See Queen Elizabeth's New Official Portrait (Her First Tiara Moment in Months!)
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Prince William Joins Queen Elizabeth on Visit to Top-Secret Lab
Future King Prince William joined his grandmother Queen Elizabeth on a visit to a top-level lab in an English town on Thursday
It's been months since Queen Elizabeth sported a tiara, but her new portrait was worth the wait.
The Canadian Government released the 94-year-old monarch's new official Canadian portrait on Friday. In the regal shot for the Commonwealth country, the Queen poses in a white dress adorned with her Canadian insignia as Sovereign of the Order of Canada and the Order of Military Merit.
But it's the Queen's diamond and sapphire tiara and matching jewels that make the portrait so special. The necklace and earrings are known as the "King George VI Victorian Suite," given to the Queen as a wedding present in 1947 by her father, King George VI. The jewels are believed to date back to the mid-1800s, with the bracelet added to the set in the 1960s.
The jewels have a connection to Canada, as the Queen wore them during her royal tour of the country in 1990.
Chris Jackson/Canada Government Queen Elizabeth
Queen Elizabeth's headpiece is the Belgian Sapphire Tiara, fashioned from a nineteenth-century sapphire necklace that had once belonged to Princess Louise of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha (born Princess Louise of Belgium). She often pairs the sparkler with the sapphire jewels.
The newly released portrait was taken at Windsor Castle in March 2019 by royal photographer Chris Jackson.
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Queen Elizabeth and Prince William
The Queen's photo was shared one day after her first royal engagement outside palace walls since March, when the coronavirus pandemic caused her to start self-isolating at Windsor with husband Prince Philip, 99. The monarch and grandson Prince William visited a top-secret lab to pay tribute to staff who worked in the aftermath of the poisoning of a former spy and his daughter with Novichok nerve agent two years ago.
Though the Queen was without a sparkling tiara, she sported another one of her signature headpieces: a wide-brimmed hat. In fact, her pink Stewart Parvin-designed cashmere coat and hat were the same outfit she wore last March for a one-on-one outing with granddaughter-in-law Kate Middleton.
BEN STANSALL/POOL/AFP via Getty Images Queen Elizabeth
PA Images Queen Elizabeth
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In March, Queen Elizabeth left Buckingham Palace in London to self-isolate at Windsor Castle. She has since carried out just two royal engagements: a scaled-down Trooping the Colour celebration in June and the knighting of fundraiser Sir Tom Moore, both behind closed doors.
The Queen also attended granddaughter Princess Beatrice's July wedding to Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi, after their original May date was postponed due to the pandemic. There were just about 20 close friends and family members in attendance.
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The Queen and Prince Philip spent time at Balmoral in Scotland over the summer before heading to their Sandringham estate. Earlier this month, the monarch returned solo to Windsor Castle, with plans to return to Buckingham Palace in London for "selected audiences and engagements."
