The Queen always wears this for Trooping The Colour

(Image credit: 2019 Max Mumby/Indigo)

This year's Trooping the Colour celebrations were very different, due of course to the pandemic and social distancing. But there was another small yet quite significant change, which involved the Queen's outfit.

For the first time in years, she wore a diamond leek brooch, as a nod to the 1st Battalion Welsh Guards, who marched in the parade this year, and are currently standing guard at Windsor Castle.

Normally, Queen Elizabeth II wears the Brigade of Guards’ Badge without fail every year, for the past 26 years (the only exception was 1988, when she wore a different one).

The Guards' Brooch is an oval diamond frame showcasing the badges of the five household regiments. These include a leek for the Welsh Guards, a thistle for the Scots Guards’, St George’s Cross for the Coldstream Guard, a shamrock for the Irish one and the Grenadier Guards' badge.

These five symbols are topped by a crown, and the oval frame bears the words 'QUINQUE JUNCTA IN UNO', meaning 'five joined as one'.

According to The Court Jeweller blog, the piece of jewellery was likely made from a pendant that belonged to the Queen's aunt, Princess Mary, given to her in 1922.

So if you look back at every picture of Her Majesty during the ceremony in the past couple of decades, you'll notice that particular brooch, and we're sure she'll go back to wearing it next year.

Penny Goldstone

Penny Goldstone is the Contributing Fashion Editor at Marie Claire UK. She writes about catwalk trends and the latest high street and Instagram sartorial must-haves. She also helms the Women Who Win franchise.

She has worked in fashion for over 10 years, contributing to publications such as Cosmopolitan, Red, Good Housekeeping, and Stylist.