Why the Queen might wear this brooch for her birthday today

(Image credit: Getty)

Today marks the Queen's official birthday - she has two birthdays a year, celebrating on the actual day she was born, April 21st, and then also on her Official Birthday, taking place in June.

It is Queen Elizabeth's 95th birthday and the monarch is spending it in very different circumstances this year, without Prince Philip by her side.

She would normally release an official birthday portrait, but it's the first time in decades that she isn't doing so, in a mark of respect for her late husband, whose funeral was just a few days ago.

If she had released a portrait, there is no doubt she would be wearing some of her favourite jewels in it, in particular a brooch that has a special significance to her.

(Image credit: 2016 Max Mumby/Indigo)

The Cullinan V diamond heart brooch wasn't a gift from the consort, but is sentimental nonetheless. It was originally created by court jeweller Garrard in 1911 for Queen Mary to wear to the Delhi Durbar.

In 1982, she wore it to the Windsor Horse show, whilst taking pictures of her husband with her personal camera (main picture) and has worn it many times since.

A photo posted by on

It features a heart-shaped diamond weighing 18.8 carats, thus giving it a romantic connotation. The Queen was last seen wearing it in Prince Philip's 99th birthday portrait released in June last year, so it would be fitting for her to wear it on her own birthday.

Penny Goldstone

Penny Goldstone is the Digital Fashion Editor at Marie Claire, covering everything from catwalk trends to royal fashion and the latest high street and Instagram must-haves.

Penny grew up in France and studied languages and law at the Sorbonne Nouvelle University in Paris before moving to the UK for her MA in multimedia journalism at Bournemouth University. She moved to the UK permanently and has never looked back (though she does go back regularly to stock up on cheese and wine).

Although she's always loved fashion - she used to create scrapbooks of her favourite trends and looks, including Sienna Miller and Kate Moss' boho phase - her first job was at MoneySavingExpert.com, sourcing the best deals for everything from restaurants to designer sales.

However she quit after two years to follow her true passion, fashion journalism, and after many years of internships and freelance stints at magazines including Red, Cosmopolitan, Stylist and Good Housekeeping, landed her dream job as the Digital Fashion Editor at Marie Claire UK.

Her favourite part of the job is discovering new brands and meeting designers, and travelling the world to attend events and fashion shows. Seeing her first Chanel runway IRL at Paris Fashion Week was a true pinch-me moment.