Princess Elizabeth departs England, 1952
Royal Family at the Theatre Royal in Drury Lane, 1952
A Queen’s Jewellery Box
There were a series of spectacular events originally scheduled to mark the Golden Jubilee of Queen Margrethe II of Denmark this month, and while most of the events have been rescheduled for late summer, the opening of the splendid exhibition ‘A Queen’s Jewelry Box/En Dronnings Smykkeskrin‘ at the Amalienborg Palace Museum has gone ahead after a week’s delay. The exhibition was one of the main reasons I had scheduled to go to Copenhagen for the Jubilee, and while I will likely go see it sometime in the summer, my Danish friend, Kasper Wiigh, has already paid a couple of visits, and much to my delight, agreed to share his experience with us! Continue reading
Princess Salimah Aga Khan’s Emerald Suite
Happy Birthday to Begum Salimah Aga Khan, who turns 82 today! The accomplished British aristocratic model who married the Aga Khan, the 49th hereditary Imam of Nizari Ismailism, and became a child-welfare activist, Princess Salimah Aga Khan once possessed a magnificent jewellery collection, much of which was sold for charity, and included her spectacular Emerald Suite! Continue reading
Queen Marie José’s Beauharnais Pearl Tiara
Today marks the 20th Anniversary of the Death of Queen Marie-José of Italy, who died on this day in 2001. The Belgian Princess who became the last Queen of Italy, Queen Marie Jose possessed the vast jewellery collection of the House of Savoy, but also had heirlooms from the Belgian Royal Family which included her Beauharnais Pearl Tiara! Continue reading
Margaret, Princess of Hesse and by Rhine
Queen Mary’s Diamond Thistle Brooch
Happy Burns Night! A celebration of the life and poetry of the poet Robert Burns, the author of many a Scots poem, Burns Night also brings out much Scottish Symbolism. The Thistle is the floral emblem of Scotland, represented in the Order of the Thistle, and thus today, we are featuring a royal jewel that highlights the thistle: Queen Mary’s Diamond Thistle Brooch! Continue reading
Royal Guests at the Funeral of King Frederick IX of Denmark
Royal Guests and Relatives from around the world joined the Danish Royal Family for the Funeral of King Frederick IX of Denmark at Roskilde Cathedral on this day in 1972 (50 years ago), and to mark the 50th Anniversary today, we are going through the illustrious attendees who honoured the popular ‘Sailor King’ who reigned for 25 years! Continue reading
Queen arrives at Sandringham
Cartier Pearl Drop Tiara
Happy Birthday to Princess Caroline of Monaco and Hanover, who turns 65 today! The elder sister of Prince Albert II and only beneficiary of her grandmother, Princess Charlotte, and mother, Princess Grace, who is also the Consort of the Head of the illustrious House of Hanover, Princess Caroline has a magnificent jewellery collection, one of the highlights of which is the Cartier Pearl Drop Tiara! Continue reading
Antique Corsage Tiara
Happy Birthday to Princess Nina of Greece and Denmark, who turns 35 today! The Swiss Heiress who recently married the younger son of King Constantine II and Queen Anne-Marie of Greece, Princess Nina has not yet had the opportunity to wear many royal jewels, an exception being the spectacular Antique Corsage Tiara! Continue reading
Princess Ingrid Alexandra’s 18th Birthday
Princess Ingrid Alexandra of Norway, the second-in-line to the Norwegian Throne, is celebrating her 18th Birthday today! While most of the formal events, including two Gala Dinners with many royal guests, have been rescheduled for late Summer, there were still a series of events held today!
Bulgarian Fleur-de-Lys Tiara
Happy Anniversary to Tsar Simeon and Queen Margarita of Bulgaria, who got married in Switzerland on this day 60 years ago! The nuptials of the exiled Tsar and orphaned Spanish Aristocrat brought together many royal guests, and to top off her outfit, the new Queen Margarita wore the most spectacular Heirloom of the Bulgarian Royal Family: The Köchert Fleur-de-Lys Tiara!
Countess of Wessex’s Jade Pendant
Happy Birthday to the Countess of Wessex, who turns 57 today! The Queen’s favourite daughter-in-law, and the Royal Family’s usual representative at foreign royal events, the Countess possesses a lovely collection of jewels, which includes her Jade Pendant!
Queen Mathilde’s Diamond Butterfly Brooch
Happy Birthday to Queen Mathilde of Belgium, who turns 49 today! With one of the smallest jewellery collections among her European counterparts, Queen Mathilde is frequently seen in just a few limited pieces, and quite a few loans, from which we are featuring her Diamond Butterfly Brooch today! Continue reading
Princess Sibylla’s 5-Strand Pearl Necklace
Happy Birthday to Princess Birgitta of Sweden and Hohenzollern, who turns 85 today! King Carl XVI Gustaf’s second elder sister who married a Hohenzollern Prince and lives in Majorca, Princess Birgitta has owned and worn some splendid Jewels from the Swedish Royal and Hohenzollern collections, which includes today’s features: Princess Sibylla’s 5-Strand Pearl Necklace!
Empress Carlota’s Diamond Stomacher
Today marks the 95th Anniversary of the Death of Empress Charlotte (Carlota) of Mexico, who died on this day in 1927! The fourth child and only daughter of Leopold I, King of the Belgians, and Princess Louise of Orléans, who become an Archduchess of Austria, after marrying Archduke Maximilian of Habsburg-Lorraine. The couple was eventually invited to became the short-lived Emperor and Empress of the Second Mexican Empire. Throughout her long life, Charlotte amassed a considerable fortune and a splendid jewellery collection that was left to her Belgian Family, as she didn’t have any children of her own, so to mark the anniversary, we are featuring Empress Carlota’s Diamond Stomacher! Continue reading
Sotheby’s Royal & Noble | 20 January 2022
Ahead of our features on the major European Auction Houses’ annual spring Royal and Noble Jewellery Sales, Sotheby’s has a variety of Noble Jewels in their ‘Royal & Noble’ Sale in London this week, which includes lots from the Marquess of Lothian at Newbattle Abbey and the Earl of Durham from Fenton House, Northumberland!
Diplomatic Reception at the Royal Palace of Madrid 2022
Wedding of Princess Hélène d’Orléans and Count Evrard de Limburg Stirum, 1957
