Thieves Turned away at Buckingham Palace

September 18th, 2013 by Noam Flint

A recent break-in at London’s Buckingham Palace threatened the security of the British royal family – and their extensive jewel collection. Following a string of massive jewelry heists around the world, a duo attempted to get away with some of the royal family’s most prized possessions, potentially including some of their priceless gems.

Police believe two men conspired to enter the palace Sept. 2. One of the men scaled a fence, broke down a door and entered a state room, where palace security eventually found him. The room he was in contained the priceless collection of jewels – an area that is normally open to public tours during the day, The Guardian reported.

The break-in was among the most serious security threats at Buckingham Palace in more than 30 years. Had the thief made off with even one item from the royal collection, it would have been disastrous for the royal family, especially if the intruder had taken one of the Queen’s favorite diamonds.

One of the most stunning pieces in the royal collection is the Queen’s Williamson Diamond Brooch. Widely acknowledged to be the most famous pink diamond ever discovered, the Williamson Diamond was presented to Princess Elizabeth as a wedding present in 1947. The young royal oversaw the cutting of the raw stone, which was transformed into a 23.6-carat round brilliant diamond stone with a vibrant rose color.

When the cutting and polishing of the diamond was completed, it was set as the center of a flower-shaped brooch. It is currently surrounded by nearly 200 smaller diamonds, which make up the stem and petals of the jonquil flower.

This brooch is just one of the world’s most famous colored diamonds, and it is said to be a favorite of the Queen’s.