Following the Wedding of Crown Prince Gustaf Adolf of Sweden and Lady Louise Mountbatten in London in 1923, the Swedish Royal Family hosted a spectacular Gala Performance at the Kungliga Operan in Stockholm on this day in 1923.
Newlywed Crown Prince Gustaf VI Adolf and Crown Princess Louise (wearing the Queen Sofia’s Nine Prong Tiara) were joined by King Gustav V and Queen Victoria (in the Leuchtenberg Sapphire Parure), and Princess Ingeborg (wearing the Napoleonic Emerald Parure) alongside members of the extended Swedish Royal Family and Aristocracy.
The first days of the newly-minted were one long line of festive lighters, for which grand arrangements had been made. The journey from the Central Station to the Castle after arriving on Tuesday 11 December became a triumvirate between tens of thousands of enthusiastic Stockholmers. The next day a large congratulatory procession was held at the castle and on Thursday a brilliant gala performance at the Opera. In the evenings, a lively public life developed on the richly illuminated Gustaf Adolfstorg, and the crown prince couple appeared in public on a couple of occasions, whereby the crown prince spoke to the people
Wedding Gifts of Crown Prince Gustaf Adolf of Sweden and Lady Louise Mountbatten
Crown Prince Gustaf Adolf of Sweden married Lady Louise Mountbatten in the Chapel Royal at St. James’s Palace 100 years ago. The widower Crown Prince and the Duke of Edinburgh’s aunt who had once declared she would never marry a widower or a King received a series of spectacular Wedding Gifts to celebrate their marriage!
From her father-in-law, King Gustaf V of Sweden, Crown Princess Louise received Queen Sofia’s 9-Prong Tiara, inherited from his mother, Queen Sofia, as well as a 5-strand Pearl Necklace, which she wore for the Official Wedding Portraits. The 9-Prong Tiara was debuted at the Wedding Gala held in Stockholm and remained a favourite of Queen Louise until her passing in 1965 and remains frequently worn to this day.
Crown Princess Louise’s mother, Princess Victoria, Marchioness of Milford Haven, gifted her daughter the Hesse Emerald Brooch and Emerald Cross, which had originally belonged to Princess Elisabeth of Prussia, Princess Charles of Hesse and by Rhine. In 1946, the Hesse Emerald Brooch given to her niece, Princess Sophie of Greece, who sold it to Princess Gloria von Thurn und Taxis in the 1980s, who, in turn, auctioned it off in the 1990s.
From Prince Andrew and Princess Alice of Greece (her sister), Lady Louise received an ‘Aquamarine Bandeau’ (discovered by the wonderful Beth), which is believed to be the Aquamarine Bandeau Tiara that was later worn by the Haga Princesses and now seems to belong to Princess Madeleine.
Crown Princess Louise received another Diamond Tiara, which was given by her brother and sister-in-law, Lord and Lady Mountbatten. Worn by all four Haga Princesses in the 1950s and 1960s, the tiara was given as a wedding gift to Princess Désirée when she married Baron Niclas Silfverschiöld in 1964, and continues to be worn to this day.
It is speculated that Queen Louise’s Diamond Lozange Brooch was a Wedding Gift from King George V and Queen Mary. It is now worn by Penelope Knatchbull, Countess Mountbatten of Burma. Queen Louise’s Sapphire Spray Brooch was likely another Wedding Gift, and it now belongs to Princess Margaretha of Sweden.
Despite the several splendid jewels given when the widower Crown Prince Gustaf Adolf of Sweden married Lady Louise Mountbatten in 1923, the new Swedish Crown Princess received much less Jewels than those given as wedding gifts to her late cousin and predecessor, Crown Princess Margareta in 1905, which included the Connaught Diamond Tiara, Khedive of Egypt Tiara, Aquamarine Kokoshnik Tiara, King Edward VII Ruby Tiara, and the Boucheron Diamond Laurel Wreath Tiara.
Swedish Aquamarine Kokoshnik Tiara
Princess Lilian’s Laurel Wreath Tiara
