Happy Birthday to Princess Mabel of Orange-Nassau, who turns 55 today! The once controversial bride who is now a prominent human rights activist and the widowed sister-in-law of the Dutch King , Princess Mabel has worn several spectacular jewels from the Dutch Royal Collection, but the most prominent has been her spectacular Mellerio Diamond Tiara!
Diamond Tiara | Pearl Button Tiara | Sapphire Necklace Tiara | Mellerio Ruby Parure | Queen Wilhelmina’s Diamond Trellis Necklace
This striking Diamond Prong Tiara, composed of large brilliant diamonds, was among a large order of Jewellery for Queen Emma from the famed jeweller Mellerio dits Meller in 1888. The Tiara originally contained white and brown diamonds, the latter of which were later reportedly replaced with diamonds from the upper portion of the Dutch Sapphire Tiara.
The Mellerio Diamond Tiara made its public debut when Mabel Wisse Smith married Prince Friso of the Netherlands at the Oude Kerk in Delft in 2004. Due to some controversy, the Prince did not seek permission to marry from the Dutch Parliament and thus lost his title of ‘Prince of the Netherlands’, but retained his title of ‘Prince of Orange-Nassau’.
Two years later, the then Princess Máxima wore the Mellerio Diamond Tiara for a State Banquet in honour of the Ukrainian President at the Noordeinde Palace in The Hague.
Less then a week later, the Mellerio Diamond Tiara was worn by Princess Máxima again, for King Bhumibol Adulyadej’s Diamond Jubilee Reception in Bangkok in 2006.
In 2007, Princess Mabel wore the Diamond Tiara again, with the Mellerio Ruby Necklace, for King Harald V of Norway’s 70th Birthday Banquet at the Royal Palace of Oslo.
The Mellerio Diamond Tiara was also worn by Princess Mabel for the Wedding of Crown Princess Victoria and Prince Daniel of Sweden in Stockholm in 2010, along with a striking gown.
Princess Mabel wore her Mellerio Wedding Tiara with Queen Wilhelmina’s Diamond Trellis Necklace for the last time for Queen Beatrix’s Abdication Dinner at the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam 2013, on the eve of the Inauguration of King Willem-Alexander of The Netherlands. At the time, Prince Friso was in a coma just a few months before his passing (which came the day after the Princess’ 45th Birthday).
Most recently, the Mellerio Diamond Tiara was worn by Princess Margriet for the Peter Stuyvesant Ball in New York City in 2019, also with Queen Wilhelmina’s Diamond Trellis Necklace. Lets hope we see this striking heirloom again soon!
Diamond Tiara | Pearl Button Tiara | Sapphire Necklace Tiara | Mellerio Ruby Parure | Queen Wilhelmina’s Diamond Trellis Necklace
