Brooch of Queen Victoria's daughter set to fetch thousands at auction

Out of her nine children, Queen Victoria favoured her youngest, Beatrice. Known by the affectionate name, Baby, the Queen both doted and depended on her daughter. Beatrice was just four-years-old when her father, Prince Albert died suddenly. At age fourteen, the Queen gifted Beatrice with a brooch that belonged to her mother, Victoria, the Duchess of Kent. The brooch is now set to fetch thousands at auction this November.

Queen Victoria once held the title of the longest-reigning monarch in British history. This was surpassed by the Queen Elizabeth II in 2015.

The piece is fashioned from gold, diamonds, and turquoise. It has the inscription: “Had belonged to dear grandmamma V. From Mama V.R. 14th April 1871. To Beatrice.” The brooch is scheduled to be auctioned on 18 November, at the showrooms of Tennants Auctioneer’s in Leyburn, North Yorkshire at their fine arts sale and is estimated to sell for between £3,000 and £5,000.

Queen Victoria depended so much on Beatrice that she refused her request to marry. She only relented under the condition that she and her husband, Henry of Battenburg, live with her after their marriage. Beatrice remained as her mother’s unofficial secretary until her death in January 1901.

Melanie Saleem, a Tennants Jewellery Specialist, said: “It is such a privilege to handle a piece of jewellery with such historic significance – to think that not only did this brooch belong to Queen Victoria, but it was a token of her love for her favourite daughter.”
Pontus Silfverstolpe is the co-founder of an auction search engine and had this to say about the brooch: “It is always hugely exciting when an object with royal provenance surfaces in the art market.

“For any auction house finding something like this, it is a huge privilege.

“Imagine the excitement of holding a piece of jewellery with such historic significance, Queen Victoria’s broach gifted as a token of her love for her favourite daughter aged 14 at the time.”