Connaught Pearl Brooch

Today marks the 45th Anniversary of the Death of Princess Patricia of Connaught / Lady Patricia Ramsay, who died on this day in 1974! The granddaughter of Queen Victoria who gave up her title to marry a Scottish Earl’s son and was the aunt of Swedish and Danish Royals, Lady Patricia attending a plethora of grand events wearing a variety of glittering jewels. We have already featured her Honeysuckle Tiara and Fringe Tiara, today we are featuring her Connaught Pearl Brooch, which is now worn by Queen Margrethe.

Diamond Tiara | Honeysuckle Tiara | Fringe TiaraDiamond Jubilee Chain | Diamond Bow Brooch | Pearl Brooch | Maple Leaf Brooch | Diamond Brooch

Featuring three large pearls set in a diamond bar frame, this Pearl Brooch was first pictured on the Duchess of Connaught, a daughter-in-law of Queen Victoria, born Princess Louise Margaret of Prussia, who notably wore the piece in a family portrait in the 1880s. (Credit to reader Lynsey Forrest), and for the South African State Opening of Parliament in 1910.

After the Duchess’ death in 1917, the brooch was inherited by her youngest daughter, Princess Patricia, who notably wore the Connaught Pearl Brooch at her Wedding to the Hon. Alexander Ramsay in 1919, entering Westminster Abbey as a Princess and exiting as a Lady.

However, that didn’t stop Lady Patricia attending royal events, like when she paired the Brooch with the Connaught Fringe Tiara for the Coronation of King George VI in 1937.

Embed from Getty Images

In 1958, Lady Patricia gave the Connaught Pearl Brooch to her great niece and goddaughter, Crown Princess Margrethe of Denmark, as an 18th Birthday gift. In her early years, she paired it with Alexandrine Drop Tiara, and has continued to wear it since acceding to the Throne in 1972.

Embed from Getty ImagesEmbed from Getty Images
Embed from Getty ImagesEmbed from Getty Images

The Connaught Pearl Brooch has been a favourite of Queen Margrethe for important events, including the Weddings of King Philippe of Belgium, her godson, King Willem-Alexander of The Netherlands, King Felipe of Spain, and her niece, Princess Alexia of Greece, and even her 60th Birthday. She has frequently paired the Brooch with her Wedding Earrings, and has worn it as a clasp for a couple of pearl necklaces and even on her hat. Over 60 years after it was given, the Brooch is frequently worn by Queen Margrethe and there is no doubt it will be worn for years to come.

Diamond Tiara | Honeysuckle Tiara | Fringe TiaraDiamond Jubilee Chain | Diamond Bow Brooch | Pearl Brooch | Maple Leaf Brooch | Diamond Brooch

Diamond Tiara

Honeysuckle Tiara

Fringe Tiara

Connaught Diamond Bow Brooch

Connaught Pearl Brooch

Maple Leaf Brooch

Art Deco Diamond Brooch

11

Danish Pearl Poiré Tiara

Danish Emerald Parure

Baden Palmette Tiara

Danish Crown Diamond Parure

The Danish Ruby Parure

Khedive of Egypt Tiara

Antique Diamond Parure

Antique Turquoise Parure

Daisy Brooch

Crown Pearl and Ruby Parure

Queen Alexandrine’s Sapphire Parure

Floral Bracelet Choker

Ruby Horseshoe Brooch

Queen Margrethe’s Engagement Ring

Connaught Pearl Brooch

Queen Josefina’s Diamond Brooches

Queen Margrethe’s Pearl and Diamond Corsage

Danish Royal Tiaras | Queen Margrethe’s Top 8 Jewels | Danish Royal Orders

Wedding Tiara

Diamond Necklace Tiara

Midnight Tiara

Princess Dagmar’s Diamond Floral Tiara

Alexandrine Drop Tiara

Wedding Earrings

Diamond Fringe Earrings

Aquamarine Jewels

Amethyst Earrings

Connaught Sapphire Brooch

Diamond Flower Brooch

Diamond Flower Earrings

Ole Lynggaard Brooch

3 thoughts on “Connaught Pearl Brooch

  1. Even though this pin is rather small, its provenance is so awesome that I can totally understand why it’s a favorite of Queen Margrethe. She once said that she doesn’t measure her jewels by their carats but by their history. Lady Ramsay was quite the iconoclast when she shed her royal highness appelation. That was not done in her day, so she must have really appreciated her husband more than her title. So Queen Margrethe has a brooch from her great-aunt (this one) and one from her grandmother (the daisy one)- very lovely!

    1. Apparently she later regretted it (told Princess Alexandra not to give it up), but I think she was pressured by King George V, who wanted to slim down the Royal Family in 1919
      !

      1. Oh, my! I didn’t know that! King George V did a lot of things he thought were necessary for the survival of his royal family. Some may have been very appropriate, but some maybe not so much. He was a very pragmatic man, that’s for sure. I do think that he may have contributed to Tsar Nicholas and his family’s deaths. Not directly, of course, but I think I read somewhere that he denied them asylum in the UK which allowed them to be captured and later on murdered. Maybe that’s why he was so keen to get his aunt the Dowager Empress out, even though she protested. He was no doubt sorry he had misjudged the revolutionaries’ intentions before.

Leave a Reply