The show—in a modified form—went on in Denmark on Saturday evening. Queen Margrethe II’s Golden Jubilee celebrations, delayed by several months because of the pandemic, began with a scaled-back gala concert in Copenhagen.
Members of the Danish royal family and Scandinavian heads of state arrived at the Danish Royal Theatre in Copenhagen on Saturday night for a special gala concert celebrating Queen Margrethe’s 50 years on the Danish throne.
Queen Margrethe wore a favorite pink evening gown for the occasion, plus several decorations, including the sash and star of the Order of the Elephant.
She chose the Danish Floral Aigrette, a tiara from the collection of Queen Ingrid, for the gala concert. The tiara, made in the 1950s, was given by Ingrid to Margrethe in 1985, and Margrethe subsequently had it remodeled slightly so that the three sections could be worn more flexibly.
Margrethe also wore additional diamonds, including pieces which are among the oldest royal jewels in Denmark outside of the crown jewel collection. The diamond rivière necklace, for example, belonged to Princess Anne, Princess Royal and Princess of Orange (1709-1759), daughter of King George II of Great Britain. She’s one of Margrethe’s direct ancestors through Queen Lovisa of Denmark (who was the daughter of a Dutch princess).
The earrings worn here feature sections from two pairs of diamond jewels in Margrethe’s jewelry box. The studs and large floral drops are also thought to have belonged to Princess Anne of Orange. Margrethe wears them with two diamond spacer elements from a second pair of earrings, which belonged to Hereditary Princess Caroline of Denmark (1793-1881). The large brooch pinned to the Queen’s bodice also belonged to Hereditary Princess Caroline.
All of the pieces worn here—the tiara, necklace, earrings, and brooch—are part of the Danish Royal Property Trust, which also holds the Pearl Poiré Tiara and its accompanying jewels.
Crown Prince Frederik and Crown Princess Mary attended the gala with their two older children, Prince Christian and Princess Isabella. Both Frederik and Mary wore several Danish decorations, including the Order of the Elephant.
Crown Princess Mary wore a champagne-colored evening gown embellished with gorgeous beading.
She accessorized with her Edwardian Tiara and its matching earrings. Her other jewelry included a large cocktail ring set with a yellow gemstone, perhaps a topaz or citrine. (We also saw the ring recently during the couple’s visit to the Netherlands.)
Princess Isabella was elegant in a red gown with a matching capelet. She wore a pair of modern gold and diamond earrings from Dulong, borrowed from her mother’s jewelry box.
Isabella also wore bracelets on both wrists.
Prince Joachim and Princess Marie attended the concert with his older sons, Prince Nikolai and Prince Felix.
Princess Marie was elegant in a dark blue lace gown with the sash and star of the Order of the Elephant. She wore the Nuits Claires Tiara with a pair of sparkling diamond earrings.
Prince Joachim’s first wife, Countess Alexandra of Frederiksborg, attended the concert as well, wearing a tweed and lace evening gown with the insignia of the Order of the Elephant.
She paired the Alexandrine Diamond Drop Tiara, which was a wedding gift from Queen Margrethe, with diamond stud earrings.
Both of Queen Margrethe’s sisters, Princess Benedikte and Queen Anne-Marie, were also in attendance at the concert. Anne-Marie wore an elegant red evening gown, while Benedikte chose a gown with a lace overlay. Their decorations included the Order of the Elephant.
Princess Benedikte wore the Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg Fringe Tiara, plus a very intriguing suite of jewels made of gold, pearls, and rubies. To me, the style of the necklace suggests a late Victorian or early Edwardian creation date.
Queen Anne-Marie wore the Greek royal rubies, including the tiara, necklace, earrings, and brooch, plus a coordinating bracelet.
#TiaraAlert Princess Alexandra of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg wore the Ahlefeldt Floral Tiara for a gala performance celebrating Queen Margrethe II of Denmark’s Golden Jubilee at the Royal Theater in Copenhagen on 10 September 2022. pic.twitter.com/kauznO520N
— Tiara Mania (@TiaraManiaBlog) September 11, 2022
Both of Princess Benedikte’s daughters attended the concert as well. Princess Alexandra of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg wore a diamond floral tiara that belongs to the family of her husband, Count Michael Ahlefeldt-Laurvig-Bille.
#TiaraAlert Princess Nathalie of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg wore Queen Sophia’s Star & Pearl Tiara for a gala performance celebrating Queen Margrethe II of Denmark’s Golden Jubilee at the Royal Theater in Copenhagen on 10 September 2022.https://t.co/Qg7uRPppwt pic.twitter.com/TkFbSAio5Y
— Tiara Mania (@TiaraManiaBlog) September 11, 2022
Her younger sister, Princess Nathalie of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg, borrowed Queen Sofia’s Star and Pearl Tiara from her mother for the occasion.
Four of Queen Anne-Marie’s children and their partners also attended the concert. (Prince Nikolaos and Princess Tatiana were the only ones not in attendance.) Princess Alexia of Greece and Denmark, pictured here with her husband, Carlos Morales Quintana, wore mint green for the evening. She’s wearing the sash and star of the Order of the Redeemer, while he wears the insignia of the Order of Saints George and Constantine.
It was delightful to see Princess Alexia wear the Khedive of Egypt Tiara again. She borrowed it from her mother for the occasion; previously, she wore it on her wedding day. She also wore diamond earrings and several brooches, including a diamond and pearl bow brooch and a small diamond and emerald brooch.
Crown Prince Pavlos and Crown Princess Marie-Chantal were there in full gala dress. His decorations included the Order of the Elephant. Hers, worn on a silver evening gown, were the star and sash of the Order of Saints Olga and Sophia.
Crown Princess Marie-Chantal wore the Miller Fringe Tiara, plus diamond earrings and a small brooch shaped like a coronet.
Princess Theodora, in electric purple, attended the concert with her fiancé, Matthew Kumar. Like Marie-Chantal, she wore the insignia of the Order of Saints Olga and Sophia.
She borrowed her sister’s diamond tiara for the occasion, pairing it with earrings featuring purple-red gemstones and a pearl butterfly brooch.
Prince Philippos and Princess Nina were also there to celebrate his aunt’s jubilee. Nina wore a flowing lilac evening gown. Both wore decorations as well. His included the insignia of the Order of the Redeemer, hers included the sash and star of the Order of Saints Olga and Sophia.
Princess Nina wore the Antique Corsage Tiara, a loan from her mother-in-law, with its coordinating brooch. She also wore a very modern diamond necklace and matching earrings. (I spot another brooch at her shoulder, but I can’t make out the specific details of that piece.)
The only foreign royals in attendance at the concert were Queen Margrethe’s fellow Scandinavian heads of state. King Harald V and Queen Sonja represented Norway. Sonja wore royal blue for the evening, and both wore decorations that included the Order of the Elephant.
Queen Sonja accessorized with diamond and pearl jewelry, including Queen Maud’s Pearl Tiara and the Drapers’ Company Brooch.
King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia of Sweden also traveled to Denmark for the festivities. She wore a light purple evening gown, and both of them also included the Order of the Elephant in their decorations.
Queen Silvia emphasized the purple tones of her dress by wearing jewels from the Napoleonic Amethyst Parure, including the tiara, earrings, necklace, and brooch.
Our coverage of the events of the jubilee will continue with additional articles for the next several afternoons, interspersed with our memorial coverage of the life of the late Queen Elizabeth II.
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