Queen Camilla’s 80-Year-Old Cartier Ruby Brooch Honors These Two Royals

Rachel BurchfieldWed, October 21, 2026 at 2:07 PM UTC

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Queen Camilla on October 20, 2026.Credit: GettyThe Gist -

Queen Camilla was a key part of the state visit of the Sultan of Oman, which kicked off on October 20.

As she and her husband, King Charles, greeted the Sultan on a rainy Tuesday, she wore a red Fiona Clare ensemble and a coordinating Cartier ruby brooch that dates back to the 1940s.

It was originally worn by the Queen Mother and later passed down to her eldest daughter, Queen Elizabeth.

State visits not only bring out the pomp and ceremony—they also bring out the heirloom royal jewelry, be it tiaras, earrings, bracelets, or brooches.

Queen Camilla, whose brooch collection would likely rival just about anyone’s, didn’t disappoint with her jewelry on October 20, when she and her husband, King Charles, kicked off the state visit for the Sultan of Oman. As she greeted the Sultan on a rainy Tuesday morning in Windsor, Camilla did so wearing a Cartier ruby brooch that once belonged to the Queen Mother and dates back to the 1940s.

Queen Camilla greeting the Sultan of Oman on October 20, 2026.Credit: Getty

Like Camilla, the Queen Mother—Queen Elizabeth’s mother and Charles’s beloved grandmother—was a fan of rubies, Tatler reported. On Tuesday, Camilla elegantly paired her brooch with a red wool crepe dress and coat by favorite designer Fiona Clare. Her hat, also red, was by Philip Treacy. In addition to the Queen Mother, Queen Elizabeth also wore the ruby brooch, making it an heirloom that honors both of those women.

Oman’s flag is made up of red, white, and green, and while Camilla wore red, Kate Middleton wore green for the ceremonial welcome—specifically a forest green coat dress by Alexander McQueen she’d previously worn in 2022 and 2025. She paired it with a matching hat by Juliette Botterill, and a brooch of her own that honored her title of Princess of Wales.

Queen Camilla on October 20, 2026.Credit: Getty

Kate Middleton on October 20, 2026.Credit: Getty

Later in the evening, for the state banquet at St. George’s Hall at Windsor Castle that hosted roughly 160 guests, Camilla wore one of Queen Elizabeth’s favorite tiaras to the grand event. Atop her head was the Girls of Great Britain and Ireland Tiara, a topper that Camilla first wore in 2023, the year of Charles’s coronation. According to the Royal Collection Trust, the tiara was a wedding present to the Duchess of York, later Queen Mary, in 1893. The tiara was originally topped by pearls, but Queen Mary altered it to have diamonds instead.

Eventually, the tiara was passed down to Queen Elizabeth by her grandmother, Queen Mary, who gave it to then-Princess Elizabeth when she married Prince Philip in 1947. Per People, the monarch even called the sparkler “Granny’s tiara.”

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Queen Camilla at the Oman state banquet on October 20, 2026.Credit: Getty

“It’s one of the most recognizable pieces in the royal collection, particularly because the late queen [Elizabeth] wore it so frequently,” jewelry expert Nilesh Rakholia, founder of Abelini, tells InStyle.

Camilla turned to Fiona Clare once again for the state banquet, this time in a purple chiffon gown by the designer, which she paired with an amethyst and diamond necklace that hadn’t been seen before—though Tatler reported it was possible “it was crafted using gems from the royal collection.” Camilla also wore amethyst earrings that belonged to Queen Victoria’s mother, the Duchess of Kent, and two Art Deco Cartier bracelets that also previously belonged to the Queen Mother. Two of the bracelets are entirely encrusted in diamonds, according to Tatler, and the other three feature diamonds alongside a different precious stone—from rubies to emeralds to sapphires.

“One of the things I find most fascinating about royal jewelry is that you’re never just looking at the diamonds,” Rakholia says. “You’re looking at pieces that have been worn by different generations, each adding their own history and memories.”

King Charles and Queen Camilla at the Oman state banquet at Windsor Castle.Credit: Getty

He adds, “With jewelry like this, it’s almost impossible to put a meaningful price on it. The diamonds and craftsmanship are exceptional, of course, but the provenance is what makes these pieces truly irreplaceable.”

At the white-tie event on Tuesday evening, both Charles and the Sultan gave speeches, with the king’s speech saying in part, “It is always a treasured moment to receive such dear and old friends on a special visit such as this. And whilst I know just how familiar you are with these shores, Your Majesty, my wife and I take the utmost pleasure in welcoming you back to Windsor Castle this evening.” The king then spoke in Arabic, which translated to, “Welcome to a visitor of whom one never tires.”

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Source: “AOL Entertainment”