Queen Elizabeth II sadly passed away at the age of 96 on Thursday. The beloved monarch was adored for her dedication to her country, her charming sense of humour and even her colourful wardrobe, which came complete with a glittering array of jewels.
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Nothing quite captured the Queen's penchant for fine attire like her jewellery collection – a priceless series of pieces passed down through the Windsor family. The longest-serving British monarch owned one of the world's most expensive and largest jewellery collections – so what will happen to her precious items now?
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Much of the Queen's jewellery collection, which forms part of the Crown Jewels, remains on display for all to marvel at. Situated in The Tower of London, the collection is composed of tiaras, brooches, diadems and much more.
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These pieces are likely to remain on show because they belong to the state and are held in a trust, as opposed to being part of the former monarch's private collection, which is assumed to be passed down through the Windsor family.
© Photo: Getty ImagesThe Queen owned a stunning collection of jewels
Therefore, King Charles III will be granted access to the stunning jewels, as well as his wife Camilla, Queen Consort. Duchess Kate is also expected to receive some decadent pieces from the collection after the King and Queen Consort.
© Photo: Getty ImagesPearls were mong the royal's favourite pieces
The Queen's private jewellery collection houses approximately 300 items of jewellery - including 98 brooches, 46 necklaces 34 pairs of earrings, 15 rings, 14 watches and five pendants. When they are not being worn, the collection is stored in the Queen's Gallery at Buckingham Palace.
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In an article written for Vogue, fashion expert Suzy Menkes outlined the future and function of the royal jewels: "The essence of royal jewels is that they are both private and public – a mix of personal and regal. Far from being stuffy signals of a long-gone era, they are designed to pass the symbol of monarchy from one generation to the next."
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