Why Duchess Camilla altered some of Princess Diana's 'particularly significant' jewelry

Duchess Camilla altered some of the jewelry items that were once worn by Princess Diana, this is why the Duchess was permitted to make these changes.

• Princess Diana used to wear a unique diamond and emerald brooch as a necklace when she was a member of the Royal Family.
• Camilla Parker Bowles has since been seen in this piece of jewelry, but it has had a significant alteration.
• In other royal news, Fans react to Prince William’s sweet message in support of the Lionesses

When the Princess of Wales died in 1997, Princess Diana's jewelry was inherited by these key royals. Most of her possessions were given to her sons, Prince William and Prince Harry, and her close family also inherited certain items. 

However, in a surprising move, Camilla Parker Bowles has also been seen in some of the jewelry items that were once worn by the Princess. Duchess Camilla’s decision to wear Princess Diana’s jewelry to an important occasion honoring Prince Charles has been labeled as 'jarring' to some who believe that this move is rather disrespectful. 

However, there is a reason why the Duchess has been seen in the same brooch that the Princess once wore as a necklace.

The diamond and green brooch was actually loaned to Princess Diana by the Queen. The piece was first owned by Queen Alexandra in 1863 and has remained within the Royal Family jewels since this time. This means that Duchess Camilla has not altered something that belonged to Diana, and instead has adapted a piece that has been within the Royal Family for centuries.

Steven Stone’s Creative Director, at Maxwell Stone, spoke about the significance of this item and whether this alteration could have changed the value.

"Camilla is often spotted wearing a beautiful Cabochon green emerald and diamond brooch, which many royal fans don’t know, was once one of Princess Diana’s necklaces – which has been transformed into a brooch for the Duchess," began the expert.

Steven added that the brooch was 'stunning' and made from different precious stones, "It’s an incredible brooch that looks to feature around four carats of white diamonds, made up of 18 stones in total, not to mention a stunning three-carat Cabochon green emerald pendant."

The expert then added that this 'historic' piece has an obvious link to the Prince of Wales. "The piece is particularly significant as it holds an undeniable link to Prince Charles – the man to whom both Princess Diana and Duchess Camilla are inextricably linked. Having originally belonged to Queen Alexandra in 1863, it’s also a historic piece – it was the Queen Mother who passed it down to Princess Diana in 1981."

The brooch features three white ostrich feathers made from diamonds, which is part of the heraldic badge of the Prince of Wales. This shows the brooches' clear link to Prince Charles specifically and the importance for the Princess of Wales to wear this item. 

The Duchess of Cornwall is technically the Princess of Wales as she is married to the Prince of Wales, but Camilla is usually referred to as the Duchess of Cornwall as Diana was so frequently called the Princess of Wales during her lifetime. The title has remained unused as a sign of respect for the late Princess.

"Although the brooch was once a necklace worn by Princess Diana, the alteration wouldn’t have much effect on the value of the royal piece, especially if it was recently redesigned," explained the expert when discussing the value of the item. "I’d estimate its worth to be around £100,000 on today’s market, and perhaps it would be even more if it was still a necklace," concluded the jewelry expert.