Today, June 10, marks the birthday of the late Prince Philip, who would’ve been turning 102 years old. The late Duke of Edinburgh passed away in April 2021, having stood by the late Queen Elizabeth’s side for over 70 years. While Philip is often remembered for his off-the-cuff comments, he had a much softer side, usually reserved for his family. And his thoughtful nature can be seen in the gifts he designed for his wife, such as the rare $100K bracelet she came to treasure.
- In 1952, Prince Philip designed a stunning bracelet to celebrate the fifth anniversary of his marriage to the-then Princess Elizabeth
- Crafted by Boucheron, the truly one-of-a-kind piece captures personal details of their relationship, as well as showcasing the finest yellow-gold, diamond, sapphire and rubies
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Today, June 10, marks the birthday of the late Prince Philip, so what better chance to look back at one of the finest pieces of jewelry he helped design and create for his wife, the late Queen Elizabeth II.
Despite a reputation of awkward comments and often inappropriate jokes later in life, Philip had a romantic streak that really shone bright when it came to the late Queen.
In 1952, Prince Philip commissioned French jewelry house Boucheron to craft a special bracelet to celebrate the couple’s fifth wedding anniversary.
The yellow-gold, diamond, sapphire and ruby bracelet was based on a drawing by the late Duke of Edinburgh – showing a flair for the finer details – and is loaded with symbolism.
The bracelet includes a reference to Prince Philip’s naval badge, which is a touching nod to the Duke’s former career in the Royal Navy, which he gave up in order to support his wife full-time.
Set in diamonds, the naval badge is surrounded by two sapphire crosses that are likely to represent the Greek flag.
A ruby cross – likely to represent the flag of England – is flanked by two roses of York that symbolize the late monarch’s first royal title as Princess Elizabeth of York.
The symbols are all connected by gold links in the shape of interlocking E’s and P’s, standing for the couple’s initials.
Jewelry experts at Steven Stone said, “Over the course of their marriage, Prince Philip designed numerous gifts of jewelry for Queen Elizabeth II – including a special bracelet to celebrate the couple’s fifth wedding anniversary. Crafted by Boucheron, the yellow gold bracelet was based on a drawing by the Prince and features diamonds, sapphires and rubies.”
“Laced with sentiment, the intricate piece incorporates Prince Philip’s naval badge. Set in diamonds, the badge is surrounded by two sapphire crosses that are likely to represent the Greek flag. The bracelet also features a ruby cross that’s likely to represent the England flag, as well as two roses of York as a sweet nod to Queen Elizabeth II’s first royal title.”
They estimated its value at $100K (£80K).
The bracelet was thought to be incredibly special to the late Queen, which could be why she didn’t wear it too often – perhaps saving it for special, private occasions.
But one of the times she did wear it in public, it brought her tremendous luck.
One of the earliest appearances wearing the bracelet was during Royal Ascot in June 1954. A day where two of her horses ending up winning their races!
The other time it was captured at a formal event was at her diamond wedding anniversary celebrations in November 2007, where the family posed for photos and the Queen was sporting the special bracelet.
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