Queen Camilla has been accused of an 'awkward snub' towardsMelania Trumpafter appearing to set aside a $40,000 Tiffany & Co. brooch which the US First Lady gave her during a high‑profile royal visit to Washington, only to switch to a different jewel as she departed the Trumps' company.
The episode dates back to a recent four‑day US trip, when King Charles III and Queen Camilla were received at the White House by President Donald Trump and Melania.
As is customary on state visits, both sides exchanged carefully chosen gifts. Melania presented Camilla with a vintage Tiffany & Co. diamond and ruby brooch reportedly worth $40,700, while the Queen Consort reciprocated with an Anya Hindmarch handbag and a silver and enamel bowl by artist Cara Murphy. Charles gifted Donald Trump the bell from the Second World War submarine HMSTrump.
The suggestion of a snub towards Melania Trump stems from what happened at the end of that White House visit. As Charles and Camilla said their farewells to the Trumps, cameras caught the Queen wearing Melania's gift, a Tiffany brooch with a diamond floral design ringed by rubies, neatly pinned to her outfit.
Yet as the royal couple left the Trumps and travelled on toArlington National Cemetery, observers noticed a quiet but pointed shift. The Tiffany piece had gone. In its place, Camilla wore a Cartier brooch featuring both the Union Jack and the Stars and Stripes, a much older jewel that had belonged to the late Queen Elizabeth II.
The Cartier brooch is laden with diplomatic symbolism. It was given to Elizabeth II in 1957 by Robert F. Wagner Jr., the then mayor of New York, and has long been used to signal the enduring bonds between Britain and the United States. Within royal circles, changing jewellery to match the tone or location of an engagement is hardly unusual, and aides might well argue that swapping to a historically significant Anglo‑American piece for a sombre visit to a military cemetery made sense.
On 28 April, 2026, HM Queen Camilla wore for Day 2 USA State Visit on White House South Lawn Fiona Clare Bespoke Pastel Green Dress, QEII Cullinan V Heart-shaped Diamond Brooch, Camilla's Wedding Pearl Earrings, Philip Treacey Pastel Green Hat, Rue Majorelle Bagette Bag.pic.twitter.com/aijIDOuUff
Even so, the timing of the change — straight after leaving Melania Trump — has been read by some as a slight. The fact that Camilla has not been publicly seen wearing the Tiffany brooch since the Trumps left the White House has only fed that narrative.
Into this diplomatic tea‑leaf reading has stepped astrologer Tracy Higgs, who was asked by theIrish Starto assess what the brooch switch might mean for the relationship between Queen Camilla and Melania Trump. Her analysis is hardly standard fare for constitutional scholars, but it offers a curious lens on how the 'awkward snub' is being interpreted.
On 28 April, 2026, HM Queen Camilla wore to the State Banquet at the White House Fiona Clare Bespoke Pink Gown, Necklace and Earrings from the Kent Amethyst Demi-Parure, Queen Mother's Cartier Diamond & RUBY Bracelet, Launer London Customised Silver Bella Clutch.pic.twitter.com/z1vQ6OdzV3
Source: International Business Times UK
