Queen Alexandra’s Turquoise Tiara

Happy Birthday to Princess Astrid of Norway, who turns 90 today! The middle child and second daughter of King Olav V of Norway and Princess Martha of Sweden, elder sister of King Harald, who served as ‘First Lady’ for her grandfather and father, the Princess has an illustrious jewellery collection, which includes today’s Queen Alexandra’s Turquoise Circlet!

Queen Alexandra’s Turquoise Circlet | Vasa TiaraNorwegian Emerald Parure | Queen Josefina’s Diamond Tiara | Diamond Bracelet Bandeau | Pearl Bow Brooch | Diamond Brooch

In 1902, it was reported in the British Press (h/t to Knightship) that King Edward VII gave a Turquoise Tiara as a Gift to Queen Alexandra for her 58th Birthday:

“Monday was Queen Alexandra’s 58th birthday and amongst the presents she received was a turquoise and diamond tiara from King Edward, and a jewelled tortoise -shell box from the King of Portugal”.

“Last week we all united in congratulating our beautiful Queen on having attained her fifty-eighth birthday. The King’s birthday present to his Queen was a splendid diamond and turquoise tiara, turquoises being extraordinarily becoming to her fair hair and still lovely complexion”

While Queen Alexandra was mentioned wearing Turquoise Jewels on various occasions, there does not seem to be any public photographs of her wearing the piece.

After Queen Alexandra’s death in 1925, the Turquoise Tiara was inherited by her younger daughter, Queen Maud of Norway, along with Queen Alexandra’s Diamond Circlet, who was notably pictured wearing the Turquoise Tiara for the Wedding Gala of her only son, Crown Prince Olav of Norway, and Princess Martha of Sweden in 1929. The Tiara paired particularly well with Queen Maud’s extensive collection of Turquoise Jewels, many of which were wedding presents.

In 1938, Queen Maud brought all her jewels with her to England while she was having an operation, and where she passed away of heart failure. Queen Maud’s jewels remained in England, throughout the Norwegian Royal Family’s exile during WWII, and they were only reclaimed during a visit for the Queen’s Coronation in 1953. The following year, Queen Maud’s daughter-in-law, Crown Princess Martha passed away, and much of the Norwegian Royal Jewellery Collection was then in the possession of Princess Astrid, who served as the First Lady of the Norwegian Court for her grandfather and then her father. The Norwegian Royal Jewels were only divided up following the wedding of then Crown Prince Harald in 1968, when the jewels were split between the King and his two sisters, and it was Princess Astrid who got Queen Alexandra’s Turquoise Circlet.

Princess Astrid began wearing Queen Alexandra’s Turquoise Tiara soon after, often pairing it with pieces from Queen Maud’s collection of Turquoise jewels. Notable appearences came during the Swedish State Visit to Norway in 1974, the British State Visit to Norway in 1981, the Spanish State Visit to Norway in 1982Crown Prince Harald’s 50th Birthday in 1987, and Crown Prince Haakon’s 18th Birthday in 1991, with the Heirloom Tiara being reserved for the most important occasions.

Embed from Getty Images

Embed from Getty Images

Embed from Getty Images

Embed from Getty Images

Princess Astrid has continued to wear Queen Alexandra’s Turquoise Tiara in recent years, including for King Harland and Queen Sonja’s Silver Anniversary in 1993, the British State Visit to Norway in 2001, the Wedding of Crown Prince Haakon of Norway in 2001, an Official Visit to the UK in 2005, the Norwegian Centenary Ball at the Royal Palace of Oslo in 2005King Harald and Queen Sonja’s 80th Birthday Banquet in 2017, and most recently for the Diplomatic Banquet at the Royal Palace of Oslo in 2019. Princess Astrid has stated that the Tiara and Turquoise Parure will eventually return to the main line of the Royal Family, but there is no doubt we will continue to see this Tiara for years to come!

Queen Alexandra’s Turquoise Circlet | Vasa TiaraNorwegian Emerald Parure | Queen Josefina’s Diamond Tiara | Diamond Bracelet Bandeau | Pearl Bow Brooch | Diamond Brooch

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