Happy Birthday to Princess Marie Luise ‘Lilly’ of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg, who turns 50 today! The Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg Princess who was married to the Prince of Schaumburg-Lippe and is the mother of the Hereditary Prince, Princess Lilly remains close to the Schaumburg-Lippe Family and thus still wears the Schaumburg-Lippe Tiaras, which we are featuring today!
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But first, lets learn about Princess Lilly! The daughter of Prince Otto of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg, and Baroness Annette von Cramm, Princess Marie Luise grew up between Schloss Wittgenstein, Switzerland, Austria and Italy. In 1993, she married the Prince of Schaumburg-Lippe, with the couple having one son, Hereditary Prince Heinrich Donatus, before their divorce in 2002.
Princess Lilly remarried to Lambros Milona and had a daughter, Lana, launching her fashion line in Milan. She works as a model and brand ambassador, most notably for Bulgari, taking part in the 15th season of the RTL show “Let’s Dance” and supports numerous charity campaigns, including the “Save the Children”
Princess Lilly has remained close to the Schaumburg-Lippe Family, currently living in an apartment at Schloss Bückeburg and serving as the maid of honour at the Prince’s third wedding to Mahkameh Navibi in 2021. We wish HRH a very Happy Birthday and Many Happy Returns!
Diamond Palmette Tiara
Consisting of Diamond Palmettes set in a design quite similar to the Devonshire Tiara, the Diamond Palmette Tiara, which is reportedly referred to as the Cunningham Tiara by the family, dates from at least the 19th century, when Palmette elements were worn by Marie Anne, the Princess of Schaumburg-Lippe in the 1890s.
The Tiara was notably worn by Baroness Eva-Benita von Tiele-Winckler when she married Philipp-Ernst, the Hereditary Prince of Schaumburg-Lippe, at Schloss Bückeburg in 1955. Princess Benita was also pictured in the Tiara for an event during the 1960s, paired with the family’s Sapphire Parure.
Princess Marie Luise ‘Lilly’ of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg was notably pictured in the Tiara only once, for her Wedding to Hereditary Prince Alexander, son of Prince Philipp-Ernst and Princess Benita, at the Stadtkirche in Bückeburg in 1993.
The Diamond Palmette Tiara was also worn by Nadja Anna Zsoeks when she married Prince Alexander in 2007, and also later wore the Tiara to the Wedding Ball of the Prince of Prussia and Princess Sophie of Isenburg in 2011.
More recently, the Diamond Palmette Tiara was worn by Mahkameh Navibi for her Wedding to Prince Alexander last year, later adding an heirloom Emerald and Diamond Necklace for the Wedding Ball, and she also wore the Tiara when she joined Princess Lilly for the Amaranth Ball in Stockholm this May.
Sapphire Tiara and Parure
The Schaumburg-Lippe Family also possess a spectacular Sapphire Parure consisting of a Tiara, a Diamond Bandeau with Sapphire Clusters, as well as a splendid Sapphire and Diamond Necklace, a pair of Earrings, and a Brooch. The Diamond Bandeau, with Diamond Floral elements, was originally worn by Princess Viktoria of Prussia, daughter of Empress Frederick and sister of Kaiser Wilhelm II, the sister-in-law of the then Prince.
The Sapphire Tiara and Parure were notably worn by Bathildis, the Princess of Schaumburg-Lippe for the Wedding of Prince Christian of Schaumburg-Lippe and Princess Feodora of Denmark in 1937 and also for the Wedding of her son, Hereditary Prince Philipp-Ernst, in 1955.
The Sapphires were a favourite of Princess Benita ‘Bita’, who wore them for numerous royal occasions through the decades, including the Wedding of Grand Duchess Maria Vladimirovna of Russia and Prince Franz Wilhelm of Prussia in 1976, the Wedding of the Prince of Thurn and Taxis and Countess Gloria von Schönburg-Glauchau in 1980, and the Wedding Ball of Duke Friedrich of Württemberg and Princess Marie of Wied in 1993.
In 1978, for the Ball held at the Prince’s Palace in Monte Carlo ahead of the first wedding of Princess Caroline, a Tiara similar to the Schaumburg-Lippe Tiara was worn by Queen Anne of Romania along with her Sapphire Parure from Princess Viggo.
The Sapphire Parure was worn by former Princess Nadja, and most recently Princess Mahkameh wore the necklace at the the Amaranth Ball in Stockholm.
Princess Lilly notably wore the Sapphire Tiara and Parure for the Wedding Ball of the Prince of Schaumburg-Lippe and Mahkameh Navabi at Schloss Bückeburg last year.
Diamond Tiara
The Family also posses a smaller Diamond Tiara, a miniature version of the larger Palmette motif, which initially appeared on Princess Lilly at some event in the 1990s, probably the Wedding Ball of Duke Friedrich of Württemberg and Princess Marie of Wied in 1993.
For the Prince and Princess’ Wedding Ball at Schloss Bückeburg last year, the small Diamond Tiara was worn by Princess Vanessa of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg, the sister of Princess Lilly, who also resides near Bückeburg.
Princess Lilly wore the Tiara again in May, when she was awarded the Order of Amaranth during the Amaranth Ball in Stockholm, when she was joined by Princess Mahkameh.
