Today marks the Anniversary of the Birth of Queen Alexandra of the United Kingdom, and to mark the occasion, as well as the birth and death anniversaries of Queen Alexandra and her daughter, Queen Maud, last week, we have been featuring some of their jewels. Click HERE to learn about Queen Alexandra’s Diamond and Pearl Brooch, and HERE to take a look at Queen Maud’s Drapers’ Company Brooch.
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Probably the Earrings from Queen Victoria’s Turkish Diamond Parure, Diamond Chandelier Earrings were originally worn by Queen Alexandra as pendants from necklaces, including her Wedding Necklace, as early as the 1880s. She notably wore them at the Wedding of her son, the Duke of York (future King George V), and Princess May of Teck in 1893, and her Coronation in 1902. After Queen Alexandra’s death in 1925, the Chandelier Earrings/Pendants, along with the Maltese Circlet Tiara and Queen Alexandra’s Turquoise Circlet, were inherited by her daughter, Queen Maud of Norway, who wasn’t pictured wearing them.
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And unlike Queen Maud’s other jewels, which remained in England after her death in 1938, throughout the Norwegian Royal Family’s exile during WWII, and were only reclaimed during a visit for the Queen’s Coronation in 1953, Queen Alexandra’s Diamond Chandelier Earrings were given to her daughter-in-law, Crown Princess Martha, sometime before her death, and were often worn by her in the 1940s and 1950s, usually with Queen Josefina’s Diamond Tiara, which she had inherited from an uncle. After her untimely death in 1954, the earrings were eventually inherited by her only son, King Harald.
SONJA & HARALD 1974 Came across this old picture of our present king & queen, then #CrownPrinceHarald & #CrownPrincessSonja, attending the wedding of #PrincessChristina of #Sweden in #Stockholm. Sonja’s dress was originally a maternity gownn from when she expected Martha in 1971 pic.twitter.com/mBu8XO5OI4
— Kjell Arne Totland (@TV2KjellArne) November 26, 2018
SONJA & HARALD 1974 Came across this old picture of our present king & queen, then #CrownPrinceHarald & #CrownPrincessSonja, attending the wedding of #PrincessChristina of #Sweden in #Stockholm. Sonja’s dress was originally a maternity gownn from when she expected Martha in 1971 pic.twitter.com/mBu8XO5OI4
— Kjell Arne Totland (@TV2KjellArne) November 26, 2018
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Queen Sonja has worn Queen Alexandra’s Diamond Chandelier Earrings for a plethora of occasions since the 1960s, including her Silver Anniversary in 1993, and the Wedding of Princess Märtha Louise of Norway in 2002, in the longer and a shorter version. She has paired them with Queen Josefina’s Diamond Tiara, the Vifte Tiara, and even Queen Maud’s Pearl Tiara. Queen Sonja wore them most recently at the Stortingsmiddag a few weeks ago, and there is no doubt we will continue to see Queen Alexandra’s Diamond Chandelier Earrings for years to come.
