Today, Archduchess Adelaide, the French-born wife of a European prince closely related to royals in Austria, Belgium, Luxembourg, and Liechtenstein, celebrates her birthday. To mark the occasion, let’s take a look back at the romantic royal jewels she wore for her wedding back in 2012.
On December 29, 2012, Adelaide Drapé-Frisch arrived at the Basilica of Saint-Epvre de Nancy in France for her wedding to Archduke Christoph of Austria. Christoph is the son of Archduke Carl Christian, a grandson of the last emperor and empress of Austria, and Princess Marie-Astrid of Luxembourg, the sister of the reigning grand duke. Adelaide is the daughter of French diplomat Philippe Drapé-Frisch, who escorted her to the cathedral on her wedding day.
The bride wore an appropriately wintery ensemble for her December wedding. Her wedding gown, made by French designer Diane Lelys, was made of duchesse satin in a pale shade of ivory. The gown was topped by a matching long-sleeved jacket with a fur collar and cuffs, another nod to the season.
With the gown, Adelaide wore an heirloom tiara on loan from her new mother-in-law’s family. The Nassau Floral Tiara comes from the Luxembourgish jewelry collection. The jewel was likely made in the nineteenth century, and it features a classic diamond floral design. The small tiara sits very close to the wearer’s head, and Adelaide’s hairstyle for the event was clearly designed to showcase the sparkler. Adelaide also wore a small pair of classic pearl stud earrings.
The tiara anchored another very important part of the bride’s outfit: an antique lace veil. This long, intricate veil was loaned to the couple by Christoph’s grandmother, Archduchess Yolande, who was born into the princely Ligne family in Belgium. The veil is said to have roots at the imperial court of Napoleon in France.
The tiara and veil were both worn a few years earlier by Christoph’s sister, Archduchess Marie Christine, at her wedding in Belgium. His sister-in-law, Archduchess Kathleen, had also worn the veil a few months earlier at her wedding in the United States. Interestingly, the color of the veil and the dress weren’t particularly harmonious at this wedding. In the photographs of the day, the veil reads much more white than the dress.
It’s been nearly nine years since Christoph and Adelaide said their wedding vows, and their family continues to grow. They have two daughters, Katarina and Sophia, and a son, Josef.
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