The Queen wears wedding gift Golden Trellis brooch for video call

The Queen wore a rarely seen diamond and ruby brooch she received as a wedding gift for a call with Commonwealth leaders days after her anniversary with husband Prince Philip.

The monarch, 94, donned the glittering Golden Trellis brooch for a video appearance with the Commonwealth Points of Light award earlier this week.

The centrepiece of the brooch is a folded gold net or trellis work with five lilies or leaves in diamonds with ruby stems. 

The heirloom was a gift from a guest at her wedding to Prince Philip, 99, in 1947, with the royal opting to wear the jewel days after they celebrated their 73rd wedding anniversary. 

The Queen, 94, paid subtle tribute to her husband Prince Philip, 99, by wearing a gold brooch that was a gift from their wedding during a recent video call

While it isn’t known who gifted the royal the brooch, it is believed to have been a present from the director of fine jewellery store Garrard. 

The monarch has worn the piece less than a handful of times in the last couple of years, last opting for the brooch for an investiture in Buckingham Palace in March.     

During the video call, which was released yesterday, the Queen has paid tribute to the ‘wonderful’ efforts of Commonwealth volunteers and was treated to her first ever virtual musical performance in honour of her 73rd wedding anniversary. 

Wildlife enthusiast Len Peters, from Trinidad, who chatted to the Queen during a video call, was the first person to receive the Commonwealth Points of Light award, which recognises outstanding volunteering work by individuals.

The brooch, which was a gift from a guest at the Queen and Prince Philip’s wedding, is a folded gold net or trellis work with five lilies or leaves in diamonds with ruby stems 

Her Majesty praised the efforts of Mr Peters, who is a turtle conservationist who featured in Sir David Attenborough’s Blue Planet II series, and two other award recipients who were part of the call.

‘Thank you all for taking part in this programme,’ the monarch said. ‘I’m delighted to have heard your stories and I think it’s wonderful work that you’re all doing, and volunteering so much. Thank you very much.’

The Queen, who donned a red and pink dress along with a pearl necklace, asked Mr Peters about his appearance on the broadcaster’s popular wildlife series: ‘So David Attenborough got to know what you were doing?’

He told the Queen his relatives were one of the largest turtle-eating families in his village but he and a group of friends came together ‘to try and make a difference’.

It comes days after the royal couple celebrated their 73rd wedding anniversary together at Windsor Castle 

The appearance comes days after the royals celebrated their 73rd wedding anniversary at Windsor Castle. 

Last week, royal commentator Katie Nicholl said The Queen and Prince Philip have ‘rediscovered the happiness of their early years together’ during the Covid-19 crisis.

She  said the past few months has meant the couple have been have ‘really enjoyed’ spending more time together throughout the pandemic. 

Days ago, royal commentator Katie Nicholl said the Queen and Prince Philip have ‘rediscovered the happiness of their early years’ during the pandemic (pictured, on their wedding day) 

While the Queen has been working throughout the pandemic, she hasn’t been receiving guests which, according to Katie, has meant she has had ‘a lot more time’ with her husband.

The couple have spent more time together in the past seven months than they have since their early married life in Malta, where they lived simply in a villa from 1949 to 1951 – the only period when the Queen said she lived ‘normally’.

 She told 9Honey: ‘I remember speaking to a very well-placed source at the time who said while the Queen was, like the rest of the country, was very down about the pandemic and not being able to work [as usual] and being in lockdown, the real upside for her was the time that she got to spend with Philip.’