ardent Canadian monarchist and diamond mine owner, Dr John Williamson, who had given QEII the large pink diamond as a wedding gift, was to present a brooch to the Princess when she visited his mine in Tanganyika.
Unfortunately, Williamson became ill and so the brooch was not presented when Princess Margaret visited, and it was only on 19 November 1957 that it was presented by the Colonial Secretary on behalf of Williamson.
An additional delay was caused when it was discovered that one stone had a small flaw, and so another diamond was sourced to replace it.
According to Shutterstock's information, Princess Margaret was wearing the brooch, dubbed the Dahlia brooch by the press, when she visited the Coliseum on 21 November.
This information and the brooch is entirely new to me so I have not many images. In some cases I think I have filed this brooch as the Cartier rose and in other cases I have never been sure of what I was looking at.
I think Princess Margaret was wearing it to the Docklands Settlement ball on 10 October 1959
Detail
Possibly at the Dior fashion show at Blenheim Palace in 1958
And perhaps on a visit to Leicester Square in 1958
Some where I have seen photos of the Princess Wearing a brooch which resembles a dahlia but I always thought it was surrounded by leaves made either from enamel or a carved semi precious stone
Does anyone know the one I mean? Any other photos?
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