Queen Elizabeth’s favourite £50m diamond brooch she loved so much she gave it a nickname

We don’t think of Queen Elizabeth having nicknames for her accessories but it seems some of her jewels had an extra special place in the late monarch’s heart.

Queen Elizabeth had one particular item that she loved so much, she gave it a cute nickname – a stunning diamond brooch that’s considered to be the world’s most valuable.

The stunning item has sentimental value too, having been passed from generation to generation, and been gifted to her from her grandmother, Queen Mary.

The gift inspired Her Majesty to call the brooch ‘granny’s chips’ and considering it was a family heirloom, Queen Elizabeth only wore it a handful of times during her 70-year reign.

The diamonds on the brooch have a deep and fascinating history too, being cut from the Cullinan – named after the South African mine in which it was discovered in 1905 and now forms the centrepiece of the Crown Jewels.

‘Granny’s chips’ might have got its nickname for being a gift from Queen Mary or be a sign of the Queen’s dry sense of British humour, referencing the small diamonds in the brooch in comparison to the much larger diamonds cut from the Cullinan.

The one-of-a-kind Cullinan – the largest gem-quality rough diamond ever found – weighed in at an incredible 3106 carats (or 621.35 grams).

In comparison, the diamonds on the brooch, The Cullinan III and Cullinan IV, weigh 94.4 and 63.6 carats, respectively.