Inside the Royal Vault: Necklaces Queen Elizabeth Avoided!

The royal necklaces that Queen Elizabeth never touched. Some royal jewels sparkle because they were worn. Others fascinate because they were never chosen. Locked behind palace vaults are necklaces steeped in power, legacy and scandal. Yet Britain's longest reigning monarch quietly passed them by. No speeches, no explanations, just absence. Tonight, we uncover the royal necklaces Queen Elizabeth never touched, and why silence, in this case, speaks louder than diamonds. Queen Mary's Art Deco Emerald Choker Queen Mary's Art Deco Emerald Choker is one of the most stunning pieces in the British royal jewellery collection, yet Queen Elizabeth II never wore it. Originally built from deep green emeralds presented to Queen Mary during the lavish 1911 Delhi Durbar, the necklace was refashioned in the 1920s into a striking Art Deco Choker by the royal jewellers Garrard. It features 14 cabochon emeralds surrounded by brilliant cut diamonds set in platinum, pairing perfectly with the Cambridge Emerald Perua, once adored by the Queen Mother. Although inherited by Queen Elizabeth in 1953, she never wore it. A monarchly quirk rooted in her simple taste, she didn't like chokers, so it sat unworn in the vault for decades. That changed when Princess Diana received it as a lifetime loan as a wedding gift in 1981. She wore it boldly, even as a bandeau headpiece during a dance in Melbourne in 1985, turning an heirloom into a fashion moment that shocked traditionalists. Diana's last public appearance in it was her 36th birthday in 1997. After her tragic death, the choker returned to the Queen's collection, and today Catherine, Princess of Wales, revived it at the Earthshot Prize Awards in 2022, breathing new life into this emerald legend. The Greville Emerald Necklace The Greville Emerald Necklace is one of the most intriguing jewels in the Greville bequest, a breathtaking strand of square-cut emeralds framed in diamonds whose exact origins remain shrouded in mystery. According to experts, it may have been part of a magnificent 18th-century piece rumoured to have belonged to Queen Marie Antoinette or Empress Josephine of France, though there solid evidence supporting that royal provenance. Unlike many jewels in the Greville bequest, the necklace was seldom seen during Queen Elizabeth II's reign, and that's precisely why it's such a mystery. After Margaret Greville bequeathed it to the royal family in 1942, Elizabeth II never chose it as part of her public jewel rotation, while her mother, the Queen Mother, wore it on occasion through the 1950s-1990s, pairing it with the Greville tiara and emerald earrings at gala events. Design-wise, the piece dazzles with rich green emeralds cut into bold squares and set against glittering diamonds, a look that marks it as far more flamboyant than Elizabeth's usual refined style, which may explain why she rarely wore it. Today, it remains in the royal collection, often said to be held in reserve and occasionally spotted on royals like Queen Camilla at state events, preserving its allure as one of the crown's most enigmatic and unworn treasures. Queen Mary's Love Trophy Collar Queen Mary's Love Trophy Collar was commissioned in March 1901 for the future Queen Mary, then Duchess of Cornwall and York. It was made using diamonds from gifts she'd received from close family, including star motifs from her grandmother, the Duchess of Cambridge, and a floral spray from her aunt, the Grand Duchess of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, crafted into a spectacular choker of seven brilliant set panels with motifs of bow, quiver and torch framed by laurel wreaths and ribbon ties. This was not a simple necklace. It was a bold statement of Edwardian elegance and devotion, worn in official portraits with Queen Mary's most treasured tiaras, like the Surrey Fringe and Boucheron Loup in the early 1900s. But here's the twist. Chokers soon fell out of fashion after World War I, and although Queen Mary passed the collar to her daughter-in-law, the Duchess of York, the future Queen Mother, she never wore it publicly, and neither did Queen Elizabeth II when she inherited it in 2002. Many speculate its dramatic Edwardian style simply didn't suit later generations' tastes, especially Queen Elizabeth II's preference for classic strands of pearls that defined her look for decades. Today the collar lies in the Royal Vaults, intact, photographed for the first time in years, waiting like a forgotten heirloom with a story still to be told. Queen Alexandra's Dagmar Necklace was a sumptuous wedding gift given in 1863 by King Frederick VII of Denmark to Princess Alexandra of Denmark upon her marriage to the future King Edward VII. It's a breathtaking masterpiece in gold, set with hundreds of diamonds and over a hundred pearls, and suspended from it is a replica of the historic Dagmar Cross, itself inspired by a medieval Byzantine cross associated with Queen Dagmar of Denmark, thought by some to hold a relic of the true cross. Alexandra adored the necklace and wore it famously, including at the 1871 Waverley Ball in London and her husband's coronation in 1902, where it crowned her bodice beneath rich strands of pearls. Upon her death in 1925, she left the necklace to the crown as an unalterable heirloom. Queen Elizabeth II inherited the piece, yet she rarely wore it, and when she did, she boldly removed the Dagmar Cross and the two largest pearl pendants, possibly because the traditional cross motif felt too archaic or personal and didn't fit her modern state wardrobe. Such edits made the necklace one of the rarest royal jewels to appear on her, seen on only a handful of occasions, a post-morning ball in the 1950s and a 1957 state visit to Denmark that honoured its origins. Intriguingly, despite its enormous sparkle and history, it has not been worn publicly since about 1960, and today it is mostly loved as a museum treasure, having been exhibited at the Victoria and Albert Museum and in the Edwardian's Age of Elegance display at Buckingham Palace. That's the shocking twist, the jewel so magnificent and symbolic that two queens almost wore it, yet Elizabeth chose it so sparingly, leaving its dazzling cross hidden and making it one of the most mysterious necklaces in the royal vault. Queen Victoria's Golden Jubilee Necklace Queen Victoria's Golden Jubilee Necklace was commissioned in 1888 to celebrate the 50th anniversary of her reign and presented by Carrington and Company. For £5,000, a dazzling ensemble of eight graduated diamond-set trefoil links, twelve smaller links and a crowned quatfoil centre with a pearl drop, all centred on lustrous pearls and sparkling diamonds that symbolise Victorian grandeur. At Osborne House, the Duchess of Buccleuch presented it to Victoria as a token of love and loyalty from the daughters of her empire, and the Queen became deeply attached to it, leaving it to the crown upon her death in 1901. But here's the twist. Many believe Queen Elizabeth II never truly loved this necklace, the way she did her signature jewels like the Girls of Great Britain and which might be why in later decades she often used only parts of it or paired it sparingly. Design, complexity and weight could have made it impractical compared to sleeker, more modern pieces. Royal insiders suggest Elizabeth preferred necklaces that paired effortlessly with her most iconic tiaras, making this ornate Jubilee piece less versatile. The necklace did appear at her first State Opening of Parliament in 1952, but afterwards it was worn far less frequently than other heirlooms. Today, it remains part of the Crown Jewels, occasionally repurposed in creative ways and admired for its blend of Victorian heart and imperial history, a piece the Queen never quite made her own, and that mystery is exactly why history lovers are still debating it. Queen Alexandra's Wedding Necklace Queen Alexandra's wedding necklace was one of the grandest symbols of Victorian royal splendour. In 1863, the future King Edward VII commissioned a magnificent perue from Garrard & Company as a wedding gift for Princess Alexandra of Denmark, a dazzling set that included a versatile diamond tiara, a pearl and diamond necklace, matching earrings and a triple pearl drop brooch. Alexandra first wore this necklace on her wedding day at St George's Chapel, Windsor, marking it as one of the most elegant pieces of her bridal ensemble. The necklace remained a treasured heirloom of the British monarchy, passing through generations. It was given to Queen Mary and later to the Queen Mother, who made it a favourite at state events, pairing it with iconic tiaras throughout mid-20th century society gatherings. Despite entering Queen Elizabeth II's collection upon her mother's death in 2002, she astonishingly never wore it publicly. Why? Its elaborate pearl drops and perue origins made it too ornate for her more streamlined personal jewellery style, and it was overshadowed by other favourite royal necklaces like the Coronation Necklace. The piece lay unworn for decades, a silent treasure, until the Duchess of Cambridge revived it for a state banquet in 2018, creating one of its rare modern appearances. Today, the necklace is part of the Royal Collection and occasionally surfaces for high diplomatic events, reminding us of a Victorian love story that transcended generations. Its current placement remains within the jewel house at Buckingham Palace, or worn by senior royals by special request. A necklace Queen Elizabeth never touched, yet its legacy glows. That's it for now. We would love to know your thoughts on which necklace fascinated you the most, and why. If you like this video then don't forget to subscribe to the channel for more dazzling stories.