Archives for 2016

Yesterday, we marveled at the jewels worn during the first evening reception celebrating the Diamond Jubilee of the late King of Thailand in 2006. Today, here’s a look at the second reception, held at the Royal Palace, tiaras and all!

Queen Sirikit of Thailand glittered in diamonds from the top of her head to the tips of her fingers at the reception. The tiara is convertible and can also be worn as a necklace. She wears the sash and star of the Order of the Royal House of Chakri. King Bhumibol Adulyadej also wears the sash, star, and collar of the Order of the Royal House of Chakri, along with numerous other decorations.

Here’s a look at the back of Queen Sirikit’s tiara, visible as she and her husband greet King Abdullah II of Jordan. Because Abdullah does not have a Thai order, he wears the sash of his highest Jordanian order, the Order of al-Hussein bin Ali.

Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn, who is the equivalent of a princess royal in Thailand, does not wear tiaras, but she managed to sparkle quite effectively anyway. She wears the collar and sash of the Order of the Royal House of Chakri. Over the top of the yellow order sash, she has layered an ornamental chain — I think this is the “chaing” that forms a part of traditional Thai costume. (Please correct me if I’m wrong about that.) Also: that “brooch” on her shoulder is the star of the Order of the Nine Gems.

The Sultan of Brunei attended the reception, wearing the Order of the Rajamitrabhorn. His wife, Queen Saleha, wore major, major diamonds, including a tall tiara. Like many royal consorts (and other royals who weren’t heads of state at the time), she also wore the Order of Chula Chom Klao.

Queen Saleha’s tiara is also visible in the photo above; she’s speaking with the woman who was Queen of Malaysia in 2006: Tuanku Fauziah, wife of Sirajuddin of Perlis. She’s wearing major diamonds, plus Malaysia’s Order of the Crown of the Realm. In the foreground is Queen Nothando, one of the wives of King Mswati III of Swaziland. She’s wearing the Royal Household Order of Swaziland.

King Mswati wore the Military Order of Swaziland. On his right, King Letsie III of Lesotho wears the Order of Moshoeshoe.

The Duke of York wore the sash of the Order of the Garter. He’s also wearing the stars of the Order of the Garter and the Royal Victorian Order, plus the badge of the RVO around his neck. Also, interestingly, if you look at the right-hand side of his row of medals, you’ll find the small ribbon and badge of one of his only foreign orders: the Norwegian Order of St. Olav.

Also wearing the Order of St. Olav: Crown Prince Haakon and Crown Princess Mette-Marit of Norway. Mette-Marit wore the tiara and earrings from the family’s amethyst parure; on her left hand, she’s also wearing a ring with a large blue stone.

The Duke and Duchess of Brabant (now King Philippe and Queen Mathilde of the Belgians) also lack a Thai order, so they wore the Order of Leopold. Mathilde sparkled in her laurel wreath tiara, plus diamonds at her ears and on her wrist. Behind them, Prince Henrik of Denmark wears the Order of Chula Chom Klao.

The Prince of Orange (now King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands) also wore the Order of Chula Chom Klao. Princess (now Queen) Maxima wore the family’s enormous diamond bandeau with one of the Dutch East Indies Bracelets. She wore her highest Dutch order, the Order of the Netherlands Lion.

Grand Duke Henri of Luxembourg wore his highest Luxembourgish order, the Order of the Gold Lion of the House of Nassau.

Hereditary Prince Alois of Liechtenstein wore the sash and star of the Order of Merit of the Principality of Liechtenstein. He’s walking here with Sayyid Shihab bin Tariq Taimur Al Said, nephew of the Sultan of Oman, and Crown Prince (now King) Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck of Bhutan.

King Norodom Sihamoni of Cambodia wore the Royal Order of Cambodia.

Emperor Akihito of Japan wore the sash, collar, and star of the Order of the Rajamitrabhorn, plus the star of the Order of the Chrysanthemum. Empress Michiko wore the sash and collar of the Order of the Royal House of Chakri with the Japanese Honeysuckle Tiara (the same tiara she wore for the previous reception).

Prince Albert II of Monaco attended, but camera angles don’t clearly show which (if any) decorations he wore.

Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, then the Emir of Qatar, attended with his wife, Sheikha Mozah. She wore a glittering diamond ring on her right hand.

Queen Silvia of Sweden wore the tiara, earrings, and necklace from the Napoleonic Amethyst Parure for the reception, along with the sash and star of the Order of Chula Chom Klao, the star of the Order of the Seraphim, and her husband’s family order. King Carl XVI Gustaf wore the sash, star, and collar of the Order of the Rajamitrabhorn, plus the star of the Order of the Seraphim and the necklet and badge of the Order of the Sword.

Queen Sofia of Spain nearly stole the entire show, wearing La Buena and the diamond earrings from the joyas de pasar collection. She’s also wearing the sash and collar of the Order of the Royal House of Chakri.