Queen chose brooch acquired by her ancestor in a Frankfurt auction to meet Angela Merkel 

The Queen has once again proved she’s the master of subtle diplomatic dressing after wearing a brooch acquired by an ancestor at a Frankfurt auction to meet German Chancellor Angela Merkel. 

The monarch, 95, donned the Cambridge Emerald Brooch during an audience with Mrs Merkel at Windsor Castle yesterday as the political leader continued her valedictory visit to Britain.

Teaming it with a vibrant green and blue floral dress, Her Majesty’s accessory features a central emerald surrounded by two circles of diamonds, while a large detachable pendant is suspended by a dazzling chain with a leaf detail. 

The piece of jewellery was inherited by the Queen in 1953, from her grandmother Queen Mary of Teck, who was given the emeralds to make the brooch by her grandparents Prince Adolphus, Duke of Cambridge, and his wife Augusta, Duchess of Cambridge.

They entered a charitable lottery when in Frankfurt in 1818 and won a box of around 30 cabochon emeralds, which Queen Mary used to create the brooch and her Delhi Durbar tiara.

The Queen has once again proved she’s the master of subtle diplomatic dressing after wearing a brooch acquired by an ancestor at a Frankfurt auction to meet German Chancellor Angela Merkel (pictured)

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The monarch, 95, donned the Cambridge Emerald Brooch (pictured) during an audience with Mrs Merkel at Windsor Castle yesterday as the political leader continued her valedictory visit to Britain

The emeralds which made the brooch were first inherited by the Duchess of Teck, Mary’s mother, and were passed to Prince Francis of Teck upon his parent’s death.

But when Mary’s brother Francis, who was known for womanising and gambling, suddenly died of pneumonia in 1910 aged 39, he left his prized family jewels, known as the Cambridge Emeralds, to a mistress, Ellen Constance, the Countess of Kilmorey. 

There was also a suggestion that he fathered an illegitimate child. Fearing a scandal just before her coronation, Mary had the will sealed.

The jewels were bought back from the Countess by Mary for £10,000, equal to more than £600,000 today.

Mary wore them when her husband George V was crowned and the emeralds have also been worn by the Queen and Princess Diana.

The piece of jewellery was inherited by the Queen in 1953, from her grandmother Queen Mary of Teck, who was given the emeralds to make the brooch by her grandparents Prince Adolphus (pictured), Duke of Cambridge, and his wife Augusta, Duchess of Cambridge

Mary often used the Cambridge emerald brooch as an extension of her Delhi Durbar stomacher, a V-shaped piece of decoration worn over the chest, and occasionally as intended.

The jewels were made for the Delhi Durbar in India in 1911 – a ceremony which proclaimed King George V and Queen Mary emperor and empress of the country. 

Yesterday, Mrs Merkel, who is preparing to hand over power after almost 16 years in the autumn and is making a series of farewell trips, went to Windsor Castle for a last official audience with the Queen after talks with Boris Johnson at Chequers.

It was the second time they have met within a few weeks, after they were seen together at the G7 summit in Cornwall last month. She and the Queen posed for the cameras, with her majesty telling the German leader they were ‘making history’.

They entered a charitable lottery when in Frankfurt in 1818 and won a box of around 30 cabochon emeralds, which Queen Mary (pictured, and thought to be wearing the brooch) used to create the brooch and her Delhi Durbar tiara