Queen Margrethe’s Incredible Pearl and Diamond Tiara

On April 13, 2010, Queen Margrethe arrived with her husband, Prince Henrik, for a gala dinner at Christiansborg Palace in Copenhagen to celebrate her 70th birthday.

For the occasion, Margrethe wore one of her favorite evening gowns, a dress in a saturated shade of pink with petal appliqué details. She wore the insignia of the Order of the Elephant, as well as the badge of the Order of the Dannebrog and her father’s Royal Family Order. She finished off the look with several spectacular pieces of diamond and pearl jewelry from the family collection.

The Pearl Poiré Tiara, made for Margrethe’s ancestor, Princess Louise of Prussia, in 1825, is one of the grandest and most important of the Danish royal tiaras. It’s part of a royal property trust, and it’s worn exclusively by the monarch (or, when a king is on the throne, by his queen consort). The pendant pearls swing freely from the tiara frame, which sometimes gives the impression that pearls are “missing” in various photographs. (They’re usually just hidden behind the frame itself.) The tiara is part of a set that also includes an elaborate diamond brooch with five pearl pendants, also worn by Margrethe for this dinner.

Margrethe also added additional pearl pieces that are often worn with the tiara as part of a married parure. The diamond and pearl necklace was a wedding gift to Queen Lovisa of Denmark from the Khedive of Egypt. The coordinating earrings, also worn here by Margrethe, were created by repurposing two elements from the necklace. Lovisa placed the necklace and earrings in trust with the tiara and brooch, and they’ve been worn together as a set ever since.

Margrethe finished off the look with gold bracelets (including her family bangle) and two toi et moi rings: a diamond and pearl ring on her right hand, and her incredible diamond engagement ring on her left.