Archives for 2017

Vintage Royal Ascot Jewels

06.20.2017 by The Court Jeweller // Leave a Comment

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Today is the first day of Royal Ascot, one of the best weeks of the whole year for royal fashion and jewelry. (There’s a reason I called it Hat Christmas back in the days of Mad Hattery!) Before we see the modern pieces worn today by the royals who attend the races, here’s a look back at ensembles worn at Royal Ascot in days past. Which is your favorite Ascot era?

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Royal Ascot fashion plates by Jules David, ca. 1880s

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Detail of an Arthur Hopkins illustration of the Gold Cup race, ca. 1890s

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Fashionable members of the enclosure crowd, 1900

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Women in white at the races, 1907

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Constance Grosvenor, Duchess of Westminster chats with Lord Shaftesbury, 1908

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The Marchioness of Camden and companions attend the famous “Black Ascot” meet of 1910. The races were held shortly after the death of King Edward VII, but the new king, George V, requested that the races go on as planned, so racegoers attended in black and white mourning attire. The event was immortalized in Cecil Beaton’s costumes for the famous Ascot scenes from My Fair Lady

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Late Edwardian fashion weeks before the outbreak of World War I, 1914

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Post-war pearls at the races, 1920

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Mrs. Hedges draws stunned glances from onlookers with her fur, 1922

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A fashionable silhouette, 1928

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The legendary Amelia Earhart wears pearls on her way to Ascot, 1928

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Sir Dhunjibhoy Bomanji and Lady Bomanji make a star-spangled appearance, 1930

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Sylvia, Ranee of Sarawak (left) cuts an elegant silhouette, 1935

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Pleats and pearls on the second day of the races, 1939

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Raine, Countess Spencer (then Mrs. Gerald Legge) wears jewels and a hat trimmed with fruit, 1949

We’ll be covering the jewels worn at this year’s Royal Ascot every afternoon this week!

Jewel History: A Royal Choice (1951)

06.19.2017 by The Court Jeweller // Leave a Comment

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“A Royal Choice”

(originally appeared in the Ottawa Journal, 18 May 1951)

The insignia of the Order of the Garter which the King [1] has bestowed on King Frederick of Denmark [2] in a State visit to this country, in a spectacular ceremony in St. George’s Chapel, Windsor, in the presence of Queen Elizabeth [3], Queen Ingrid [4], and Princess Elizabeth [5] had been chosen with care.

By long custom, it has been the rule for all “collars” of the Orders of Chivalry to be returned to the King by the next of kin when their holders die. In the case of the Garter, the Thistle and St. Patrick it is usual for the King to give a personal audience. In other cases the collar is remitted through the post. By reason of its long history some of the collars are very old. Those in possession of the Royal Family [6] are believed to go back to the days of Henry VIII.

For the future all collars are to be registered so that posterity will be able to tell for certain who was wearing that particular jewel at that particular time. And future Kings of Denmark will wear the collar now to be given to King Frederick should they ever be made KGs [7].

NOTES

1. This was the final Order of the Garter service attended by King George VI of the United Kingdom (1895-1952), who died the following February.

2. King Frederik IX of Denmark (1899-1972), father of Queen Margrethe II.

3. Queen Elizabeth of the United Kingdom (1900-2002), better known to us as the Queen Mother.

4. Queen Ingrid of Denmark (1910-2000), mother of Queen Margrethe II; she was the daughter of a British princess (Margaret of Connaught) and the stepdaughter of a Mountbatten (Queen Louise of Sweden).

5. Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom (1926-present), who, unbeknownst to her, was in her final year as a princess. On her father’s death in February 1952, she ascended to the throne.

6. In 1951, the British royal family included the following members of the Order of the Garter: King George VI (sovereign of the order), Queen Elizabeth, Princess Elizabeth, the Duke of Edinburgh, the Duke of Gloucester, the Duke of Windsor, and Queen Mary.

7. Frederik’s daughter, Queen Margrethe II of Denmark, was made an Extra (or Stranger) Lady of the Order of the Garter in 1979.

Jewels in Motion: Madeleine and Chris’s Wedding (2013)

06.18.2017 by The Court Jeweller // Leave a Comment

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Today, our survey of Swedish royal wedding jewels arrives in 2013, when Princess Madeleine married Chris O’Neill in Stockholm. Here’s a look at her gorgeous wedding jewels, glittering in motion!

The historic Vasa Earrings moved freely as Madeleine and Chris whispered during the ceremony. Read more about the history of the earrings over here!

Although her mother and sister had chosen to wear the family’s Cameo Tiara as a bridal diadem, Princess Madeleine wore her own diamond fringe tiara, a gift from her parents, on her wedding day.

The crown of Princess Sofia Albertina, sister of King Gustaf III, was displayed in the chapel during the wedding. The crown was made in Stockholm in 1771.

Chris leaned over to whisper in his bride’s ear near the end of the ceremony. This view gives you an idea of the large number of royals who attended the wedding.

You get a hint of the diamond bracelet worn by Madeleine as she and Chris exited the church; the large bracelet is a part of the family jewel foundation, and it features a zig-zag pattern.