Queen Alexandra’s Amethyst Tiara

Today marks the 175th Anniversary of the Birth of Queen Alexandra of the United Kingdom, the Danish Princess who was the longest-serving Princess of Wales and then a trendsetting Queen Consort, and to mark the occasion, we are taking a look at her versatile Amethyst Tiara!

A Tiara composed of “seven oval amethysts graduating from the centre of flowers, supported by twin leaves and single diamonds within a graduated oval diamond frame, each intersected by diamond bars, with single diamond tops, and supported by twin diamond semi-circles, with single line diamond base”, the Tiara was received by Queen Alexandra as a gift from her brother-in-law, Tsar Alexander III of Russia, and sister, Empress Maria Feodorovna of Russia.

The following year, the Princess of Wales put sugarloaf-cabochon sapphires, a Silver Wedding Gift from the Tsar, into her Amethyst Tiara for the Wedding of her daughter, Princess Louise of Wales, and the Duke of Fife (also revealed by Beth). Embed from Getty Images

After Queen Alexandra’s death in 1925, and the Amethyst Tiara and accompanying Necklace, and the Sapphire Necklace, were inherited by the aforementioned Princess Louise, Duchess of Fife, who left them in 1931, to her younger daughter, Princess Maud, then Lady Maud Carnegie and later Countess of Southesk, who wore the Tiara with the Amethysts for the Coronation of her cousin, King George VI in 1937. 

Embed from Getty Images

In 1935, the Amethyst Tiara was among the Jewels displayed at an Exhibition of Russian Art in London, along with the Vladimir Sapphire KokoshnikVladimir Fringe TiaraQueen Alexandra’s Amethyst TiaraQueen Olga’s Diamond Rivière, and Princess Mary’s Russian Sapphire Devant de Corsage.

Embed from Getty Images

After Princess Maud’s death in 1945, her Jewels were auctioned by trustees acting on behalf of her minor son, the future 3rd Duke of Fife. The Amethyst Tiara sold for £1750, while Queen Alexandra’s Sapphire Necklace sold for £4900, the Diamond and Amethyst Necklace sold for £580, along with a Diamond, Turquoise and Pearl Tiara. Queen Alexandra’s wedding gift to Princess Maud. The current location of the jewels in unknown.

Queen Alexandra’s Wedding Parure | Diamond Circlet | Diamond Chandelier Earrings | Diamond Link Choker | Diamond and Pearl Brooch | Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee Chain

RJWMB | Royal Magazin

2 thoughts on “Queen Alexandra’s Amethyst Tiara

  1. I can’t thank you enough for that modern picture; I always wondered what happened to those pieces – & especially that necklace.

Leave a Reply