Earlier this week, we discussed the big news out of the extended Danish royal family: Prince Gustav of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg (son of Princess Benedikte) will finally marry his longtime partner, Carina Axelsson, this June. Today, let’s take a look at the sparkling tiaras and jewels she’s worn at royal events in the past, as well as additional tiaras we may see her wear in the future.
Carina’s first major tiara appearance with the family took place on May 24, 2008, at the wedding of Gustav’s cousin, Prince Joachim of Denmark, and Marie Cavallier. She borrowed a diamond floral tiara from the Bernstorff-Gyldensteen family for the occasion. (Countess Victoria Bernstorff-Gyldensteen is a former lady-in-waiting to Crown Princess Mary of Denmark). Carina paired the tiara with a yellow dress and diamond and turquoise jewels. She also wore her diamond and ruby ring on her left hand. You’ll be able to spot the ring in the photographs throughout this post.
A few days later, on May 31, 2008, Carina wore a lovely pair of classic diamond drop earrings for Crown Prince Frederik of Denmark’s 40th birthday celebration at Fredensborg.
Carina made her second big tiara appearance on June 11, 2009, at Fredensborg for the 75th birthday celebration for Prince Henrik of Denmark. She borrowed Queen Sofia’s Star and Pearl Tiara, a Swedish royal heirloom, from Gustav’s mother, Princess Benedikte. She paired the tiara with two strands of pearls, plus a pair of diamond and ruby floral earrings that go very nicely with her ring.
She wore the diamond and ruby floral earrings again on July 26, 2009, when she attended the christening of Prince Henrik, the son of Prince Joachim and Princess Marie of Denmark. She paired the earrings with a single strand of pearls. The necklace also features a pavé-set diamond bead. A small sparkling ornament was also used to secure her lightweight shrug.
On April 15, 2010, Carina debuted a brand-new tiara at a gala performance during the 70th birthday celebrations for Queen Margrethe II of Denmark. This tiara has been dubbed the Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg Diamond Spike Tiara, and so far, Carina has been the only wearer of the jewel. She wore it with a lovely pair of diamond pendant earrings for the occasion.
She wore the spike tiara and the diamond pendant earrings again the following day as the Queen’s birthday celebrations continued with a gala dinner at Fredensborg.
Carina accompanied Gustav to Stockholm a few months later for the wedding celebrations for Crown Princess Victoria and Prince Daniel of Sweden. (Both Gustav and Carina have significant Swedish ancestry.) For the gala dinner and performance held on June 18, 2010, the night before the royal wedding, Carina wore her diamond and ruby floral earrings with her single-stranded pearl necklace. The sequins on the bodice of her dress provided even more sparkle.
On June 19, 2010, Carina wore the Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg Diamond Spike Tiara for the royal wedding, along with a pair of modern earrings.
On August 25, 2010, Carina and Gustav traveled to the island of Spetses in Greece for the wedding of his cousin, Prince Nikolaos of Greece and Denmark, to Tatiana Blatnik. Carina wore a bright pink dress, accessorizing with her diamond and ruby earrings, as well as pearl and diamond bracelets.
Carina and Gustav were back in Copenhagen on April 14, 2011, for the christening of Crown Prince Frederik and Crown Princess Mary’s twins, Prince Vincent and Princess Josephine. (Gustav is one of Vincent’s godfathers.) Carina wore her diamond and ruby earrings and her diamond and ruby ring for the occasion.
The diamond and ruby earrings made another appearance a few weeks later, when Gustav’s sister, Princess Nathalie of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg, married Alexander Johannsmann on June 18, 2011, in Berleburg. Carina wore the earrings with a turquoise-colored gown, which also featured a sparkling ornament at the waist.
Carina wore the spike tiara and the diamond and ruby earrings with another vibrant pink gown for a gala performance at the Royal Concert Hall in Copenhagen, part of the celebrations of Queen Margrethe’s Ruby Jubilee, on January 14, 2012.
She wore the same tiara with an elegant red velvet gown the following evening for a Ruby Jubilee dinner at Christiansborg. She added her diamond pendant earrings, her two-stranded pearl necklace, and a diamond brooch.
On May 20, 2012, Carina and Gustav attended the christening of Princess Athena, daughter of Prince Joachim and Princess Marie. Carina was named one of the baby princess’s godparents. She wore a purple suit for the occasion with her diamond pendant earrings, her single-stranded pearl necklace, and an elegant brooch. (She wore sneakers and used a cane because she was dealing with an injury at the time.)
I’d imagine that we’ll see Carina wearing a tiara again soon. Perhaps she’ll wear one for the couple’s small wedding ceremony at Schloss Berleburg, which is scheduled to take place on June 4. Queen Margrethe’s Golden Jubilee celebrations have been rescheduled for September, so I think it’s very likely we’ll see Princess Carina of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg wearing a tiara during those festivities. She may wear a diadem we’ve seen her use before, or it’s possible that her mother-in-law, who is known to be generous in sharing her tiaras, may loan her another one. For example, Benedikte has often loaned this diamond floral tiara (her 18th birthday present) to her daughters, Princess Alexandra and Princess Nathalie.
Or it’s also possible that Benedikte may loan the grand Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg Fringe Tiara to Carina on occasion as well. This isn’t one of those tiaras that automatically passes to the current head of the house. The tiara belonged personally to the late Prince Richard, who inherited it from his grandmother in 1976. Benedikte has continued to wear it after his death, suggesting that he passed it along to her. But I wouldn’t at all be surprised to see Benedikte share the family jewel with Carina on occasion. After all, she’s said to be very fond of her soon-to-be daughter-in-law.
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