Queen Camilla Wears Queen Mary’s Tiara, Queen Elizabeth ll’s Diamonds and Bruce Oldfield Gown at Ancient Pearl Sword Ceremony to Mark Coronation

Queen Camilla arrived at a reception and dinner in honor of her and King Charles III at Mansion House in London on Wednesday, embracing her love of silver and diamonds. During the reception, King Charles participated in the Pearl Sword ceremony to mark their coronation.

Camilla wore a long-sleeve black gown with a silver embroidered foliage pattern from Bruce Oldfield couture. She accessorized the ensemble with royal jewels, including the Queen Mary’s Girls of Great Britain and Ireland Tiara and Queen Elizabeth ll’s South African diamond necklace.

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Queen Camilla wore Bruce Oldfield couture in May to the coronation of her and King Charles III. The dress she selected was a white gown with gold details to match her husband’s white robes. She wore the same necklace that Queen Elizabeth II wore for her own coronation in 1953. The necklace was made by Garrard and presented to Queen Victoria in 1858.

“I am honored to have been asked to design such an historic gown for Her Majesty. This really is the most important commission of my life. Very exciting and very special,” Bruce Oldfield told WWD at the time of the coronation. “I have been designing outfits for the queen for over a decade now. The coronation dress is a style and silhouette that Her Majesty likes very much and it is sophisticated and appropriate for an occasion of grandeur such as this.”

The Girls of Great Britain and Ireland Tiara was purchased in 1893 by Lady Eva Greville on behalf of the “Girls of Great Britain and Ireland” and gifted as a wedding present to Queen Mary. In 1914, the design of the tiara was altered, and the pearls were removed. In 1947, Queen Mary gifted the tiara to her granddaughter, Princess Elizabeth, the future Queen Elizabeth II, as a wedding present. The tiara was considered one of Queen Elizabeth II’s favorites.

During the Pearl Sword ceremony, the King was presented with the sword, which he then returned, confirming the Lord Mayor’s authority when the monarch was not present. King Charles’ mother, Queen Elizabeth II, performed the ceremony in 1953 following her own coronation, and again in 1977 and 2022, to mark different jubilees.

Prior to 1641, the monarch would take the sword for the duration of their visit, but in 1641, King Charles I immediately returned it to the Lord Mayor, starting the practice that continues to this day. The tradition of surrendering the Lord Mayor’s sword to the monarch began in 1392 when the Lord Mayor offered his sword to King Richard II. The Pearl Sword is adorned with more than 2,600 pearls on the scabbard.

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