Queen's private collection

Jubilee diamonds: Spectacular gems from the Queen's private collection go on display at Buckingham Palace

It is the most valuable – and glittering - exhibition ever created at Buckingham Palace.

Ten thousand priceless diamonds on display, many for the first time ever, to mark the Queen’s Jubilee.

From the diminutive diamond crown worn by Queen Victoria throughout her widowhood, to the breath-taking Coronation Necklace, featuring a staggering 22.48 carat pendant, the exhibition features some of the most spectacular pieces from the monarch’s private collection.

Diamond Jubilee: A Jubilee Celebration exhibition which forms part of the summer opening of Buckingham Palace includes more than 10,000 diamonds set in works acquired by six monarchs over three centuries

The Diamond Jubilee Queen's Family

The moment Charles and Anne were buried up to their necks in sand by Prince Philip as Queen filmed it

• Holiday shot from 1957 comes from hours of family footage released by the Prince of Wales for television show to mark the Diamond Jubilee
• Never-before-seen images include footage from the Coronation of 1953 and the Queen attending Charles's school sports day
• Jubilee 'gives us the chance to celebrate with pride all that The Queen means to us – whether as a nation or as one of her children,’ Charles says.
• Charles: Sheer number of Heads of State coming to the Jubilee celebrations shows the 'respect and affection with which my mama is held'

• Laughing and giggling as they hold their heads above the sand, it’s the kind of happy holiday snapshot that graces family photograph albums in homes across the country.

Only the corgi sitting between the two children suggests that they might not be any old family after all.

Pictured on glorious Holkham Beach in Norfolk in the summer of 1957, Prince Charles and his sister, Princess Anne, smile for the camera after being buried up to their necks by their father, the Duke of Edinburgh.

The charming picture is a still taken from home video footage shot by the Queen herself.

Happy holiday: Prince Charles (left) and Princess Anne (right) were buried up to their necks by Prince Philip on Holkham Beach for a video shot by the Queen herself