Queen Astrid’s Emeralds

~ Saad719

Today marks the 85th Anniversary of the death of Queen Astrid of Belgium, who tragically passed away in a car crash on this day in 1935, while pregnant with her 4th child. To mark the anniversary, we are featuring an in-depth look at her varied collection of emerald jewels!

Emerald Necklace / Tiara

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Featuring emeralds set into a diamond swag frame, the Emerald Necklace Tiara was acquired by Queen Astrid in the late 1920s, and often worn in the bandeau style of the time, most notably for the last time at the Wedding Gala of her cousin, Princess Ingrid of Sweden, to Crown Prince Frederik of Denmark in May 1935, just a few months before Queen Astrid’s tragic death.

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Afterwards, the Emerald Necklace Tiara was worn by King Leopold’s second wife, the Princess de Réthy, in the 1940s, and also as a Necklace in the early 1950s.

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In the mid-1950s, Queen Astrid’s only daughter, Grand Duchess Joséphine Charlotte of Luxembourg, began wearing the Emerald Peacock Necklace/Tiara, made for her by Van Cleef & Arpels, using two emerald pendants that had belonged to her mother and, it is suspected, emeralds from Queen Astrid’s Emerald Necklace Tiara. The Tiara was a favourite of Grand Duchess Joséphine Charlotte and has been worn by Grand Duchess Maria Theresa, Princess Tessy, and Archduchess Marie Astrid.

Emerald Choker / Bracelet

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Queen Astrid wore a diamond bracelet with a central emerald choker, which was said to be a gift from King Leopold III, which was inherited by Grand Duchess Joséphine Charlotte, who wore it it quite rarely, and although it was included in the canceled auction of her jewels, the piece (worn as a choker) has been a favourite of Grand Duchess Maria Theresa, and has been often worn with the Chaumet Emerald Tiara.

Emerald and Diamond Earrings

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Queen Astrid also owned a pair of emerald and diamond earrings, worn since the 1920s, that made from a pair of earrings given as a wedding gift from her parents, which were also inherited by Grand Duchess Joséphine Charlotte and frequently worn by her, though they haven’t been publicly worn since her death in 2005.

Emerald Pendants

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Made using Emeralds from Queen Josefina’s Emerald Tiara, Queen Astrid received a couple of Emerald Pendants as a wedding gift from her parents, Prince Carl of Sweden, Duke of Västergötland, and Princess Ingeborg of Denmark, which she wore for many occasions and portraits, and which were inherited by her only daughter, Grand Duchess Joséphine Charlotte of Luxembourg, and made into the Emerald Peacock Necklace/Tiara.

Emerald Brooch and Earrings

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Queen Astrid also wore a huge Emerald Brooch, which was later worn by Princess Lilian with a pair of huge Emerald Earrings, both of which have an unknown provenance, and disappeared from public view in the 1960s.

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