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, and today’s feature is her Saudi Sapphire Suite!
When the Prince of Wales married Lady Diana Spencer in 1981, the bride received this striking Sapphire and Diamond Suite as a wedding present from the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, which was described by Leslie Field in The Queen’s Jewels as:
Made by Asprey, it consists of an enormous Burmese sapphire pendant set in a jagged sunray fringe of baguette diamonds and hung on a thin diamond necklace; a matching pair of earrings and ring; a two-row bracelet of brilliant-cut diamonds with a smaller version of the sapphire pendant as a centrepiece; and a wristwatch, the face set in the same diamond sunray fringe and the strap consisting of seven oval sapphires set in clusters of diamonds….”
The Princess of Wales was not the only royal to receive a gift from jewellery from members of the Saudi Royal Family, as the Queen received many splendid diamond necklaces, the Duchess of York got a Ruby Suite, as did Princess Anne, and most recently, the Duchess of Sussex was given a pair of earrings from the Saudi Crown Prince.
The Princess of Wales debuted the Saudi Sapphire at the National Film Institute Dinner at the Royal Festival Hall in December 1981.
The Princess wore the Saudi Sapphire Suite frequently on royal tours, including with the Spencer Tiara for a State Dinner at Government House in Canberra and a Reception at the Crest International Hotel in Brisbane during a Tour of Australia in 1983.
The Princess of Wales wore the Saudi Sapphire Earrings with her modern Sapphire Choker for the final of the Newport International Competition for Young Pianists in Newport in October 1985 and also for a Gala Dinner at Government House in Melbourne, during a Tour of Australia the following month.
The Saudi Sapphire Suite was worn by the Princess of Wales for the World Festival Of Arts Opera Performance in Vancouver in 1986, as well as the Queen’s 60th Birthday Concert in London that year.
The final (known) appearance of the Saudi Sapphire Suite was in 1987, when Princess of Wales wore it to dance with the Prince after dinner at the Hotel Hyatt in Melbourne.
More frequently, the Princess of Wales wore the Diamond Tennis Necklace with the heirloom Prince of Wales Feathers Pendant on several occasions over the decades.
By the 1990s, the ring from the Saudi Sapphire Suite had been used to create another version of the modern Sapphire Choker, which was worn by Diana, Princess of Wales for ‘A Concert of Hope’ at the Cardiff International Arena in 1995. Following the Princess’ death in 1997, the Saudi Sapphire Suite was among the jewels inherited by Prince William and Prince Harry, but has lain in the vaults, having not been worn by either the Princess of Wales or the Duchess of Sussex.
Queen Mary’s Lover’s Knot Tiara
Spencer Tiara
Sapphire Engagement Ring
Princess Diana’s Collingwood Pearl Earrings
Princess Diana’s Sapphire Choker
Princess Diana’s Spencer Choker
Princess Diana’s Wedding Earrings
Prince of Wales Feathers Pendant
Princess Diana’s Saudi Sapphire Suite
Queen Mary’s Art Deco Emerald Choker
Princess Diana’s Pearl Bracelet
Princess Diana’s Saudi Sapphire Choker
Princess Diana’s South-Sea Pearl Earrings
Princess Diana’s Emerald Earrings
Princess Diana’s Heart-Shaped Diamond Necklace
Princess Diana’s Pendant Earrings
Princess Diana’s Swan Lake Suite
Queen’s Pear-Drop Diamond Earrings
Princess Diana’s Oman Sapphire Suite
Princess Diana’s Amethyst Suite
Princess Diana’s Aquamarine Earrings
Princess Diana’s Diamond and Pearl Earrings
Princess Diana’s Sapphire Earrings
Princess Diana’s Aquamarine Ring
Princess Diana’s Qatar Pearl Earrings
Princess Diana’s Butterfly Suite
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Made from parts of a suite given as a wedding present from the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, it was described by Leslie Field in The Queen’s Jewels as:
Made by Asprey, it consists of an enormous Burmese sapphire pendant set in a jagged sunray fringe of baguette diamonds and hung on a thin diamond necklace; a matching pair of earrings and ring; a two-row bracelet of brilliant-cut diamonds with a smaller version of the sapphire pendant as a centrepiece; and a wristwatch, the face set in the same diamond sunray fringe and the strap consisting of seven oval sapphires set in clusters of diamonds….”
The ring and watch from the suite were later turned into a choker. The Princess of Wales was not the only royal to receive a gift from jewellery from members of the Saudi Royal Family, as the Queen received many splendid diamond necklaces, the Duchess of York got a Ruby Suite, as did Princess Anne, and most recently, the Duchess of Sussex was given a pair of earrings from the Saudi Crown Prince.
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The first time the Princess wore the suite was at the National Film Institute Dinner at the Royal Festival Hall in December 1981.
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The Princess wore the Saudi Sapphire Suite frequently on royal tours, including State Dinner at Government House in Canberra in 1983…
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…a Reception at the Crest International Hotel in Brisbane a few weeks later…
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…and the World Festival Of Arts Opera Performance in Vancouver in 1986, as well as the Queen’s 60th Birthday Concert that year.
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The final (known) appearance of the Saudi Sapphire Suite was in 1987, when Princess of Wales wore it to dance with the Prince after dinner at the Hotel Hyatt in Melbourne. The suite hasn’t been publicly seen since, and was inherited by Prince William and Prince Harry in 1997.
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