Don’t Miss a Single Sparkling Moment! Sign up for The Court Jeweller Newsletter

The Court Jeweller

Sparkling Royal Jewels From Around the World

Archives for June 2019

The Wessexes Celebrate Twenty Years of Marriage

by // Leave a Comment

Chris Jackson/Getty Images

Today, the Earl and Countess of Wessex celebrate their twentieth wedding anniversary, a milestone that they marked on Tuesday with a new set of official portraits.

Chris Jackson/Getty Images

The images of Edward and Sophie were taken at Royal Ascot. Sophie wore pearl drop earrings, a diamond tennis bracelet, and a diamond rose brooch with her ensemble, while Edward donned a tie pin featuring the cap badge of the Rifles.

Chris Jackson/Getty Images

Edward is the second of the Queen’s four children to celebrate a twentieth wedding anniversary. His sister, the Princess Royal, has been married to Sir Timothy Laurence for twenty-six years.

MARTYN HAYHOW/AFP/Getty Images

Prince Edward, the youngest of the four children of the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh, married Sophie Rhys-Jones at St. George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle on June 19, 1999. Their wedding, which fell in the midst of the busy Order of the Garter/Royal Ascot season in Windsor, featured Garter-themed outfits for their young attendants. Sophie wore a diamond tiara given to her by her new mother-in-law, as well as a suite of black and white pearl jewelry designed by the groom.

VICTORIA JONES/AFP/Getty Images

Recently, Sophie debuted a new setting of her wedding tiara, which many have deemed a major improvement to the piece.

Chris Jackson/Getty Images

Sophie and Edward have two children, Louise and James. The entire family recently gathered with the Windsors on the balcony of Buckingham Palace for the Queen’s annual birthday celebrations.

Royal Ascot Jewels 2019: Day One

by // Leave a Comment

ADRIAN DENNIS/AFP/Getty Images

The most wonderful royal time of the year is officially here, everybody! Here’s a look at the jewels worn for the first day of Royal Ascot!

ADRIAN DENNIS/AFP/Getty Images

The Queen was joined by the Duke of York and two special guests in her carriage: King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima of the Netherlands, who stayed on after yesterday’s Garter Day ceremonies. (More on that event here!)

Charlie Crowhurst/Getty Images for Ascot Racecourse

For the first day of the races, the Queen wore light blue with one of her newer brooches, the Sapphire Jubilee Snowflake Brooch.

ADRIAN DENNIS/AFP/Getty Images

As the name suggests, the brooch was a gift from the people of Canada to mark her Sapphire Jubilee in 2017. The brooch’s design is loosely inspired by a snowflake — you’ll note that it only has four sides, while snowflakes always have six. Interestingly, the ITV commentators from today’s appearance took a different approach to the piece, noting a resemblance to the North Star. (More on the brooch here!)

ADRIAN DENNIS/AFP/Getty Images

Queen Maxima, delightfully, wore a fantastically bonkers hat and some major diamonds for the races today.

ADRIAN DENNIS/AFP/Getty Images

Her earrings are made up of removable diamond clusters from the top of the Stuart Tiara, which she famously debuted in its full form in Britain last autumn. (Here’s a look at a previous appearance from the earrings!)

Charlie Crowhurst/Getty Images for Ascot Racecourse

She also wore the Dutch royal family’s gorgeous Diamond Trellis Bracelet, which was made during the reign of Queen Wilhelmina.

Bryn Lennon/Getty Images for Ascot Racecourse

The Duchess of Cornwall wore her daytime jewelry uniform: her favorite pearl drop earrings with her pearl choker necklace featuring a large diamond clasp.

Chris Jackson/Getty Images

Beside her in the second carriage was the Duchess of Cambridge, who was gorgeous in light blue for the races. She accessorized her Elie Saab dress with blue topaz and diamond earrings from Kiki McDonough.

Chris Jackson/Getty Images

Here’s a look at Kate’s entire outfit, which was my favorite of the day.

Chris Jackson/Getty Images

The Princess Royal wore pearls with a classic piece from her jewelry box: her diamond and gold ribbon brooch. (More on the brooch here!)

ADRIAN DENNIS/AFP/Getty Images

Zara Phillips wore sparkling earrings with disc-shaped drops for the first day of the meet.

Chris Jackson/Getty Images

The York princesses, however, kept their jewelry predictably minimal, with the usual assortment of hoop earrings and bracelets. (What earrings would you have paired with Beatrice’s ensemble?)

ADRIAN DENNIS/AFP/Getty Images

And the Countess of Wessex sparkled in pearl drop earrings, a diamond tennis bracelet, and her petite diamond rose brooch. That’s all for Day One of the event — tune in tomorrow for more Ascot jewels!

Garter Day Jewels 2019

by // Leave a Comment

Ben Stansall – WPA Pool/Getty Images

It was a very royal Garter Day today indeed in Windsor, and we’ve got a look at all the royal jewels worn for the occasion!

FRANK AUGSTEIN/AFP/Getty Images

Garter Day, which is traditionally held on a Monday in June, is a celebration of the highest order of chivalry in Britain, the Order of the Garter. The order itself dates back to 1348, but the modern celebration of Garter Day began in 1948, when King George VI revived the tradition after the end of World War II. The day includes the installation of new knights and ladies, a luncheon, and a service of thanksgiving at St. George’s Chapel in Windsor.

DOMINIC LIPINSKI/AFP/Getty Images

This year’s celebrations included the formal installations of two supernumerary knights (i.e., knights that don’t count toward the restricted number of 24 companion knights/ladies). The members of the British royal family in the order are supernumerary knights/ladies, and foreign monarchs are a special kind of supernumerary members, called “stranger” knights/ladies. King Felipe VI of Spain, who was installed today, became a stranger knight in July 2017, when the Queen made him a Knight of the Garter during his state visit to Britain. Above, you can see him wearing the insignia of the order for the first time during the state banquet held at Buckingham Palace during that visit. (More jewels from that banquet here!)

Yui Mok – WPA Pool/Getty Images

The other supernumerary knight installed today was King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands. The Queen made him a Knight of the Garter in October 2018, and he also wore his insignia for the first time at a state banquet at Buckingham Palace during that state visit. (More jewels from that state banquet here!)

FRANK AUGSTEIN/AFP/Getty Images

The two new stranger knights were officially installed at Windsor Castle today, and they wore their Garter robes for the service at St. George’s Chapel with the rest of the members of the order.

STEVE PARSONS/AFP/Getty Images

Both Felipe and Willem-Alexander also took formal portraits at Windsor Castle with the Queen and their respective spouses. Here, King Felipe and HM pose with Queen Letizia.

Steve Parsons – WPA Pool/Getty Images

Letizia chose neutrals for Garter Day, pairing diamonds with her black and gray ensemble. She wore the grand diamond earrings from the joyas de pasar…

Steve Parsons – WPA Pool/Getty Images

…as well as a lovely diamond floral brooch, which she’s worn on at least one previous occasion.

STEVE PARSONS/AFP/Getty Images

King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima also posed for a formal portrait with the Queen.

Steve Parsons – WPA Pool/Getty Images

Maxima wore bright, multicolored earrings for the occasion. (See a previous outing of the earrings here!)

Steve Parsons – WPA Pool/Getty Images

Maxima also wore a pair of diamond bangles with floral accents, plus her diamond wedding bracelet and her large ring set with diamonds and a pink center stone.

Steve Parsons – WPA Pool/Getty Images

Along with the stranger knights, two more members of the order were also installed today. In the foreground here, you’ll see Dame Mary Peters, who won a gold medal in the pentathlon at the 1972 Olympic Games in Munich. She’s a major figure in the sports world of Northern Ireland. In the background (and a bit blurred) is the Marquess of Salisbury, a Conservative politician and the current Chancellor of the University of Hertfordshire. With the addition of Peters and Lord Salisbury, the number of current knights and ladies stands at 23 — meaning there’s one vacancy at the moment.

FRANK AUGSTEIN/AFP/Getty Images

The British royal family was well represented today, too. The Queen, who is sovereign of the order, appeared wearing her robes over a gown embroidered with roses.

PETER NICHOLLS/AFP/Getty Images

She wore Queen Mary’s Cluster Earrings for the occasion. (More on her Garter Day earrings here!)

STEVE PARSONS/AFP/Getty Images

The Prince of Wales, who became a Knight of the Garter in 1958, was also in attendance. (The Prince of Wales automatically becomes a member of the order when the title is bestowed upon him.)

Steve Parsons – WPA Pool/Getty Images

For this year’s service, the Duchess of Cornwall wore her grand pearl choker necklace with the pink topaz and diamond clasp, as well as the coordinating pink topaz earrings.

Steve Parsons – WPA Pool/Getty Images

The Duke of Cambridge, who became the 1000th Knight of the Garter in 2008, was also present.

Steve Parsons – WPA Pool/Getty Images

His Duchess, of course, was there, too. Kate wore the Collingwood Pearl Earrings that once belonged to her late mother-in-law, Diana, Princess of Wales. She and William rode with King Felipe and Queen Letizia during the carriage procession back to Windsor Castle following the service.

Peter Nicholls – WPA Pool/Getty Images

The Princess Royal, who was accompanied by Sir Tim Laurence, wore earrings that appear to be set with rubies and sapphires — a fitting pairing with the Garter robes. Anne became a Lady of the Garter 25 years ago, in 1994.

Ben Stansall – WPA Pool/Getty Images

The Duke of York, who was made a Garter knight in 2006, escorted King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima back to Windsor Castle after the service.

Peter Nicholls – WPA Pool/Getty Images

The Earl of Wessex was also present — like his elder brother, he was made a Knight of the Garter in 2006.

Steve Parsons – WPA Pool/Getty Images

For the service, the Countess of Wessex wore modern earrings with pearl drops — an interesting contrast with her rather traditional woven summer hat.

Steve Parsons – WPA Pool/Getty Images

The Duchess of Gloucester (whose husband became a Garter knight in 1996) is pictured here beside Zenouska Mowatt, who often accompanies her grandmother, Princess Alexandra, to royal events these days. (Alexandra became a Lady of the Garter in 2003.) Birgitte wore pearls with floral earrings and diamond floral clips for the service, while Zenouska wore stacked bracelets.

Steve Parsons – WPA Pool/Getty Images

This angle shows the jeweled pendant that Birgitte suspended from her pearls for the occasion.

Steve Parsons – WPA Pool/Getty Images

Speaking of Princess Alexandra: the photographers today apparently forgot that she was in attendance! The only glimpse of her that I can use here on the blog is above. That’s Alexandra’s shoulder on the left, shown as she and the Queen arrived by car for the service at St. George’s Chapel.

Steve Parsons – WPA Pool/Getty Images

And that’s it for our 2019 Garter Day coverage, magpies! Rumor has it that some of the foreign royals may be sticking around for Royal Ascot tomorrow, so be sure to tune in here on Tuesday for more bling!