Today marks the 160th Anniversary of the Death of Queen Marie-Amélie of The French, who died on this day in 1866! The Bourbon-Two Sicilies Princess who married the Duke of Orléans in exile and then unexpectedly became the Queen of the French, Queen Marie-Amélie famously refused to wear the French Crown Jewels but had a magnificent personal Jewellery Collection!
But first, lets learn about Queen Marie-Amélie! The tenth of eighteen children of King Ferdinand I of the Two Sicilies and Archduchess Maria Carolina of Austria, Princess Maria Amalia of Naples and Sicily grew up during the turmoil of the Napoleonic Wars, living in exile in Austria and later under British protection in Palermo, the capital of Sicily, after Naples was occupied. In 1809, Princess Maria Amalia married Prince Louis Philippe d’Orléans, the Duke of Orléans, a controversial match as his father had voted for the execution of of her uncle and aunt, King Louis XVI and Queen Marie Antoinette. The couple had ten children, and moved to France after the restoration of the Bourbon Monarchy in 1814, and again in 1817, getting back the majority of the massive inheritance of the House of Orléans, and settling at the Palais Royal in Paris, which was lavishly refurbished and became a centre for Paris society. After the July Revolution of 1830, the Duke was made the King of the French, and despite being loyal to the Bourbon Monarchy, the new Queen Marie-Amélie resigned herself to her new role, saying: “Since by God’s will this Crown of Thorns has been placed upon our heads, we must accept it and the duties it entails.” After a subdued reign marked by religious duties and charitable work, when the King was forced to abdicate after the 1848 Revolution, Queen Marie-Amélie said to the presiding minster “Ah Monsieur, you were not worthy of such a good king!”. The family went into exile in England and lived a private life at Claremont House, where the now widowed Queen Marie-Amélie supported her grandson’s reconciliation with the Count of Chambord, the head of the senior Bourbon line, who made him his Heir. When she died in 1866, the Queen asked to be buried as the Duchess of Orléans at the Chapelle Royale de Dreux.
As she still supported the senior branch of the House of Bourbon, Queen Marie-Amélie famously refused to wear the French Crown Jewels but had a magnificent personal Jewellery Collection which was documented even in her day!
Reine Marie-Amélie has a significant diamond parure, a pearl parure, a very important sapphire parure, a garnet and diamond parure, an amethyst and diamond parure, and a turquoise and diamond parure. She has every possible and unimaginable jewel,”
Orléans Sapphire Parure
Origin: Acquired by King Louis-Philippe from Hortense de Beauharnais
Fate: Inherited through the main line of the House of Orléans for 120 years, and often when by the late Countess of Paris before being sold to the Musée du Louvre in 1985
Current Location: The Tiara, Necklace and one of the Earrings of the Sapphire Parure were among the Jewels stolen from the Louvre in October 2025, while the other Earring and Brooches have been put into the vault of the Bank of France
Pearl and Sapphire Parure
Origin: Created by Bapst for Queen Marie-Amélie
Fate: Passed down through the House of Orléans and being worn by the late Countess of Paris and the Duchess of Montpensier before being sold off in 1997
Current Location: Unknown
Diamond Parure
Origin: A Wedding Gift to Princess Maria Amalia of Naples and Sicily from her parents, King Ferdinand I and Queen Maria Carolina of the Two Sicilies in 1809
Fate: Passed through Queen Marie-Amélie’s daughter, Princess Clémentine, to the Bulgarian Royal Family until recent decades
Current Location: Unknown but last with the Zebrak Gallery in London
Mellerio Pearl Earrings
Origin: Created by Bapst for Queen Marie-Amélie
Fate: Passed down through the House of Orléans and being worn by the late Countess of Paris and the Duchess of Montpensier before being sold off in 1997
Current Location: Unknown
