Queen Elizabeth Honored Prince Philip With Her Brooch During Official Navy Carrier Visit

May 25, 2021

This past weekend, Queen Elizabeth attended a royal engagement at the HMS Queen Elizabeth, which is an aircraft carrier in Portsmouth, ahead of its maiden voyage. She stepped aboard the ship seven years after she named the vessel alongside her late husband Prince Philip. CNN reported that the UK Defense Ministry said in a statement that Elizabeth spent her time aboard by "meeting crew members and wishing them luck in what will be an unforgettable life experience by being part of naval history."

Town And Country reported that for the occasion, Elizabeth paired a red coat and matching hat with a brooch that has a very special meaning for her: the Scarab Brooch, which was a gift from her by the late Philip in 1966. During her visit, she met with 1,700 Royal Navy, Royal Air Force and Royal Marines personnel. This is her second official royal engagement since Philip's passing in April 2021. 

This is not the first time that Elizabeth has worn brooches that have a lot of meaning for her. Her appearance at the State Opening was her first official time in public while in her role as the UK's head of state, and her first event outside of Windsor Castle after Philip's death.

Her son Prince Charles and his wife Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall, joined the queen at the event, but there was considerably less pomp than usual due to current and recent events. For the event, Elizabeth wore a matching pair of brooches that have a special meaning for her as well, as they were given to her by her parents more than 70 years ago. 

Reuters reported that the HMS Queen Elizabeth, which weighs 65,000 tonnes, will carry eight British fighter jets and 10 U.S. F-35s as well as 250 U.S. marines as part of a 1,700-strong crew. According to the news outlet, the ship "will lead the flotilla alongside two destroyers, two frigates, a submarine and two support ships on its journey of 26,000 nautical miles over 28 weeks." This group will also have a U.S. destroyer and a frigate from the Dutch navy. The group of ships will sail together through the contested South China Sea, and will also stop in India and Singapore.

UK Defense Secretary Ben Wallace said in a statement, "The UK's Carrier Strike Group sets sail to write Britain's name in the next chapter of history -- a truly global Britain that steps forward to tackle the challenges of tomorrow, working hand-in-hand with our friends to defend our shared values and uphold the rules-based international order."

The Royal Family's Twitter account uploaded a post that showed the crew giving the queen a rousing salute as she prepared to leave the ship. The sailors were heard shouting, "Three cheers for the Queen! Hip hip, hooray, hip hip hooray, hip hip, hooray!" 

For the event, the queen wore the Scarab Brooch, which was designed by Andrew Grima and crafted out of yellow gold, with carved ruby and diamond embellishments according to Town And Country. The magazine also reported that the queen has been seen favoring the brooch over the years, and has worn it to many events since she received it as a gift from Philip in 1966. 

She was even seen wearing it for the official portraits celebrating her 70th wedding anniversary with Philip. Wearing it to the Navy Carrier visit holds special meaning because Philip was a Royal Navy lieutenant before Elizabeth took the throne, and even served in WWII. He remained a great supporter of Britain's troops throughout his life. 

Philip died on April 9, 2021, and was laid to rest in the Royal Vault at St. George's Chapel at Windsor Castle on Saturday, April 17, 2021. The late prince was buried alongside former kings of England and other royals, the Associated Press reported. Images from inside the funeral, where only a select group of 30 people could attend due to coronavirus restrictions, showed Elizabeth sitting alone in the chapel. The queen was said to be heartbroken after losing her "strength and stay."

Philip's passing ended his reign as the longest-serving royal spouse, having served alongside Queen Elizabeth II for 65 years and having been married to the monarch for 73 years in total. His singular and incredible life continues to be remembered and celebrated by his family.

Her first appearance in public at an official event after Philip's death was the State Opening of Parliament, for which she wore matching aquamarine brooches over her lilac coat and matching hat. Express UK reported that the gorgeous gems were given to then-Princess Elizabeth for her 18th birthday in 1944 by her parents. The brooches are made of clear aquamarines and diamonds and can be worn either as one large oval brooch or separately as they were worn by the queen on May 11, 2021. 

What do you think of the beautiful and meaningful brooch that Elizabeth wore? Tell us if you have a favorite brooch that you have seen over the years, and be sure to ask your friends about it as well.