Queen Camilla donned one of her beloved Van Cleef & Arpels brooches on Wednesday for a reception to celebrate the National English Ballet at Buckingham Palace in London.
The United Kingdom’s queen consort favored a blue, long-sleeve midi dress with a sinuous collar and subtle seams and a pleated skirt for the daytime occasion. She paired the sky blue midi dress with a pair of suede black boots.
Queen Camilla arrives for a reception for the English National Ballet company on Nov. 12 in London.
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Adorning her dress was Queen Camilla’s Van Cleef & Arpels ballerina brooch, designed in gold with diamonds, rubies and sapphires. It’s a brooch the queen consort has worn before, on another occasion for the English National Ballet.
In September 2024, Queen Camilla went behind-the-scenes at the Mulryan Centre for Dance to celebrate the English ballet company’s 75th anniversary. Dressed in an Anna Valentine midi frock, Queen Camilla added the same ballerina brooch to her attire, a symbolic reference and show of reverence for the historic dance company.
Queen Camilla watches Sangeun Lee perform during a reception for the English National Ballet company on Nov. 12 in London.
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Van Cleef & Arpels’ ballerina brooches date back to the 1920s and 1940s, when the style and design was introduced. The ballerina brooches grew in popularity over the years, thanks in part to a collaboration with famed choreographer and New York City ballet cofounder George Balanchine.
The collaboration between Balanchine and Claude Arpels was so informative that Balanchine created his triptych Jewels ballet, with each of the three segments representing a gem stone — emeralds, rubies and diamonds, per Van Cleef & Arpels’ official website.
Queen Camilla, left, and Sangeun Lee.
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The Van Cleef & Arpels ballerina brooch is just one of several pieces the queen consort has in her extensive collection. While Queen Camilla inherited jewelry pieces, including brooches, from the late Queen Elizabeth II, she also owns several that were commissioned for her. Most recently, Queen Camilla used National Service of Remembrance Day on Sunday to wear the Bugle Horn brooch — a commission from The Rifles, an infantry regiment of the British army.