Gleaming Royal Diamonds, Pearls, and Rubies for Denmark’s Diplomatic and Military Receptions

For the final time, Queen Margrethe II of Denmark led the royal party at the New Year’s reception for members of the Diplomatic Corps on Wednesday at Christiansborg Palace in Copenhagen. She wore a red dress and jacket with velvet trim, plus a fur coat, as she arrived for the event.

This second New Year reception is not a tiara event, but there were still some impressive heirloom royal jewels on display. Margrethe wore modern diamond and pearl earrings, made by Jan Stockmarr, with Princess Louise’s Diamond and Pearl Drop Brooch. The brooch was made in 1825 to match the Pearl Poiré Tiara. Both jewels were presents offered to Princess Louise of Prussia to celebrate her wedding to Prince Frederick of the Netherlands. Frederick and Louise were the grandparents of Queen Lovisa of Denmark, who brought the jewels to Copenhagen and placed them in the Danish Royal Property Trust. They’re earmarked for the exclusive use of the woman who holds the title of Queen of Denmark.

Margrethe also wore a lovely pearl and diamond toi et moi ring from her collection for the reception. And there were plenty of decorations pinned to her jacket as well. She wore the Royal Family Order of her father, the late King Frederik IX, and the badge and ribbon of the Order of the Dannebrog. You’ll be able to spot the sash and badge of the Order of the Elephant peeking out from under her jacket. Most impressive, though, are the enormous diamond stars of the Order of the Elephant and Order of the Dannebrog pinned to her jacket.

Queen Margrethe was joined at the reception by Crown Prince Frederik and Crown Princess Mary, who will become King Frederik X and Queen Mary of Denmark when Margrethe abdicates on Sunday, January 14. Mary wore a favorite blue evening gown for the event, plus Margrethe’s Royal Family Order and the insignia of the Order of the Elephant.

She also added a significant piece of jewelry with important royal history: the brooch from the Danish Ruby Parure. Made for Queen Desiree of Sweden to wear at the coronation of Napoleon in 1804, the suite of jewelry came to Copenhagen with her great-granddaughter, Queen Lovisa of Denmark, in 1869. Mary has been wearing the jewels from the ruby parure since her royal wedding in 2004, two centuries after the set was originally created in France.

She paired the brooch with her diamond and white gold floral earrings. The earrings, made in 2000, were sold at the Danish auction house Bruun Rasmussen in December 2016. Mary has added numerous pieces to her collection over the years via auctions from Bruun Rasmussen, including her Edwardian Tiara.

Mary also added a little more sparkle to her outfit with a pair of diamond hair combs, echoing a style long favored by her mother-in-law.

The final New Year’s levee was held on Thursday at Christiansborg Palace, with the royals hosting military officers, emergency personnel, and representatives of national organizations and royal patronages. Queen Margrethe wore the same clothes and jewels for Thursday’s reception, but Crown Princess Mary chose a different ensemble.

Royal fashion chroniclers noted that Mary has been wearing this velvet jacket since at least 2010, and the skirt has been in her collection since at least 2016. The jacket and skirt were worn together previously at a New Year’s reception in January 2018. (There’s also a fascinating little pop of animal print on her shoes!)

With a pair of diamond cluster earrings, Mary wore a necklace that has been in her jewelry box for two decades. The five-stranded pearl choker necklace has a striking aquamarine clasp with a dark blue sapphire halo. There are also sapphires set as spaces between the pearls. The necklace is said to have been one of Mary’s engagement presents from Frederik back in 2003.

Some scheduling notes: a reminder that tomorrow’s article will be posted for subscribers at my new Substack newsletter, Hidden Gems. On Sunday, I’ll be sending out my free weekly newsletter with a digest of the week’s articles, and I’ll be back here with a new article on Monday!