Today marks the 160th Anniversary of the Death of Prince Albert, Prince Consort, which plunged Queen Victoria into 40 years of mourning! The Saxe-Coburg-Gotha Prince who became Queen Victoria’s beloved British Prince Consort, and the ‘Grandfather of Europe’, Prince Albert was also a major reformer and cultural figure who organised the Great Exhibition of 1851, and spearheaded the educational and cultural sites in the Albertopolis area of London. Prince Albert also bought and designed many splendid Jewels for Queen Victoria and their daughters, most of which we which we have featured previously, so we are compiling them today!
Prince Albert’s Sapphire Brooch
Created: 1840
For: Wedding Gift for Queen Victoria
Current Location: Collection of the British Crown, worn by Queen Elizabeth II
Queen Victoria’s Emerald Tiara
Created: 1845
For: Queen Victoria: “lovely Diadem of diamonds and emeralds designed by my beloved Albert”
Current Location: Owned by the Duke of Fife, on display at Kensington Palace
Queen Victoria’s Oriental Circlet Tiara
Created: 1853
For: Queen Victoria
Current Location: Heirloom of the Crown
Queen Victoria’s Sapphire Coronet
Created: 1842
For: Queen Victoria
Current Location: Formerly belonging to the Earls of Harewood, now owned by William Bollinger and on display at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London
Queen Victoria’s Strawberry Leaf Tiara
Queen Victoria's Strawberry Leaf Tiara https://t.co/uBws3Yqlaj pic.twitter.com/CnhpVAjaJk
— The Royal Watcher (@saadsalman719) October 28, 2020
Queen Victoria's Strawberry Leaf Tiara https://t.co/uBws3Yqlaj pic.twitter.com/CnhpVAjaJk
— The Royal Watcher (@saadsalman719) October 28, 2020Created: 1844
For: Queen Victoria
Current Location: Later belonging to Princess Beatrice, then broken up with current location unkown
Empress Frederick’s Shell Tiara
Created: 1858
For: Designed by Prince Albert, bought by King Frederick William IV and Queen Elisabeth of Prussia as a Wedding Gift for Victoria, the Princess Royal
Current Location: Unknown
Hesse Strawberry Leaf Tiara
Created: 1861
For: Princess Alice for her upcoming Wedding to the future Grand Duke of Hesse and by Rhine
Current Location: Hessische Hausstiftung (Hesse House Foundation)
Queen Victoria’s Pearl Earrings
Created: 1847
For: Queen Victoria, using Diamonds from the Royal Collection.
Current Location: Collection of the British Crown, worn by Queen Elizabeth II
Queen Victoria’s Top 20 Jewels
If Prince Albert hadn’t been the Prince Consort of Great Britain he could have easily made an excellent living as a jewel designer. All his tiaras are beautiful, but there are three of exceptional beauty: the Emerald Tiara, the Oriental Circlet, and the Sapphire tiara. Of these, only the Oriental Circlet is still in the British collection. Queen Elizabeth II had a different ruby tiara made, the Burmese, because the Queen Mother kept the Oriental Circlet for her personal use until she died. Therefore, the Queen just didn’t get in the habit of wearing the Oriental Circlet. In fact, I think she’s worn it only once! Here’s to hoping that that either the Duchess of Cornwall or the Duchess of Cambridge take it out for a spin some time soon.