Princess Beatrice’s Diamond Fleur-de-Lys Brooch

Today marks the 140th Anniversary of the Birth of Princess Beatrice of Saxe-Coburg und Gotha and Edinburgh, Infanta of Spain and Duchess of Galliera who was born on this day in 1884! Baby Bee was the youngest daughter of Prince Alfred, Duke of Edinburgh and Grand Duchess Maria Alexandrovna, and while not as famed as her elder sisters, Queen Marie of Romania and Grand Duchess Victoria Melita, this Infanta of Spain by marriage lived a turbulent yet very interesting life, dedicated to her family and to social causes, and to mark the day, were are featuring her Diamond Fleur-de-Lys Brooch!

Grand Duchess Maria Alexandrovna’s Fringe Tiara | Diamond Fleur-de-Lys Brooch

In 1909, Princess Beatrice married Prince Alfonso of Orléans Borbon, Infante of Spain, the son of Prince Antoine of Orleans, and Infanta Eulalia and a first cousin of another Alfonso, the King of Spain. The couple met for the first time during the Wedding of King Alfonso XIII and Princess Beatrice’s first cousin, Princess Victoria Eugenie of Battenberg, in Madrid in 1906.

Ali and Bee lived a relatively quiet life between Andalucía and Madrid. However, there were times when the couple was forced to move abroad due to some intrigues in Madrid’s Court. Despite this, Queen Ena and Infanta Bee, first cousins, always remained very close, considering themselves best friends while Infante Alfonso remained a very respected person within the Royal Family.

Unfortunately, very few pictures of the Infanta in gala attire exist. Her jewel collection still remains a mystery to us. Yet, it is known that she received and borrowed pieces from the collections of her mother, Grand Duchess Maria Alexandrovna, and her mother-in-law, the Infanta of Spain.

One of Infanta Bee’s most impressive (known) jewel was a massive diamond-set brooch in the shape of a fleur-de-lys, a very symbolic element closely related to her husband’s royal heritage: it is the heraldic symbol of the House of Borbon, the Spanish reigning dynasty, and also features on the House of Orleans, a cadet branch of the House of Borbon, coat of arms. Sadly, nothing is known about the origin of said piece but its design reminds us of the 3 large fleur-de-lys of Queen Victoria Eugenie’s Diamond Tiara.

Infanta Beatrice wore her Diamond Fleur-de-Lys Brooch suspended from a diamond and seed pearl sautoir while posing with her eldest sister, Queen Marie of Romania, wearing her Cartier Diamond Sautoir and her Pearl Brooch, for a photograph taken when they got together for a family gathering, possibly the Wedding of King Alexander of Yugoslavia and Princess Maria of Romania in 1922.

In 1929, Infanta Beatrice paired the Diamond Fleur-de-Lys Brooch with the Diamond Fringe Tiara she inherited from her mother for the Wedding celebrations of Infanta Isabel Alfonsa of Spain and Count Jan Zamoyski, one of the last grand royal celebrations in Madrid before the fall of the Spanish Monarchy.

When the Republic was proclaimed in 1931, the Infantes went into exile in London and Switzerland. They would return to Spain as soon as the Civil War ended, settling in their properties in Andalusia. Meanwhile, Infanta. Beatriz had carried out important work together with the prisoners of war and as a Red Cross nurse between 1937 and 1939.

Some of her most important jewels went to Romania, at the responsibility of her sister, Queen Marie, who would send them to Spain after she was reinstalled. Doña Beatriz ended up selling part of them, including her Diamond Fringe Tiara was to either her sister, Queen Marie of Romania, or her niece, Queen Maria of Yugoslavia. It is highly probable that this grand Diamond Brooch was also sold. Nothing is known about its current whereabouts.

With the result of the sale, she acquired an old palace in Sanlúcar de Barrameda for one million pesetas, which she converted into the Maternity House and San Ildefonso Dispensary, after the appropriate reformations. She had previously supported the association known as “La Gota de Leche” in Sanlucar, which helped hundreds of needy families with milk, metal aids and clothing. The Maternity Home was her most beloved project,

“it had capacity for sixty beds, all attended by doctors, assistants, nurses, the infanta was in charge of picking up the next women in her car, for which reason they had to delouse her every fifteen days. All, absolutely all the expenses were borne by the Infanta, only with the help of a festival held annually and the donations received from friends”.

When the Infanta died in 1966, her husband, Infante Don Alfonso, inherited the Maternity Home. He would donate it with furniture included in 1970 to the Red Cross, “without special conditions.”

Grand Duchess Maria Alexandrovna’s Fringe Tiara | Diamond Fleur-de-Lys Brooch

This article was written by assistant editor, David Rato, who runs the Spanish Royal Jewels account on Instagram!

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Fate: Left to Princess Beatrice, Duchess of Galliera, who sold it to her sister, Queen Marie of Romania, and was in turn inherited by her daughter, Queen Marie of Yugoslavia, who sold it at Auction in 1960. Now unknown.

Bolin Ruby Tiara

Origin: Wedding Gift from Tsar Alexander II in 1874

Notable Appearances: The Coronation of her nephew, Tsar Nicholas II, in 1896

Fate: Left to the Princess of Hohenlohe-Langenburg and later frequently worn by Princess Margarita of Greece, before being sold at auction in 1978 and later dismantled