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QEQM Ark Royal brooch
Posted by Beth on February 15, 2019, 1:03 pm
Maridje's photos showing Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother wearing the same brooch on two separate visits to the Ark Royal engaged my attention. Thank you Maridje, you got me thinking and searching for information and so now one little puzzle has been solved for me.
This brooch was presented to QEQM by the ship builders of HMS Royal Ark when it was launched on 3 May 1950.
According to the media QEQM had promised to launch the new Ark Royal ten years earlier. For the launch in 1950 HM arrived wearing her sapphire wedding gift brooch.
Arriving at the launch.
Detail
Then, at a lunch following the launch the ship builders, Cammell Laird, presented QEQM with a brooch, described by The Scotsman 4 May 1950
The description and the fact that QEQM wore the brooch for the launch of another Ark Royal in 1981 and the re-dedication of the ship in 2001 indicates that this is the brooch in the first photo.
Launch 1981
Re-dedication of ship, 2001.
QEQM visited the Ark Royal on a number of occasions over the years. Most of the photos I found are of such poor quality that it is impossible to gauge what brooch might have been worn. HM might have worn the diamond brooch with 2 flowers but!!
For example -- 1958
The only occasion when I could identify a brooch it looks as if HM was wearing Queen Victoria's diamond and pearl brooch.
Visit 1966
I was very much mistaken in thinking that this brooch was worn in the late 1940s. I'll do an edit to my earlier posts to acknowledge that.
Kudos to you Beth for connecting all the dots again !
Another mystery solved.
It is surprising to think of the impact that the decline in the ship building business had on the jewelery trade...fewer ships to launch...fewer brooches to gift !!