Queen Camilla's sweet tribute to late Queen Mother at Royal Ascot

King Charles and Queen Consort Camilla's appearance at the first day of Royal Ascot was filled with references and tributes to the late Queen Elizabeth II, who was a lifelong fan and regular attendee of the racing event during her reign.

But the Queen Consort also paid a subtle tribute to her husband's late grandmother, the Queen Mother, with her choice of outfit for the occasion.

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Camilla, who looked elegant in a cream coat dress and matching hat and gloves, accessorised her ensemble with the Queen Mother's Courtauld Thomson Scallop-Shell brooch, which was also a favourite of Queen Elizabeth's.

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The dazzling brooch is designed in the shape of a shell comprised of rows of diamonds with a single pearl at the centre, and features five strands of diamonds hanging beneath. 

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The accessory was one of the Queen Mother's prized possessions after being given to her by Winifred Hope Thomson, the sister of designer Lord Courtauld-Thomson, and she wore it to mark her 100^th birthday in 2000.

The heirloom was left to Queen Elizabeth upon her mother's death in 2002, who wore the brooch on several occasions, including at Zara and Mike Tindall's wedding in 2011.

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Tuesday marked the King and Queen's first Royal Ascot of their reign, and they paid tribute to the late Queen Elizabeth II in a joint foreword for the official programme.

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Charles and Camilla, who are both racing fans, wrote: "We are happy in the knowledge that this historic race meeting continues to be a key influence on the global racing and breeding industries.

"The royal meeting always played a central role in her late majesty Queen Elizabeth's calendar and the naming of the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes will be a most appropriate way to mark this lifelong interest.

"A photographic exhibition in the Grandstand will also celebrate the late Queen's close association with Royal Ascot, including images of some of her 24 winners. We are sure that this exhibition will prompt many happy memories."