The Queen of England met and made nice with President Donald Trump during his most recent tumultuous visit to Europe. Her words and actions were courteous and polite, as a member of the Royal Family’s should be, even when Trump broke royal protocol by turning his back and walking in front of Her Majesty. But some royal watchers have spotted a few slightly less differential details on the 92-year-old great granny’s recent outfits.
Can a brooch throw shade? These ones can.
It was an honour for myself and the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar to be received by Her Majesty The Queen at Windsor Castle today. #GrandImamUK (Photo: @PAImages) pic.twitter.com/JxIQjMtgO1
— Archbishop of Canterbury (@JustinWelby) July 12, 2018
The day Trump arrived in the UK, Queen Elizabeth met with the Archbishop of Canterbury and Sheikh Ahmad Al-Tayeb, wearing a piece of jewellery called the American State Visit brooch, a gift given to her in 2011 by then President Obama and First Lady Michelle when the pair paid a visit to Buckingham Palace. The 14-karat gold and diamond-encrusted brooch was originally purchased from a small Washington D.C.-based boutique called Tiny Jewel Box and travelled overseas right into the Queen’s hands.

Her Majesty must have an plethora of brooches to choose from, and selecting the Obamas’ gift mustn’t have been an accident. It’s almost as if she’s saying “I may have to stand next to you, Trump, but in spirit I stand with another.” The only way this couldn’t been more in Trump’s face is if she’d been wearing an I’m With Her pin.
The following day, during a meeting with Trump and Melania, she wore a head-to-toe blue ensemble and accessorized with an iconic palm-leaf brooch that was worn by the Queen Mum (Elizabeth’s mother) to King George IV’s funeral. Sombre.
— Daisy&RuebensMom (@WriterGirlCT) July 17, 2018
Not only did she wear the brooch the Obama’s gave her, she wore blue.#bluewave pic.twitter.com/2utT4GnOo2
— laney (@misslaneym) July 18, 2018
And the Queen (or perhaps her stylists?) didn’t stop there; during a meeting with fellow royalty, the King and Queen of Belgium, she wore the Sapphire Jubilee Brooch, which had been given to her by Canada, a country that isn’t exactly on the best of terms with Trump at the moment. Though, in fairness, which country is…besides Russia?
It contains over ten carats of sapphires in several shades of blue, and is just stunning. pic.twitter.com/H3M6Kwx99h
— Bitch. STILL my superhero name. (@SamuraiKnitter) July 15, 2018
The Queen rarely makes her political beliefs known, but she’s also someone who recognizes the power of fashion and that clothing can speak louder than words. She certainly won’t fess up to the subtle jabs any time soon, but the internet sure is enjoying these sartorial choices.