PRESS RELEASE: Royal Jewels To Be Offered At Noonans

The rock crystal and diamond brooch, measuring 25mm, known as The York Rose Brooch, was made by Garrard & Co., circa 1923, and consists of a carved rose centred with rose-cut diamond initials ‘EA’ – Elizabeth and Albert – and mounted in platinum.

The wedding of Prince Albert, Duke of York (the future King George VI) to the Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon (later Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother) took place on 26 April 1923 at Westminster Abbey. As the second son of King George V and Queen Mary, Albert (or ‘Bertie’ as he was known to his family and close friends) was not expected to inherit the throne, allowing him a more private life until his elder brother Edward VIII abdicated.

Elizabeth was the youngest daughter of Claude Bowes-Lyon, Lord Glamis, later the 14th Earl Strathmore and Kinghorne, and his wife Cecilia Cavendish-Bentinck. She reputedly turned down Bertie’s marriage proposal three times before finally accepting in January 1923. Their union proved to be one of the happiest royal marriages in history. When propelled onto the throne in 1936 after the abdication of Edward VIII, the steadfast service of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth would inspire the nation and Commonwealth through the dark years of the Second World War.

As Frances Noble, Head of Jewellery Department at Noonans explains: “This brooch is one of eight royal presentation brooches, made by Garrard & Co., the Crown jewellers, and given by Prince Albert, (later George VI) to the eight bridesmaids who attended his bride, The Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon. The Duchess of York’s bridesmaids, though some from royal and aristocratic families, were mostly chosen from her group of close friends, rather than the Duke’s royal relations. The young ladies chosen for this honour were Lady Mary Cambridge, the Hon Diamond Harding, Lady Mary Thynne, the Hon Elizabeth Elphinstone, Lady May Cambridge, Lady Catherine Hamilton, Miss Betty Cator and the Hon Cecilia Bowes-Lyon.  It is not known to which recipient this particular brooch was given”.

She continued: “The Duke of York's gift to each bridesmaid was an exquisite carved frosted rock crystal brooch in the shape of the White Rose of York, alluding to the Duke’s title, each centred with diamond set initials of the bride and groom and surmounted by a coronet. The bridesmaids proudly wore their brooches at the wedding itself, pinned centrally to the bodices of their ivory chiffon dresses trimmed with Nottingham lace, and a green sash at the waist.”

The Duke of York continued a Royal tradition seen at the marriage of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert of Saxe Coburg in 1840 where the bridegroom presented turquoise set eagle brooches as a gift to each of Queen Victoria's 12 train bearers (bridesmaids) to mark the special occasion.

These York Rose brooches have rarely been seen in public since 1923. In 1990, the Exhibition held at the Guildhall in Windsor, celebrating Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother’s 90th birthday, included the brooch given to Lady May Abel Smith née Cambridge (1906-1994) and in 2005, the 18th Earl of Strathmore displayed the brooch given to his grandmother Elizabeth ‘Betty’ Bowes-Lyon née Cator (1899-1959) for a BBC programme ‘Britain’s Royal Weddings 1923-2005’.”

Also included in the sale, from the same Private Collection, is a 9ct gold Royal Presentation medallion by Cartier, with Elizabeth II’s Royal cypher, [Lot 266], presented to Miss Peggy Gladys Hoath (1929-2018) by the late Queen Elizabeth II, in thanks for her work during Her Majesty’s tour of Canada in 1959. It carries an estimate of £600-800 [lot 266].

Peggy first came to the attention of Margaret ‘Bobo’ MacDonald, a nursemaid and personal dresser to Queen Elizabeth, and one of her closest confidantes. At the time Peggy was a seamstress in the atelier of royal couturier Sir Norman Hartnell and the Queen borrowed Peggy for the duration of the Canadian tour as, being pregnant at the time, her outfits were in constant need of subtle adjustments. Peggy proved so valuable to the Queen that she asked her to stay on.     Peggy spent the remainder of her working life in royal service. She was one of the few surviving staff to have worked with the young Queen Elizabeth, remaining at her side for 35 years. She was awarded the Medal of the Royal Victorian Order in silver (RVM) in the 1985 New Year Honours List and a Bar to the Royal Victorian Order in January 1995.


A pair of George VI Royal Presentation silver and enamel cufflinks, the blue enamelled panels with conjoined Royal cypher of George VI and Elizabeth beneath Imperial crown surmount of red enamel, are expected to fetch £600-£800 [lot 264]. By repute these were a gift from George VI to Rear Admiral George Simpson CB CBE (1901 - 1972). The lot includes a personal invitation given to Rear Admiral Simpson’s wife to attend H M Queen Elizabeth II’s Afternoon Party at the Palace of Holyroodhouse on Friday 27 June 1952.


A pair of Elizabeth II Royal Presentation 9ct gold and enamel cufflinks by Paul Longmire dating from 1991, with the Royal cypher in blue enamel, beneath a red enamelled crown carry an estimate of £500-£700 [Lot 265].

Among the watches is a further piece with a royal connection. A rare, limited-edition stainless-steel diver’s wristwatch by Breitling, made for members of the Royalty and Specialist Protection Unit to commemorate the Coronation of King Charles III, circa 2023 is expected to fetch £5,000-£7,000 [lot 399].

And from ‘Hollywood Royalty' are two items from the Collection of Elizabeth Taylor. A pair of cultured pearl and diamond ear pendants by Theo Fennell dating from 1992 is estimated at £3,000-£4,000 [lot 226]; while a platinum and diamond-set wristwatch by Rothschild, reputedly a gift to Elizabeth Taylor from the singer Michael Jackson, is estimated to fetch £1,000-£1,500 [lot 227].

Image credits: Noonans