Happy Birthday to Princess Beatrix of The Netherlands, who turns 85 today! The popular former Dutch Queen once commanded the massive collection of the House of Orange, and wore over a dozen tiaras, but her lifelong favourite has always been the spectacular Württemberg Ornate Pearl Tiara!
Württemberg Ornate Pearl Tiara | Mellerio Ruby Tiara | Dutch Emerald Parure | Dutch Laurel Wreath Tiara | Pearl and Diamond Stomacher | Diamond Flowers | Dutch Diamond Stars | The Dutch Royal Tiaras
This spectacular Tiara was said to be one of the oldest in the Dutch Royal Collection, originally created by Jeweller A.H. Kuhn in Stuttgart in 1839 for Queen Sophie of the Netherlands, which was later altered in 1897 by Joh. Eduard Schurmann & Co, Frankfurt to allow the ornate Pearl Tiara to be topped with eleven pear-shaped pearls in its grandest configuration, as well as a second setting that has five pearls on the top of the tiara, a third setting with six pearls between the top elements, and the simplest setting being the one without any of the pearls. However, it now appears that was only created in 1897 by Joh. Eduard Schurmann & Co, Frankfurt, thus the
Originating from Queen Sophie of the Netherlands, a natural Pearl Tiara was inherited by her sons, who left them left to their half-sister, Princess Wilhelmina, in 1884. That Tiara seems to have been altered around the time of Queen Wilhelmina’s coming of age, and worn for her first official portraits, along with the Romanov Pearl and Diamond Stomacher.
After the Abdication of Queen Wilhelmina and the Inauguration of Queen Juliana in 1948, the Württemberg Ornate Pearl Tiara was passed along into the possession of the Queen, who rarely wore the piece, instead preferring the Stuart Tiara, with it most notably being worn for the Dutch State Visit to Britain in 1950 and on the Dutch State Visit to Denmark in 1953.
In 1966, the Württemberg Ornate Pearl Tiara was worn in its full form when chosen by Crown Princess Beatrix for her wedding to Claus von Amsberg. During the 1970s, she wore the Tiara in the third setting on a handful of occasion, including the Danish State Visit to the Netherlands in 1975.
Embed from Getty Images
Embed from Getty Images
Embed from Getty Images
Embed from Getty Images
Embed from Getty Images
Embed from Getty Images
During her 33-year Reign, the Württemberg Ornate Pearl Tiara was no doubt the favourite Tiara of Queen Beatrix, worn in its full form, for the last time till date, during the Dutch State Visit to Britain in 1982, while the simplest form was worn for various portraits, galas and on the Dutch State Visit to Spain in 1985, during the Dutch State Visit to Sweden in 1987, for Queen Margrethe and Prince Henrik’s 25th Wedding Anniversary in 1992, the Heads of State Banquet at Guildhall in 1995, King Carl XVI Gustaf’s 50th Birthday in 1996, the Spanish State Banquet at the Royal Palace of Amsterdam in 2001, the Wedding of Crown Prince Frederik of Denmark in 2004, King Carl XVI Gustaf’s 60th Birthday in 2006, and also during the Dutch State Visit to Brunei in 2013, just days before her abdication, when she wore the second setting of the Tiara for her Abdication Dinner at the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam. As she never wore the Stuart Tiara, the Württemberg Ornate Pearl Tiara was one of Queen Beatrix’s grandest Tiaras, along with the Sapphire Tiara, and like her grandmother, she often paired it with the Romanov Pearl and Diamond Stomacher.
Since the King’s accession to the throne Queen Máxima has worn the Württemberg Ornate Pearl Tiara on only four occasions; on a State Visit to Japan, for the Diplomatic Gala in 2015, at the Diplomatic Corps Gala Dinner at the Royal Palace Amsterdam in 2017, and most recently wearing the version with added pearls on top for the Italian State Visit to The Netherlands last year.
Even after her abdication, Princess Beatrix has continued to wear the Württemberg Ornate Pearl Tiara, most notably for King Carl XVI Gustaf’s 70th Birthday Banquet in 2016 and for King Harald and Queen Sonja’s 80th Birthday Banquet in 2017, so there is no doubt she will continue to wear her favourite heirloom for years to come!
Württemberg Ornate Pearl Tiara | Mellerio Ruby Tiara | Dutch Emerald Parure | Dutch Laurel Wreath Tiara | Pearl and Diamond Stomacher | Diamond Flowers | Dutch Diamond Stars | The Dutch Royal Tiaras
This is one tiara I hope to see Max in next and more often. Pearls really do suit her and I also wis to see her give the 5 strand another go.