Princess Irene’s Pendant

Happy Birthday to Princess Irene of Greece, who turns 77 today! The youngest daughter of King Paul of Greece and Princess Frederica of Hanover, and the sister of King Constantine of Greece and Queen Sofia of Spain, Princess Irene has attended a plethora glittering events, though except for the Greek Pearl and Diamond Necklace Tiara and Queen Sophie’s Diamond Circle Tiara, she does not possess the large collection of her sister and sister-in-law. However, today’s piece is one that has been worn by the discreet Princess throughout her life- 

Featuring a large pale pink pear-shaped stone, possibly kunzite or topaz, in a double-ringed diamond frame, the pendent has been worn suspended from a string of pearls. The Pendant was worn by Princess Irene as early as her sister, now Queen Sofia’s, 18th Birthday in 1956, when she was only 14, and was probably a gift from her parents. Pendants were common gifts to young Princesses in the 1950s and 60s particularly before their 18th birthdays, when they started to wear Tiaras, with other examples including a shell pendant worn by Queen Sofia, Queen Anne Marie’s Aquamarine Pendant, or even Queen Frederica’s Ruby Pendant, reflecting a particular trend in the Greek Royal Family, as opposed to other royal families, to wear pendants suspended from pearl necklaces.

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The pendant continued to be worn as Princess Irene grew older, worn not only for more formal gala events, but for more causal daytime and family events. As she has never married, and thus given the plethora of wedding gifts that form jewellery collections, the pendant continues to be one of Princess Irene’s most notable pieces of jewellery.

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The pendant was taken by Princess Irene, along with other jewels, when the Royal Family left Greece into exile in 1967, and while she doesn’t wear much jewellery at the royal events she attends, the pendant was notably worn at her brother-in-law, King Juan Carlos’ Name Day Celebrations in the 80s, and her nephew, Crown Prince Felipe of Spain’s Pre Wedding Dinner in 2004. With a Greek Royal Wedding on the horizon, let’s hope this pendant make a reappearance.

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3 thoughts on “Princess Irene’s Pendant

  1. Well I often wonder if the large tiara of Queen Frederikas that was outet some years ago on the head of CP Marie-Chantal at a Danish event could be in the possession of Princess Irene? The tiara had not been seen for years and Pc Irene does not apear that much in public – or at least tiara events. So I expect that Pc Irene has tiara and was asked to lend it CPs Marie-Chantal for an exclusive outing which would make perfectly sense as she would be the titled Queen at some point.

  2. I really like this idea of a pendant with a colored stone hanging from a pristine pearl necklace. I’ve always admired Queen Sofia’s ruby pendant and I like this one pretty well as well.

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