The Jewels of Queen Josefina of Sweden

Today marks the 150th Anniversary of the Death of Queen Josefina of Sweden and Norway, who passed away on this day in 1876! The granddaughter of the legendary Empress Joséphine, Queen Josefina received and inherited many of the magnificent Napoleonic Heirlooms which form the Swedish, Danish, and Norwegian Royal Collections!

View this post on Instagram

Queen Josefina’s Diamond Tiara

Origin: Originally belonged to Empress Joséphine of the French, who left the Tiara to her namesake granddaughter, Queen Josefina of Sweden and Norway.

Fate: Left to her granddaughter, Queen Lovisa of Denmark, and was eventually given to her granddaughter, Crown Princess Märtha of Norway, when it entered the Norwegian Royal Collection

Current: Worn by Queen Sonja of Norway

Leuchtenberg Sapphire Parure

Origin: Empress Joséphine’s gift to her daughter-in-law, Princess Augusta, Duchess of Leuchtenberg, in 1811, which was given as a wedding gift to her daughter, Queen Josefina of Sweden and Norway, in 1823

Fate: Passed though Queen Sofia to Queen Victoria, and then through Queen Louise and Princess Sibylla before coming to Queen Silvia in 1976

Current: Worn by Queen Silvia of Sweden

Cameo Tiara and Parure

Origin: Empress Joséphine of France, which was inherited by her granddaughter, Queen Josefina of Sweden and Norway

Fate: Left to her daughter, Princess Eugenie, who in turn left them to her nephew, Prince Eugen, with the Cameo Parure being worn by Crown Princess Margareta before being given to Princess Sibylla in 1932

Current: Worn by Queen Silvia of Sweden and the Swedish Royal Ladies

Ruby Parure

Origin: Created for the future Queen Desiree of Sweden to wear to the Coronation of Napoleon in 1804, it was left to her daughter-in-law, Queen Josefina of Sweden and Norway

Fate: Given to her granddaughter, Queen Lovisa of Denmark, in 1869, and then passed through Queen Alexandrine to Queen Ingrid, who wore it quite often before it was inherited by her grandson, the current Danish King

Current: Worn by Queen Mary of Denmark

Norwegian Emerald Parure

Origin: A wedding gift to Empress Amélie of Brazil which was later inherited by her sister, Queen Josefina of Sweden and Norway, in 1873

Fate: Left to her daughter-in-law, Queen Sofia, who gave it to her own daughter-in-law, Princess Ingeborg, who gave it during the Second World War to her daughter, Crown Princess Märtha of Norway, when it entered the Norwegian Royal Collection

Current: Worn by Queen Sonja of Norway

Braganza Tiara

Origin: Empress Amélie of Brazil and then inherited by her sister, Queen Josefina of Sweden and Norway, in 1873

Fate: Passed though Queen Sofia, Queen Victoria, and Queen Louise before coming to Queen Silvia in 1976

Current: Worn by Queen Silvia of Sweden

Napoleonic Amethyst Parure

Origin: Empress Joséphine of France, which was left to her daughter-in-law, Princess Augusta, Duchess of Leuchtenberg, and later ended up with her daughter, Queen Josefina of Sweden and Norway.

Fate: After passing through the Swedish Royal Family for several generations, most notably worn by Queen Louise, the Amethyst Necklace was turned into a Tiara by Queen Silvia in the late 1970s

Current: Worn by Queen Silvia of Sweden and the Swedish Royal Ladies