Queen Mary’s Art Deco Emerald Choker

August 31st will mark the 20th Anniversary of the death of Diana, Princess of Wales, one of the most iconic women of the last century. In honour of her death anniversary, we are featuring 20 of her most iconic jewels, which includes Queen Mary’s Art Deco Emerald Choker!

The Jewels of Diana, Princess of Wales | The Jewels of the Princess of Wales

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Created from a gift of emeralds from the Ladies of India in 1911, this choker was created in the Art Deco style by Garrard in 1921, and coordinates with the larger heirloom Cambridge Emerald Parure, with which it was often paired.

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Queen Mary wore the original emerald necklace at the Delhi Durbar in 1911, and later, she wore the Art Deco Emerald Choker for portraits and events, along with the wider Cambridge Emerald Parure. It was inherited by the Queen in 1953, but since she doesn’t wear chokers, it remained unworn for decades.

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In 1981, the Queen gave Queen Mary’s Art Deco Emerald Choker as a wedding gift, as a lifetime loan, to Lady Diana Spencer when she married the Prince of Wales. The Princess of Wales wore the piece for the first time for a charity concert at the Barbican in 1982…

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… and at a London film premiere a few weeks later.

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The most famous appearance of Queen Mary’s Art Deco Emerald Choker was in 1985, when the Princess of Wales wore the piece as a bandeau for a dance in Melbourne during a Tour of Australia.

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In 1988, the Princess wore the choker with the Spencer Tiara and emerald drop earrings, a gift from the Prince of Wales, for a Banquet at Claridges…

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… and at the the Diamond Ball at the Royal Lancaster Hotel in 1990.

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Another famous appearance of the choker was at a return Banquet hosted by the King of Malaysia at the Dorchester Hotel in 1993.

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The last time Diana, Princess of Wales wore Queen Mary’s Art Deco Emerald Choker was for her 36th Birthday at the Tate Gallery in London in July 1997. Two months later, she had died, and the choker came back into the Queen’s collection.

UPDATE: The current Princess of Wales first wore Queen Mary’s Art Deco Emerald Choker for the Earthshot Prize Awards Ceremony at the MGM Music Hall at Fenway in Boston in 2022!

The Jewels of Diana, Princess of Wales | The Jewels of the Princess of Wales

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2 thoughts on “Queen Mary’s Art Deco Emerald Choker

  1. Princess Diana was so amazing always. A true beauty inside an out. The Queen of hearts always. Such a shame ole Camilla wears some of what Diana did once. It should of been saved for Kate. When she one day is the Princess of Wales. Or Prince George’s wife one day. In no way should ole Cam’s be Queen ever. Nor should Charles be King. It should be Prince William an Kate be the next King an Queen. When the Queen E 2 passe’s away. God save the Queen may she live many many more happy healthy blessed years. One can only hope the Queen out lives those 2 Ole C&C.

  2. She first wore it publicly in 1981 on the royal tour of Wales, almost one year before the Barbican visit of 1982. For The Welsh visit it was acompanied by some wonderful earrings

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