Today marks the 110^th anniversary of the death of Queen Maria Pia of Portugal, mother of King Carlos I and grandmother of King Manuel II, who died on this day in 1911. Born a Princess of the House of Savoy, daughter of Italy’s unifier, Victor Emmanuel II, she married King Luis I of Portugal at age 15, and served as the Queen, Queen Mother, and Queen Grandmother of Portugal. The Queen was known for her temperament, for being extravagant and a huge spender, famously saying “If you want a Queen, you have to pay for her!”, but also for her charitable works. To mark the day, we are taking a look at her Diamond Stars Parure! Continue reading →