The Duchess of Cambridge will celebrate her 40th Birthday tomorrow, and to mark the occasion we have been featuring some of the pieces from her splendid Jewellery Collection, ending our series with the splendid Nizam of Hyderabad Necklace, as promised last year!
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Queen Mary’s Lover’s Knot Tiara | Cartier Halo Tiara | Lotus Flower Tiara | Diamond Chandelier Earrings | Collingwood Pearl Earrings | Bahrain Pearl Earrings | Antique Diamond Earrings | Queen’s Wedding Gift Bracelet | Ruby and Diamond Floral Bandeau Necklace | Queen’s Japanese Pearl Choker | Queen Mary’s Diamond Choker Bracelet | Irish Guards Brooch | Sapphire Fringe Earrings | Princess Diana’s South-Sea Pearl Earrings | Pearl Bracelet | Queen’s Dubai Sapphire Suite | Acorn Brooch | Duchess of Cambridge’s Tiaras
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Composed of geometric Art Deco diamonds in an abstract floral design, the necklace was described as:
‘The pavé-set centre with detachable double-drop pendant incorporating 13 emerald-cut diamonds and a pear-shaped drop; the chain of 38 brilliant-cut open-back collets with an elongated oval brilliant-set snap
Created by Cartier in 1935, the original piece featured five pendants and had been sold to an unknown owner in 1936, before being reacquired by Cartier in 1937, who removed four of the pendants. The new version of the necklace was worn by the Countess of Warwick for a photo session at some point in the late 1930s, with the jewels on loan from Cartier.
Ahead of the wedding of Princess Elizabeth to Prince Philip of Greece in 1947, the Nizam of Hyderabad gave instructions to Cartier in London to allow the Princess to choose whatever she wanted as a wedding gift. In addition to a Diamond Tiara, she also chose this Cartier Necklace, and both were displayed with the Official Gifts at St. James’ Palace.
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As one of her two prominent primary necklaces, along with the Ruby and Diamond Floral Bandeau Necklace, in the few years immediately following her marrying, Princess Elizabeth wore the Nizam of Hyderabad’s Cartier Necklace for a plethora of occasions, beginning with a Gala in Paris in 1948 to the Return Banquet of the Dutch State Visit in 1950, in Malta, a Dinner during the Norwegian State Visit in 1951, a Gala in London, as well as multiple appearences on an extensive tour of Canada in the fall of 1951.
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The necklace remained a favourite of Princess and later Queen Elizabeth through the 1950s, and was often paired with the Girls of Great Britain & Ireland Tiara, as well as the George IV State Diadem for an iconic Official Portrait taken in the early years of the Queen’s Reign. Notable appearences include the Royal Variety Performance in 1952 and 1953, as well as numerous appearences in Australia in 1954, and at the Order of Amaranth Ball in Sweden in 1956. Like the Nizam of Hyderabad Tiara, the necklace also disappeared from public view and was not worn for a few years.
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However, unlike the Tiara, which was dismantled, after remaining in her jewellery box for decades, the Nizam of Hyderabad Necklace reappeared on the Queen by the 2000s, when it made a couple of appearences, most prominently at the Queen’s Golden Jubilee Dinner at Windsor Castle in 2002 and also at various Dinners for the Commonwealth Heads of Government.
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In 2014, the Queen loaned the Nizam of Hyderabad’s Cartier Necklace to her granddaughter-in-law, the Duchess of Cambridge, for the Portrait Gala at the National Portrait Gallery in London, of which she is patron.
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More recently, the Duchess of Cambridge paired the Nizam’s Cartier Necklace with Queen Mary’s Lover’s Knot Tiara for the Diplomatic Reception at Buckingham Palace in 2019. There is no doubt we will continue to see this splendid Heirloom for years to come!
Queen Mary’s Lover’s Knot Tiara | Cartier Halo Tiara | Lotus Flower Tiara | Diamond Chandelier Earrings | Collingwood Pearl Earrings | Bahrain Pearl Earrings | Antique Diamond Earrings | Queen’s Wedding Gift Bracelet | Ruby and Diamond Floral Bandeau Necklace | Queen’s Japanese Pearl Choker | Queen Mary’s Diamond Choker Bracelet | Irish Guards Brooch | Sapphire Fringe Earrings | Princess Diana’s South-Sea Pearl Earrings | Pearl Bracelet | Queen’s Dubai Sapphire Suite | Acorn Brooch | Duchess of Cambridge’s Tiaras
