Today marks the 70th Anniversary of the Death of Queen Alexandrine of Denmark, the grandmother of Queen Margrethe II of Denmark and Queen Anne-Marie of Greece, who passed away on this day in 1952! The Mecklenburg-Schwerin Princess who became the popular Danish Queen and “the only German Danes wanted to keep” during the Nazi Occupation, Queen Alexandrine did not wear many jewels but possessed a spectacular collection, one of the highlights of which was her Diamond Meander!
Queen Alexandrine’s Fringe Tiara | Diamond Meander | Russian Sapphire Tiara | Diamond Bandeau | Sapphire Parure | Diamond Sautoir |Ruby Bow Brooch | Pearl and Diamond Brooch | Sapphire Brooch | Emerald Bracelet
When Duchess Alexandrine of Mecklenburg-Schwerin, daughter of Grand Duke Friedrich Franz III of Mecklenburg-Schwerin and Grand Duchess Anastasia Mikhailovna of Russia, married the future King Christian X of Denmark in 1898, she received a spectacular Diamond Meander which could be worn as a Choker, a Stomacher or a Pair of Bracelets, as a wedding gift from her maternal grandfather Grand Duke Michael Nikolaevich of Russia.
The Diamond Meander was among the few notable jewels of the then Princess Alexandrine in the first years of her marriage, when her husband was second-in-line to the Danish Throne, notably worn as a Stomacher with an Emerald Tiara and Court Dress on a visit to Russia around 1902.
A few years later, the then Crown Princess Alexandrine wore the Diamond Meander as a Choker for a series of portraits, reflective of her lack of major jewels at that point, as she only possessed her Russian Sapphires, Sapphire Brooch and her Emerald Tiara, and did not get her Drop Tiara, Fringe Tiara, Diamond Sautoir or Sapphire Parure until much later, though Queen Alexandrine did not enjoy wearing Jewels, only wearing them when absolutely necessary.
Queen Alexandrine continued to wear her Diamond Meander in latter years, most prominently draped across her shoulder with the Pearl Poiré Tiara, the Khedive of Egypt Parure and the Danish Pearl Poire Brooch for the Wedding Gala of her elder son, Crown Prince Frederik of Denmark, and Princess Ingrid of Sweden in Stockholm in 1935.
After Queen Alexandrine’s death in 1952, her Diamond Meander was inherited by her daughter-in-law, Hereditary Princess Caroline-Mathilde, who wore the piece as a bracelet with Queen Alexandrine’s Fringe Tiara, Princess Thyra’s Sapphire Tiara and Queen Alexandrine’s Russian Sapphire Tiara.
After Hereditary Princess Caroline Mathilde’s death in 1995, Queen Alexandrine’s Diamond Meander was inherited by her elder son, Count Ingolf of Rosenborg, but sadly his wife, Countess Inge, passed away a few months later, and was never pictured in the piece, and it was not worn until Count Ingolf remarried to Countess Sussie of Rosenborg in 1998. Countess Sussie wore the Diamond Meander as a bracelet several times, usually with Queen Alexandrine’s Fringe Tiara, for the Wedding of Prince Joachim and Marie Cavallier in 2008, Queen Margrethe’s 75th Birthday in 2015, and also Crown Prince Frederik’s 50th Birthday Gala Dinner at Christiansborg Palace in 2018.
Count Ingolf and Countess Sussie have loaned Queen Alexandrine’s Diamond Meander for frequent exhibitions in recent years, including ‘Magtens Smykker’ in Koldinghus and currently at the ‘Mary and the Crown Princesses’ Exhibition in Koldinghus, which will finish in two days.
The most recent appearance of Queen Alexandrine’s Diamond Meander was just a few months ago, when Countess Sussie wore the Diamond Meander as a Choker for Queen Margrethe’s Golden Jubilee Banquet at Christiansborg Palace in September, when I saw the Choker sparkling in person as Count Ingolf and Countess Sussie arrived. There is no doubt we will continue to see this heirloom for years to come!
Queen Alexandrine’s Fringe Tiara | Diamond Meander | Russian Sapphire Tiara | Diamond Bandeau | Sapphire Parure | Diamond Sautoir | Ruby Bow Brooch | Pearl and Diamond Brooch | Sapphire Brooch | Emerald Bracelet
Important pieces of jewellery often possess versatility of application. A necklace can become two bracelets; the necklace can be worn as a stomacher. This posting was well researched – a host of intriguing pictures, as well.
GJS
A detail is that after Princess Caroline-Mathilde’s death her daughter Princess Elisabeth inherited 2 links of the meander and wore them as a brooch. After the death of Princess Elisabeth her 2 links were reunited with the bracelet inherited by Count Ingolf – and that is why Countess Sussie was able to wear the meander as a necklace for Queen Margrethe’s jubilee.