Happy Birthday to Princess Benedikte of Denmark and Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg, who turns 79 today! The sister of Queen Margrethe II of Denmark and Queen Anne Marie of Greece, related to most European Royals, Princess Benedikte has a huge jewellery collection, which includes Princess Thyra’s Sapphire Brooch!
Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg Fringe Tiara | Queen Sofia’s Pearl and Star Tiara | Diamond Fan Earrings | Diamond Sautoir | Amethyst Suite | Diamond Stars | Sapphire Brooch | Princess Benedikte’s Tiaras
A large oval faceted sapphire set in an antique diamond frame, the makes of this Brooch is unknown but the piece originates from Princess Thyra of Denmark, who likely inherited it from her mother, Queen Lovisa.
Princess Thyra was notably seen wearing the Sapphire Brooch with her Sapphire Tiara at the Wedding of her niece, Prince Christian of Schaumburg-Lippe, and Princess Feodora of Denmark in 1937. While the Tiara was inherited by Hereditary Princess Caroline-Mathilde, Princess Thyra left the Sapphire Brooch to Queen Ingrid upon her passing in 1945.
Queen Ingrid was not pictured in Princess Thyra’s Sapphire Brooch until the 1980s, after she gave the Connaught Sapphire Brooch to Queen Margrethe II, with a notable appearance at Crown Prince Haakon of Norway’s Confirmation in 1988, and also during the Norwegian State Visit to Denmark in 1991, with the Khedive of Egypt Tiara and Queen Alexandrine’s Sapphire Brooch.
After Queen Ingrid’s death in 2000, the Princess Thyra’s Sapphire Brooch was among the jewels, including Queen Sofia’s Pearl and Star Tiara and her Amethyst Suite, left to her middle daughter, Princess Benedikte. The Sapphire Brooch was worn with Queen Sofia’s Pearl and Star Tiara for the Wedding of Prince Joachim and Marie Cavallier in 2008, with her Floral Tiara for Queen Margrethe’s 70th Birthday Gala in 2010, and with the Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg Fringe Tiara for the Wedding of Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden.
Princess Thyra’s Sapphire Brooch has been worn a couple of times by Princess Benedikte’s elder daughter, Princess Alexandra of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg, first for King Constantine and Queen Anne Marie’s Golden Wedding Anniversary in 2014, then for Princess Benedikte’s 75th Birthday Dinner in 2019 and most recently at the Wedding of Prince Philippos of Greece in 2021.
More recently, Princess Benedikte wore Princess Thyra’s Sapphire Brooch with her Floral Tiara for a Banquet at Christiansborg Palace, with the Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg Fringe Tiara for Crown Prince Frederik’s 50th Birthday Gala Dinner at Christiansborg Palace in 2018, and most recently for the Palæerne Danser at Amalienborg Palace.
Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg Fringe Tiara | Queen Sofia’s Pearl and Star Tiara | Diamond Fan Earrings | Diamond Sautoir | Amethyst Suite | Diamond Stars | Sapphire Brooch | Princess Benedikte’s Tiaras
