One of the most special royal birthdays this month belongs to Princess Astrid, sister of the King of Norway. She celebrated her 90th birthday on Saturday, and today, we’re continuing the celebrations with a look at a gorgeous tiara appearance from 2017.
In May 2017, royals from across Europe gathered in Oslo to celebrate the 80th birthdays of King Harald V and Queen Sonja of Norway. Princess Astrid, who was then 85, joined in the celebrations at the Royal Palace. Here, she stands on the balcony with King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia of Sweden, plus King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima of the Netherlands. (Silvia is wearing the Leuchtenberg Sapphires, while Máxima wears pieces from the Dutch royal sapphire collection.)
Princess Astrid was escorted in to the banquet by the handsome Prince Nikolaos of Greece and Denmark (son of King Constantine and Queen Anne-Marie, nephew of Queen Margrethe II of Denmark and Queen Sofia of Spain). This view gives you a look at the truly fantastic evening dress that Astrid chose for the occasion: a light and airy white gown with an overlay of sparkling stars. Magical! Her decorations included the Order of St. Olav, several medals, and the Royal Family Orders of her grandfather, her father, and her brother.
Princess Astrid also wore some impressive heirloom royal jewelry for the occasion, nearly all of which dates back to the Norwegian royal family’s origins in Britain. She wore Queen Alexandra’s Turquoise Circlet, a tiara that belonged to Queen Alexandra of the United Kingdom (mother of Queen Maud of Norway), with coordinating turquoise earrings and a matching turquoise and diamond necklace. She secured her order sash with a lovely diamond and pearl bow brooch.
This angle gives you a lovely side view of the turquoise circlet. We don’t have a confirmed provenance for the tiara, beyond its origin with Queen Alexandra, though I’ve found a possible moment for its arrival in her collection.
Astrid also wore a watch and bracelets on both arms. The bangle she wears on her right wrist is significant: it is set with the jeweled badge of the Royal Order of Victoria & Albert. Most believe it’s the badge that once belonged to her grandmother, Queen Maud. Two years later, in 2019, Astrid offered the badge to her great-niece, Princess Ingrid Alexandra, as a confirmation gift. Since then, it’s also been worn in its bracelet setting by Crown Princess Mette-Marit.
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.