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Queen Elizabeth Brought Back Her Special Brooch for Trooping the Colour—Here’s What That Signifies

Although Queen Elizabeth's birthday officially takes place in April, she gets a *second* celebration each June, with Trooping the Colour, a ceremony that dates back over 260 years. In this event, the birth of the British Sovereign is marked with a parade of soldiers, horse-drawn carriages and musical performances, as well as appearances from all our favorite royals. But of course, our eyes are usually on the woman of the hour: Queen Elizabeth II. And we couldn't help but notice that this year, she brought back one of her most dazzling accessories—the Brigade of Guards brooch.

Her Royal Majesty has worn this brooch at Trooping the Colour for years, and there's a special reason that she continually pulls it out. According to Marie Claire, the accessory combines the badges of the five regiments of the British and Commonwealth armies—Grenadier, Coldstream, Scots, Irish, and Welsh Guards—who each rotate in trooping their colours during the annual parade. In the oval that encloses the five badges, the latin phrase “Quinque Juncta In Uno” (translated to “five joined as one”) is included, and the top of the accessory is adorned with a sparkly crown.

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Chris Jackson/Getty Images

Clearly this brooch means something to the monarch, given that she wore it every year at Trooping the Colour from 1987 all the way until 2019 (with the exception of 1988, when she wore Queen Mary’s Dorset Bow Brooch).

However, this tradition changed in 2020, when the ceremony was scaled back due to the coronavirus pandemic and took place at Windsor Castle instead of Buckingham Palace. Due to the unusual nature of the event, Queen Elizabeth decided to switch up her jewelry as well, opting for the Diamond Leek Brooch that was gifted to her by the Welsh Guards. Then, in 2021, when the ceremony was scaled back yet again, HRH surprised us once more by wearing her mother's aquamarine brooch.

Now, as Trooping the Colour returns to its traditional set-up, Queen Elizabeth is repeating her old ways by pulling out the classic brooch for the 2022 ceremony. This seems to signify the queen's hope for a return to our way of life prior to the pandemic, as well as an excitement for revisiting traditions that were disrupted by COVID-19.

Gemologist Grant Mobley talked the significance of the brooch with Marie Claire back in 2019, saying, “The Queen’s decision to wear this brooch is not only a testament to her high regard for the regiments of the British and Commonwealth armies, but also a testament to the significance of diamonds for life’s momentous milestones, such as a birthday.”

There is also a long history to this accessory, per The Court Jeweller, who pointed out that the Brigade of Guards brooch is believed to have been made from a pendant given to Queen Elizabeth's aunt, Princess Mary, back in 1922 (talk about a family relic!).

We're glad to see this diamond accessory make its grand return.

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calfee

Associate Editor, News and Entertainment

Joel is the Associate Editor for News & Entertainment and has been reporting on all things pop culture for over 5 years. Before working at PureWow, he served as a Features...