Archives for 2016

In Memoriam: Queen Anne of Romania

08.02.2016 by The Court Jeweller // Leave a Comment

Anne of Romania (Photo: DANIEL MIHAILESCU/AFP/Getty Images)

On Monday, the former royal family of Romania announced the death of their matriarch. Anne, the wife of Romania’s last king, died at the age of 92 in Switzerland.

Born a princess of Bourbon-Parma, Anne’s royal pedigree was impeccable even before she married a (former) monarch. Her father, Prince Rene of Bourbon-Parma, was a son of Robert, the last reigning Duke of Parma, and Infanta Maria Antonia of Portugal. Her paternal uncles and aunts included Queen Marie Louise of Bulgaria, Empress Zita of Austria-Hungary, and Prince Felix of Bourbon-Parma (husband of Grand Duchess Charlotte of Luxembourg).

Embed from Getty Images

Anne’s mother, Princess Margrethe of Denmark, was the daughter of Prince Valdemar of Denmark and Princess Marie of Orleans. Valdemar’s parents were King Christian IX and Queen Louise of Denmark — which means that Anne’s maternal great-aunts and great-uncles were King Frederik VIII of Denmark, Queen Alexandra of the United Kingdom, King George I of Greece, Crown Princess Thyra of Hanover, and Empress Marie Feodorovna of Russia.

Anne’s long list of royal cousins includes the reigning monarchs of the United Kingdom, Denmark, Norway, Belgium, Spain, and Luxembourg, plus the former kings of Bulgaria, Greece, and Romania. That last one — King Michael I of Romania — also happens to have been her husband. Anne was never Romania’s queen consort, because Michael was forced to abdicate a year before their marriage, but she was still often referred to as “Queen Anne of Romania” by courtesy.

Before her marriage, Anne studied at Parsons School of Design in New York and even worked behind the counter at Macy’s. She also served as an ambulance driver during World War II, earning the Croix de guerre for her service. She met her husband in London during the celebrations surrounding the wedding of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip in November 1947. Michael and Anne were married for nearly 70 years, and they had five daughters: Margarita, Elena, Irina, Sophie, and Maria.

To celebrate Anne’s life, here’s a selection of images, including a few where you can see a bit of royal jewelry. Enjoy!

Photo: OFF/AFP/Getty Images

Michael and Anne stroll through the Bois de Boulogne in Paris in March 1948, a few months before their wedding. Anne is wearing a simple string of pearls

Photo: Wikimedia Commons

Michael and Anne in Athens on their wedding day: June 10, 1948. Anne wore the Romanian Greek Key Tiara as her bridal diadem, plus Queen Marie’s diamond sautoir. Anne’s parents did not attend the wedding; they were Catholics, and Michael was Orthodox. There were complicated questions about the marriage, to the point that the pope was consulted. Rene and Margrethe were advised to stay away by Rene’s brother, Prince Xavier (head of the house of Parma at that time). They agreed, and the family was represented at the wedding by Prince Erik, Count of Rosenborg, Anne’s uncle

Photo: OFF/AFP/Getty Images

Anne in Lausanne, Switzerland, in 1951; note the rings on her left hand

Embed from Getty Images

Michael and Anne in exile in England with their eldest daughters, Margarita and Elena, in 1952

Embed from Getty Images

Wearing the Romanian Greek Key Tiara, Anne chats with Princess Lilian of Belgium during the wedding celebrations of King Baudouin and Queen Fabiola of Belgium in 1960

Embed from Getty Images

Michael and Anne with Constantine and Anne-Marie of Greece at a service celebrating the 100th birthday of the Queen Mother at St. Paul’s Cathedral in 2000

Embed from Getty Images

Michael and Anne attend a gala reception for their daughter Margarita’s charitable foundation in December 2003

Photo: DANIEL MIHAILESCU/AFP/Getty Images

Anne arrives at the National Opera in Bucharest for a concert celebrating Michael’s 90th birthday in 2011

Kate’s Jewelry Box: The Beaut Eva Earrings

07.31.2016 by The Court Jeweller // Leave a Comment

Kate wears the Eva earrings by Beaut (Photo: Lefteris Pitarakis – WPA Pool/Getty Images)

Many of the earrings that the Duchess of Cambridge wears for evening events — like the Queen Mother’s sapphire fringe earrings, the Queen’s diamond chandelier earrings, or her own diamond and emerald earrings — are set with precious stones. But today’s earrings, the “Eva” earrings from a brand called Beaut, are affordable pieces that many could add to their personal collections.

Photo: Lefteris Pitarakis – WPA Pool/Getty Images

The earrings, which are meant to echo the art deco jewels of the 1920s, are a part of Beaut’s vintage line. The earrings were sold exclusively through Jenny Packham, a designer whose dresses Kate has worn frequently. Made of sterling silver and set with paste stones, the earrings are the brand’s “Eva” style. They can now be purchased through Beaut’s website for around $250.

Kate wore the earrings for the first time in public in November 2011 at a reception at St. James’s Palace for the National Memorial Arboretum Appeal. Appropriately, she paired them on that occasion with a gown by Jenny Packham. A second outing in the earrings, which took place in May 2012, was at the Thirty Club in Mayfair. For that event (pictured above), she wore the earrings with a gown by Roland Mouret.

Photo: Lefteris Pitarakis – WPA Pool/Getty Images

The earrings are a good example of the variety of pieces in Kate’s jewelry box, ranging from jewels that can be acquired easily by many people to precious pieces with impressive royal histories.

Princess Claire’s Pearl and Diamond Tiara

07.30.2016 by The Court Jeweller // Leave a Comment

Prince Laurent and Princess Claire of Belgium attend a gala dinner on the eve of the wedding of the Hereditary Grand Duke and Hereditary Grand Duchess of Luxembourg on October 19, 2012 (Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images)

The Belgian royal family’s tiara collection is quite small when compared to that of some of their royal relatives and neighbors, but in recent years a few important additions have been made to the vaults. Today’s tiara, the pearl and diamond sparkler that belongs to Princess Claire, is one of those jewels.

[Read more…]