The Bernadotte royal vaults are some of the most legendary in Europe, packed with pieces linked to the family’s Napoleonic imperial heritage. But today, we’re looking at a suite of jewels with a different, equally impressive royal provenance, worn for a Nobel Prize banquet nearly 20 years ago.
On December 10, 2003, the Swedish royal family made their traditional appearance at the Nobel Prize ceremony and banquet in Stockholm. King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia of Sweden were joined by their three children, Crown Princess Victoria, Prince Carl Philip, and Princess Madeleine. (Crown Princess Victoria wore the Diamond Four-Button Tiara for the occasion, while Princess Madeleine chose the Modern Fringe Tiara.)
Queen Silvia was elegant in a bright pink gown with a subtle floral pattern for the ceremony and dinner. The gown featured striking bell sleeves. The pale blue sash of the Order of the Seraphim stood out nicely against the bold dress.
Queen Silvia accessorized with two very important pieces from the royal vaults. The first was the Connaught Diamond Tiara, a British royal legacy jewel from Crown Princess Margareta of Sweden. The tiara was also a favorite jewel of the King’s late mother, Princess Sibylla.
Silvia paired the tiara with the Russian Pink Topaz Suite. This glittering set of jewels includes a gorgeous necklace, coordinating earrings, and a pair of brooches. The demi-parure was a gift to Grand Duchess Maria Pavlovna, wife of Charles Frederick, Grand Duke of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach. Maria’s mother, Empress Maria Feodorovna of Russia, gave her the topazes to mark the birth of her daughter, Princess Augusta, in 1811.
The topazes came to Sweden with Princess Victoria of Baden, the wife of King Gustaf V of Sweden. Victoria was Princess Augusta’s granddaughter. Today, the topazes are most often worn by Queen Silvia, who loves to pair them with the diamond tiaras from the Bernadotte collection.
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