Happy Birthday to Gloria, the Princess von Thurn und Taxis, who turns 66 today! The impoverished Schönburg-Glauchau Countess became the extravagant ‘Princess TNT’ in the 1980s and, after being widowed young, she transformed into a successful businesswoman to save the massive family fortune, facilitated through the sale of some family jewels, which included Princess Clémentine’s Ruby Earrings!
Thurn und Taxis Sapphire Tiara | Empress Eugénie’s Pearl Tiara | Emerald Tiara | Thurn und Taxis Ruby Tiara | Emerald and Ruby Choker | Sapphire Bow Brooch | Princess Olga’s Emerald Earrings | Princess Clémentine’s Ruby Earrings | Hesse Emerald Brooch
Designed as chains of oval and lozenge-shaped clusters suspended from quatrefoil surmounts, set with 8 cushion-shaped and round rubies and numerous cushion-shaped diamonds, circa 1835, these magnificent Earrings were part of a much larger Parure which included a Tiara, a Necklace, and a Brooch.
In 1843, King Louis Philippe of the French gave the Ruby and Diamond Parure as a wedding gift to his youngest daughter, Princess Clementine d’Orlèans who was married Prince August of Saxe-Coberg and Gotha. The Parure passed to her eldest daughter Princess Clotilde, and then to her daughter, Archduchess Margarethe Klementine of Austria, Princess von Thurn und Taxis.
By tradition they were given by King Louis Philippe (1773-1850) to his youngest daughter Princess Clementine d’Orlèans (1817-1907) who was married at St. Cloud in 1843 to August, Prince of Saxe-Coberg and Gotha, Duke in Saxony (1818-1881). They passed from her to her eldest daughter Princess Clotilde (1846-1927) who in 1864 married Archduke Joseph of Austria (1833-1905). Their daughter, the Archduchess Margarete-Clementine-Marie of Austria (1870-1955) who became the wife of Prince Albert von Thurn und Taxis (1867-1952) on July 15 1890, inherited the earrings.
In 1982, Princess Clémentine’s Ruby and Diamond Parure, which included the Tiara, a Necklace, these pair of Earrings, and a Brooch, came up for Auction at Christie’s in Geneva. There, the Earrings were acquired by the Prince of Thurn und Taxis, who was a grandson of Archduchess Margarethe Klementine, for his wife, Princess Gloria.
These earrings were purchased by Fürst Johannes for his wife Gloria at Christie’s in Geneva, May 1982, lot 586.
Following a portrait soon after the Earrings were acquired, Princess Gloria notably wore Princess Clémentine’s Ruby and Diamond Earrings with the Thurn und Taxis Ruby Tiara and Ruby and Diamond Necklace for a Performance of La Traviata at the Paris Opera House in 1985.
Two years later, the Ruby and Diamond Earrings and the Ruby and Diamond Necklace were worn by Princess Gloria for a Gala during the Prince and Princess of Wales’ visit to Germany in 1987.
Into the late 1980s, Princess Gloria wore the Ruby Earrings with the Thurn und Taxis Ruby Tiara for a series of Balls and Galas, as well as numerous appearances with the Ruby and Diamond Necklace.
After the Prince’s death in 1990, Princess Clémentine’s Ruby and Diamond Earrings were among various family heirlooms, which included Empress Eugénie’s Pearl Tiara, the Thurn und Taxis Empire Tiara, the Hesse Emerald Brooch, and Princess Olga’s Emerald Earrings sold off to bolster family finances at Sotheby’s in 1992. The Earrings came up for Auction again at Sotheby’s in 2008 and remain in a private collection.
