At today’s Commonwealth service, Queen Camilla wore a sapphire brooch that’s usually referred to as having Russian provenance. In 2014, the royal family said it was purchased in 1934 by Queen Mary. No other information was given.

The British Royal Jewels Instagram page said he thought the brooch was the one bought by Queen Mary shortly before the Kent marriage. In a November 2, 1934 article in the Nottingham Evening Post, it said Mary bought a striking sapphire brooch with a double row of diamonds from a London jeweler. It also said it traced back to the Burdett-Coutts family*. It was to be a present for Marina. Maybe Mary changed her mind or bought it for herself to replace the sapphires she was about to gift. Questions:

1. I’m not very familiar with all the pieces in the Cambridge sapphire set. Was there a new brooch addition in 1934? Or one that matches the double row of diamonds description? How quickly could a new fitted case be created to include one? This newspaper report was in November, the same month the Kents were married and I believe the Cambridge set was given and displayed prior to marriage.

2. The double row of diamonds has me wondering if it’s not the same as the “Russian” brooch. Mistake? But how many sapphire brooches was Queen Mary buying in one year? The last one is probably a dumb question!

3. If it’s not the “Russian”, could it be the brooch that ended up with The Queen Mother and given to Diana? I think we believe it came from Margret Greville, but we don’t really know.

Help!

*The Baroness Burdett-Coutts lost (and found) an “unmatched” diamond and sapphire brooch at Buckingham Palace in 1881. Not sure if it’s the 1934 brooch or not.