Princess Marina’s Musy Tiara Moment

Princess Marina was born Marina Doria, and before she married into the House of Savoy, she was a champion water skiier. In 1971, she married Prince Vittorio Emanuele of Savoy, the son of the last King and Queen of Italy. (That also makes him a close cousin of the King of the Belgians and of the former King of Bulgaria.) He’s an interesting figure, to put it mildly. I’ll direct you to the extensive “controversies” section of his Wikipedia page for a brief primer.

For the wedding of Crown Prince Frederik and Crown Princess Mary in Copenhagen, Marina brought out one of the most impressive heirloom pieces from the Savoy vaults. This massive diamond and pearl tiara was made by Musy, the Italian court jeweler, for Queen Margherita of Italy in 1904. The piece is exceptionally convertible, able to be worn in a series of different settings. Margherita left the tiara to her grandson (Marina’s father-in-law), King Umberto II. He gave the tiara to his bride, Princess Marie Jose of Belgium, as a wedding present in 1930. She wore the tiara on their wedding day, and today, it belongs to their only son, Vittorio Emanuele.

With Queen Margherita’s tiara, Marina wore a pair of modern earrings set with diamonds and gray pearls. Her dress and jacket also provided quite a bit of sparkle, thanks to the crystals on the bodice, the cuffs, and lining the jacket’s edge. Also pinned to her jacket was the ribbon and badge of the Order of Saints Maurice and Lazarus, an order of chivalry bestowed by the head of the House of Savoy (Marina’s husband). She walked into the church wearing partially-tinted glasses, something that has often sparked critique when this outfit is discussed. (She did take them off once she was seated.)

And don’t miss one more of Marina’s jewels: the massive diamond ring on her left hand!