Antiques Roadshow guest learns bracelet found in street belonged to Royal Family member

Royalty have been adorning themselves in priceless jewelry for centuries, so it's no surprise that the English Royal Family, for example, have racked up a fair amount of earrings, necklaces, and bracelets filled with precious gems.

In fact, it seems they have more jewelry than they know what to do with and might have forgotten about one piece. Otherwise, how else would a woman come across a gold bracelet belonging to Queen Victoria? Even stranger, how did she come across it as it lay on the side of the street?

The women took the strange piece, which she initally thought was fake, onto the BBC version of Antiques Roadshow and was gobsmacked by what she learned about it, let alone its massive value.

• 60 Minutes rips apart Donald Trump in shocking segment amid $20 billion lawsuit 
• Fox News cuts off presenter after concerning interview at Trump military parade

The show looked back at the moment, including others that showed off items which had royal connections, during a special edition to mark the coronation of King Charles III in 2023.

The guest brought her strange bracelet on the show when it stopped at the Brooklands Museum Roadshow in Surrey.

Touching on how she came across the bracelet, the guest explained, "I literally found it in the street. I have had it for over 20 years.

"I was pushing my daughter in her buggy and I took it to my local police station, I handed it in and they said you know if it's not claimed in three months it's yours.

"So I went and claimed it back because I never thought it was valuable but I always thought it was interesting.

"I don't think it is gold but I assume that the VR is for Victoria and I just wondered, I would like to know more about it."

Expert Susan Rumfitt revealed, "The fact is, this is an amazing piece of jewelery and it would have originally belonged to Queen Victoria herself."

The guest was stunned and quipped, "You're joking... she didn't lose it in the street in Hinchley Wood!"

DON'T MISS:

Antiques Roadshow guest floored by value of historical spoons [NEWS]

Young Antiques Roadshow guest gives pure response to value of 'genie's lamp' [VIDEO]

Antiques Roadshow worst blunders including embarrassing and wrong valuations  [INSIGHT]

Susan continued, "Absolutely not no. No, she didn't. She was renowned for giving out presents to people that she really cared about and who were very important to her and consequently we have this amazing piece.

"It's got her cypher on the front which you rightly thought was related to Victoria, and also we can probably be pretty sure that on the back, in the locket is a lock of her hair.

"[There's] No hallmark, they didn't have to hallmark jewellery in the Victorian period [but] value-wise, because of the association, we'll probably be looking at somewhere between £4,000 ($5,400) and £6,000 ($8,000.)"

Open-mouthed, the guest exclaimed, "Wow! Ok, that was a surprise."

However, after watching the episode, an eagle-eyed viewer got in touch with a clue as to who the bracelet may have belonged to.

Inviting the guest back, she said, "A lady wrote to me and suggested that I have a look in this book, so I purchased it online and inside there is a very interesting chapter."

Fiona Bruce read, "The maids of honour were seriously underemployed, and they filled the long, empty hours following morning prayers with visits to one another's sitting rooms.

"Each of them wore, as a badge of office, a heavy gold bracelet that bore the initials VR in turquoise, and that opened to reveal a lock of the queen's hair. How fascinating! That exactly fits the description."

Bruce has also recently appraised a pair of "crotchless" knickers with that belonged to Queen Victoria.

“We see an awful lot of Queen Victoria’s knickers on the Antiques Roadshow," she remarked. “I’m not quite sure why so many people have so much of her underwear, other than to say, she obviously had quite a lot of it.”

The 61-year-old presenter went on to demonstrate the sheer size of the Royal lingerie, draping them around her waist and drawing the strings to emphasize their vastness compared to her own figure.