On Thursday, Queen Margrethe II of Denmark marks a major milestone: 50 years on the throne. Most of the formal (read: tiara-filled) Golden Jubilee celebrations have been shifted to September, but I’m going to add a little bling to the week anyway. Today, we’re kicking things off by looking at one of Margrethe’s most glamorous jewelry appearances of all.
Queen Margrethe II and Prince Henrik of Denmark arrived in splendor for the wedding of their elder son, Crown Prince Frederik, and Mary Elizabeth Donaldson on May 14, 2004. For the ceremony at Copenhagen’s cathedral, Henrik arrived in full gala uniform, and Margarethe wore a grand evening gown with breathtaking diamond jewels. She wore a stunning floral printed dress (and carried a handbag in matching fabric) with an eye-catching evening coat in bright pink for the wedding.
Here’s a look at the back of the dramatic coat, which features matching pink petal appliques at the hem and on the sleeves. Both Margrethe and Henrik also wore the light blue sash of the Order of the Elephant, Denmark’s highest-ranking chivalric order.
And then—the diamonds. Oh, the diamonds! Margrethe combined pieces that have special personal significance with diamonds from the crown jewel collection.
Queen Margrethe’s tiara, earrings, necklace, and corsage ornament all sparkled as she and Henrik arrived in the cathedral. Appropriately, she chose diamond jewels with floral designs to coordinate with her floral-printed gown.
In her hair, Margrethe nestled the Diamond Floral Aigrette. She inherited the flexible, wreath-like tiara from her mother, Queen Ingrid of Denmark, in 2000. The jewel can be worn in various configurations: as a traditional tiara with a wreath design, or separated into three sections and arranged in various ways. King Frederik IX purchased the tiara for Queen Ingrid in the 1960s, and appropriately, Ingrid wore it for the first time at Margrethe and Henrik’s wedding in 1967.
Indeed, all of the diamond jewels that Margrethe wore for the 2004 wedding were also worn by Ingrid for the 1967 wedding. How special is that? You can see Ingrid wearing the aigrette and the rest of the diamonds on the balcony after the ceremony in the GIF above. (Margrethe is on the far left, wearing the Khedive of Egypt Tiara and the Diamond Daisy Brooch with her wedding gown.)
Here’s a look at the rest of the diamonds that Queen Margrethe (and Queen Ingrid) wore for the wedding. The earrings, necklace, and corsage ornament (which Margrethe used as a clasp for her jacket) all come from the same suite of diamond floral jewels. The entire set was made by C.M. Weisshaupt in 1840. The diamonds used in the jewels belonged to a trio of Danish queens: Sophie Magdalene of Brandenburg (wife of King Christian VI), Juliana Marie of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel (second wife of King Frederik V), and Caroline Matilda of Great Britain (wife of King Christian VII).
The diamond floral set is part of the Danish crown jewel collection, and they’re on display to the public at Rosenborg Castle when they’re not being used. In 2019, one of our lovely readers, Annika, made a visit to Rosenborg and took this photo to share with all of us showing the jewels (as well as a pair of diamond cluster pendants).
Here’s one more view of Margrethe’s jewels, plus the jewels worn by the bride for the wedding. Crown Princess Mary wore a diamond tiara given to her by Margrethe and Henrik as a wedding present, pairing it with Margaret of Connaught’s antique Irish lace veil. She also wore a pair of Marianne Dulong earrings made of platinum set with diamonds and South Sea pearls.
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