Queen Victoria’s Turkish Diamond Parure

~ Saad719

This month, we have been marking the Bicentenary of the Birth of Queen Victoria by featuring her Top 20 Jewels, one for each decade since the Birth of 2nd-longest reigning British Monarch, in the 20 days leading up to the Anniversary itself, and today’s feature is her Turkish Diamond Parure-

For her Coronation in 1838, Queen Victoria received several diamonds from Sultan Mahmud II of the Ottoman Empire, which she used to commission a necklace, featuring three diamond rosettes connected by three strands of diamonds, and a pair of elaborate earrings from Rundell & Bridge. Queen Victoria always referred to the Diamond Suite as “my Turkish diamond necklace and earrings.”

The Turkish Diamond Necklace and Earrings became favourites of Queen Victoria in the early years of her reign, being worn worn for a plethora of important occasions, including her Wedding to Prince Albert in 1840.

Over the next few years, Queen Victoria wore her Turkish Diamond Necklace and Earrings for numerous occasions as well as a couple of gala portraits, including a famous one by Winterhalter, when the Turkish Diamond Suites was paired with the George IV State Diadem.

Queen Victoria also wore her Turkish Diamond Necklace and Earrings for the Christening of Victoria in Princess Royal in 1841, the Christening of the Prince of Wales in 1842, the British State Visit to France in 1855, the French State Visit to Britain in 1855, and also the Wedding of Victoria, Princess Royal and Prince Friedrich Wilhelm of Prussia in 1858.

Among the few years worn during her widowhood, Queen Victoria was photographed wearing the Turkish Diamond Necklace as late as the 1880s, pairing it with her Small Diamond Crown and the Coronation Earrings.

At some point by the 1880s, Queen Victoria gave the Turkish Diamond Earrings to her elder daughter-in-law, the future Queen Alexandra, who wore them as pendants from a necklace. The Earrings are reportedly the same ones now in the collection of the Norwegian Royal Family.

For the Coronation of Tsar Nicholas II of Russia in 1896, the Turkish Diamond Necklace was among the jewels loaned by Queen Victoria to her daughter-in-law, Princess Louise Margaret, the Duchess of Connaught, as described:

“Victoria, who had seen the splendour of Marie’s jewels, was determined that Arthur’s wife Louise Margaret, a Prussian princess by birth, would not be overshadowed in Moscow. She therefore lent a collection of her own jewels, including a diamond necklace and a several large stars which the duchess wore linked together as a tiara. Prince Arthur then wondered whether he would be expected to insure them, a slightly worrying prospect as they would have to be covered to the value of £30,000.”

A few years later, the Turkish Diamond Necklace was among the jewels inherited by Queen Victoria’s favourite son, Prince Arthur, Duke of Connaught, and worn by the Duchess of Connaught with her Fringe Tiara at the Coronation of King Edward VII in 1902, and the Coronation of King George V in 1911.

After the Duchess of Connaught’s death in 1917, the Turkish Diamond Necklace was inherited by her only son, Prince Arthur of Connaught but was not pictured on his wife, Princess Alexandra, Duchess of Fife, whose nephew and heir, the 3rd Duke of Fife inherited it in 1959.

Eventually, Queen Victoria’s Turkish Diamond Necklace went up for Auction at Sotheby’s in 1970, where it sold for £23,000. The current location, or if it even exists, is unknown.

Screenshot

Imperial State Crown

George IV State Diadem

Queen Victoria’s Regal Circlet

Queen Victoria’s Oriental Circlet Tiara

Queen Victoria’s Sapphire Coronet

Queen Victoria’s Emerald Tiara

Queen Victoria’s Strawberry Leaf Tiara

Queen Victoria’s Sunray Fringe Tiara

Queen Adelaide’s Fringe

Queen Victoria’s Small Diamond Crown

Queen Charlotte’s Nuptial Crown

Coronation Necklace and Earrings

Queen Victoria’s Turkish Diamond Necklace

Prince Albert’s Sapphire Brooch

Koh-i-Noor Diamond

Queen Victoria’s Fringe Brooch

Queen Victoria’s Bow Brooches

Queen Victoria’s Golden Jubilee Necklace

Queen Victoria’s Pearl Earrings

Queen Victoria’s Hesse Diamond Jubilee Brooch

Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee Chain

Queen Victoria’s Diamond Bracelet

Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee Brooch

Queen Victoria’s Wheat Ear Brooches

Queen Victoria’s Diamond Bar Brooches

Queen Victoria’s 11 Pearl Brooch

Queen Victoria’s Crown Ruby Brooch

Queen Victoria’s Gold Brooch

Royal Order of Victoria and Albert

Embed from Getty Images

Embed from Getty ImagesEmbed from Getty Images

In 1838, Queen Victoria received many diamonds from Sultan Mahmud II of Turkey, which she used to commission a necklace, featuring three diamond rosettes connected by three strands of diamonds, and elaborate earrings from Rundell & Bridge, which she referred to as “my Turkish diamond necklace and earrings.” The Turkish Diamond Parure was a favourite of Queen Victoria, worn for a plethora of important occasions, including her Wedding, the christenings of some of her children, and some of their weddings, as well as many official portraits throughout her reign. At some point during her lifetime, Queen Victoria gave the earrings to her elder daughter-in-law, the future Queen Alexandra (they are now in the Norwegian Royal Family), and the necklace to her third and favourite son Prince Arthur, Duke of Connaught and Strathearn.

Embed from Getty Images

Queen Victoria’s Turkish Diamond Necklace was notably worn by the Duchess of Connaught at the Coronation of Tsar Nicholas II of Russia in 1896, the Coronation of King Edward VII in 1902, and the Coronation of King George V in 1911, and after her death in 1917, it was inherited by her only son, Prince Arthur of Connaught

The Turkish Diamond Necklace was not pictured on his wife, Princess Alexandra, Duchess of Fife, whose nephew and heir, the 3rd Duke of Fife inherited it in 1959, and eventually auctioned the Necklace at Sotheby’s in 1970, when it sold for £23,000. The current location is unknown.

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2 thoughts on “Queen Victoria’s Turkish Diamond Parure”

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