Queen Mary’s City of London Choker

Happy Birthday to the Princess Royal, who turns 74 today! The only daughter of the late Queen and Duke of Edinburgh, and one of the most hardworking members of the family, Princess Anne has amassed quite a large jewellery collection, which included Queen Mary’s City of London Choker!

When Princess May of Teck married her late fiancé’s brother, the future King George V in 1893, she received Seven Tiaras, Fifteen Necklaces, Twenty-Six Bracelets, and Forty-Four Brooches among the 130 spectacular pieces of Jewellery given by Family, Friends, Cities, Institutions and Counties from various parts of the United Kingdom and the British Empire.

From the Lord Mayor and the City of London, Princess May received a pair of Pearl and Diamond Bracelets in a lattice design, which could be worn together as a choker (h/t to the wonderful Beth). Similar Pearl and Diamond Chokers belonged to the Marchioness of Cambridge and Princess Marie Louise.

The City of London Choker was a lifelong favourite of Queen Mary, often worn with the Girls of Great Britain and Ireland Tiara or the the Ladies of England Tiara in the years after her Wedding.

In later years, Queen Mary wore the City of London Choker with the Vladimir Tiara and also her Delhi Durbar Tiara and Lover’s Knot Tiara.

The City of London Choker was one of the rare jewels that was not modified by Queen Mary and remained in her possession her until her death in 1953. The Choker was inherited by the late Queen, and since she never wear chokers, it remained unworn for decades.

However, in 2001, when Princess Anne wore the City of London Choker to the annual “Festival Of Trees” Gala at the Natural History Museum, which raises funds for Save The Children. (A huge credit to Franck and Beth of the History of Famous Jewels Message Board for this amazing find).

Princess Anne wore Queen Mary’s City of London Choker at the same “Festival Of Trees” Gala at the Natural History Museum again in 2005, and now we await its next appearance!