Fourteen years ago today, a baby-faced Crown Prince Haakon of Norway and his fiancee, Mette-Marit Tjessem Høiby, attended a pre-wedding gala in their honor at Akershus Castle. Let’s have a look at the jewels worn by the royals in attendance, shall we? (It will also give us a chance to marvel at the clothes worn in 2001 and the youthfulness of everyone involved. Enjoy!)
The lady of the hour was, of course, Mette-Marit, who wore two pieces of important royal jewelry: the diamond chandelier earrings that had belonged to Haakon’s grandmother, Crown Princess Märtha, and Queen Maud’s Vifte Tiara/Necklace, which was Maud’s 18th birthday gift from her grandmother, Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom. Nothing says “I’m going to be a queen-in-waiting tomorrow” like that much family jewelry!
The evening was hosted by the groom’s parents, King Harald V and Queen Sonja of Norway. Sonja wore her amethyst suite, a set of jewelry that is now primarily worn by Mette-Marit. (Some think it actually belongs to Mette-Marit now.)
The groom’s sister, Princess Märtha Louise, went full late-’90s with a long, long lariat necklace that matched the spaghetti straps of her gown, plus stud earrings, a bracelet, and a simple ring.
The Norwegians’ Scandinavian neighbors, the Bernadottes of Sweden, were all in attendance. Queen Silvia wore the family’s diamond floral brooch and earrings.
Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden wore the delicate, simple necklace, bracelet, and earrings that she donned quite often in her younger years.
Princess Madeleine wore a sparkling crystal necklace, plus simple earrings and a silver watch. Also: SO MANY SPAGHETTI STRAPS.
Queen Margrethe II of Denmark went with diamonds and turquoises, including earrings and a brooch from her extensive stash of turquoise jewels. It also looks like she might have something in her hair, but I don’t have a better angle on it, unfortunately. Also fun: you can see her traditional family gold bracelet quite well.
Margrethe’s sister, Queen Anne-Marie of Greece, wore a multi-stranded pearl necklace with diamond and pearl earrings. She’s also wearing three bracelets, including her own gold bracelet and one that appears to be set with diamonds and rubies. Pinned to her dress is a brooch set with a large topaz; she inherited from her mother, Queen Ingrid, the previous year.
Princess Alexia of Greece and Denmark, Anne-Marie’s daughter, wore simple earrings and a lovely necklace that looks to be set with a large blue topaz.
The British royals are close cousins of the Norwegians — both families are descended from King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra of the United Kingdom — and the Earl and Countess of Wessex represented the Windsors at the gala. Sophie donned floral earrings and an interesting necklace. She also placed the diamond clip brooches given to her by the Queen Mother on the straps of her gown.
Grand Duchess Maria Teresa of Luxembourg wore an elaborate pair of bright green and orange pendant earrings.
She’s a queen now, but at this wedding, she was still Máxima Zorreguieta Cerruti, attending as the fiancee of Prince Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands. Even so, with her simple earrings and her engagement ring, I think she was one of the most elegant women in attendance.
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