‘A lovely gesture’: Princess Charlotte’s horseshoe brooch is sweet nod to the Queen’s love of horses

The only daughter of the Prince and Princess of Wales attended her great-grandmother’s state funeral

Princess Charlotte wore a special brooch to pay tribute to her great-grandmother’s love for all things equestrian at the state funeral of Queen Elizabeth II.

The seven-year-old daughter of the Prince and Princess of Wales pinned a small but meaningful horseshoe-shaped brooch to her dress when she attended the ceremony on Monday (19 September).

She arrived at Westminster Hall alongside her eldest brother, Prince George, and her parents.

Together, the Waleses walked behind the late Queen’s coffin in the procession through the gothic church, behind other senior members of the royal family, including King Charles III and Camilla, Queen Consort.

Eagle-eyed fans spotted Charlotte’s diamond brooch, praising it as a “wonderful gesture” to the Queen, who died at the age of 96 on Thursday (8 September).

The late monarch famously loved horses and equestrian sport. She is believed to have owned more than 100 horses over her lifetime.

Lauren Kiehna, editor of The Court Jeweller blog, tweeted that the brooch marked Charlotte’s very “first piece of significant jewellery”.

“A lovely tribute to a great-grandmother who so loved horses,” she added.

Another Twitter user said: “Sweet child! And such a thoughtful way of paying her respects.”

Princess Charlotte of Wales is seen leaving Westminster Abbey on September 19, 2022 (Getty Images)

Earlier, the BBC’s Huw Edwards described George and Charlotte as “immaculate” when they stepped into the church.

George wore a navy blue suit with a black tie, while Charlotte’s black dress coat and black hat resembled her mother’s.

During the ceremony, Charlotte could be seen looking around the church from under the brim of her hat as the mourners sang “The Lord’s My Shepherd”.

Queen Camilla, Prince George, Princess Charlotte, Catherine, Princess of Wales, and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, walk after a service at Westminster Abbey on the day of the state funeral and burial of Britain's Queen Elizabeth (REUTERS)

A short while later, as George read the order of the service during the Archbishop of Canterbury’s sermon, his sister was seen whispering something to her mother.

The Queen’s death came just as the Waleses moved to their new home in the Queen’s Windsor estate, away from Kensington Palace.

The children, including youngest son Prince Louis, four, began their first week at Lambrook School in Berkshire on the say their great-grandmother passed away.

The Princess of Wales told well-wishers at Sandringham that all three children have “settled in nicely with their new school and have new friends”.