19 Photos of Queen Elizabeth, Princess Diana, and Kate Middleton in Amethyst Jewels

The Windsor vault's most important purple stones are the Kent Amethysts. They are also among the oldest gems in the royal collection, having originally belonged to Queen Victoria's mother, the Duchess of Kent, who had them made sometime during the first half of the 19th century. When Victoria inherited the set (which, along with the necklace, brooch, and earrings seen here on Queen Elizabeth in 1985 also includes two more brooches and a pair of hair combs), she designated them heirlooms of the crown.