Today marks the 80th Anniversary of the Birth of the late Countess Sonja Bernadotte, who was born on this day in 1944! The second wife of the Swedish Prince who became a Count on his morganatic marriage, Countess Sonja was the manager of the magnificent Island of Mainau, but only wore the Bernadotte Cufflink Tiara!
This striking ruby and diamond tiara was created from a pair of cufflinks inherited by Count Lennart Bernadotte from his grandfather, King Gustaf V of Sweden, in 1951.
Count Lennart’s first wife, Countess Karin, had received the Bernadotte Swag Tiara, so this Cufflink Tiara first appeared on Count Lennart’s second wife, Countess Sonja, who wore it for a portrait taken not long after their wedding in 1971.
Countess Sonja also wore the Cufflink Tiara for a series of family portraits taken in 1989, to mark Count Lennart’s 80th Birthday and Countess Sonja’s 45th Birthday, which were only a day apart.
Following Countess Sonja’s death in 2008, the Bernadotte Cufflink Tiara was worn by Sandra Angerer for her Wedding to Count Björn Bernadotte on the Island of Mainau in 2009.
The Bernadotte Cufflink Tiara is now primarily worn by Countess Bettina Bernadotte, who notably wore the Tiara at the Wedding of Prince Carl Philip of Sweden in 2015.
As the President of the Lindau Nobel Laureate Meetings, Countess Bettina has worn the Bernadotte Cufflink Tiara, as well as the Bernadotte Swag Tiara, at the Nobel Prize Ceremony 2018, 2019 and 2022 as well as various King’s Dinners for Nobel Laureates.
Countess Bettina Bernadotte most recently wore the Bernadotte Cufflink Tiara for the Nobel Prize Ceremony in 2023 and there is no doubt it will be worn for years to come!
Swedish Aquamarine Kokoshnik Tiara
Princess Lilian’s Laurel Wreath Tiara
