1947-1952
35mm x 29mm
Gold and enamel rose of York applied with the entwined E and P cypher of the Duke and Duchess of Endinburgh, over crossed anchors, all beneath the coronet of three crosses and two fleurs-de-lis as approriate to members of the royal family. Signed ‘Garrard London’ to the reverse. Contained in a case of the Crown Jeweller, 112 Regent Street, London.
Extremely rare royal presentation brooch dating from the 1947 engagement and marriage of Princess Elizabeth and Lieutenant Philip Mountbatten RN. The design incorporates the Tudor rose formerly used by her father George VI and grandfather George V when dukes of York, and feasibly reflects her pre 1936 title of Princess Elizabeth of York. Moreover the crossed anchors reflect Prince Philip’s role as a serving naval officer, in the same way the single anchor did for Princes George and Albert when dukes of York. The Tudor rose and crossed anchors were later incorporated into the badge of the royal yacht Britannia when launched in 1954. Noticeably HMY Britannia’s badge incorporates the Garter, suggesting perhaps that the present badge pre-dates investiture of Princess Elizabeth to the Order of the Garter on 11 November 1947, and that of Lieutenant Mountbatten a few days before their wedding on 20 November 1947. It was not until the morning of the wedding that Prince Philip was created Duke of Edinburgh. The mirrored E and P cypher is of the same design as the badge used by equerries in attendance on the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh between 1947 and 1952.
Ref: ‘Royal Service’, Vol II, Risk, J., Pownall, H., Stanley, D., Tamplin, J., (2001).