Icelandic Diamonds for Crown Princess Mary in Reykjavik

Today, the King and Queen of Denmark will hold the first incoming state visit of his reign, welcoming the President of Iceland and her husband to Copenhagen. Ahead of today’s glittering welcome ceremony and state banquet, I’ve got a look back at a gala moment from the royal couple’s visit to Iceland back in the spring of 2008.

Four years after their royal wedding, Crown Prince Frederik and Crown Princess Mary of Denmark journeyed to Iceland for a visit with President Ólafur Ragnar Grímsson and his wife, Dorrit Moussaieff. The presidential couple hosted a gala dinner for the royals at the presidential residence, Bessastaðir, near Reykjavík. For the black-tie dinner, both the First Lady and the Crown Princess wore gowns and jewels. (Moussaieff, who is a jewelry designer, always wore interesting jewelry pieces for gala occasions during her husband’s tenure in office.)

For the dinner, Crown Princess Mary wore an artistic evening gown from Nina Ricci, paired with a short black jacket for her arrival at the residence.

Here’s a look at the evening gown inside the residence when she removed her jacket after arriving for the dinner.

Mary kept her jewelry fairly minimal for the dinner, wearing a sparkling pair of earrings with bangle bracelets and rings.

The earrings were undoubtedly the star of the show. They feature diamond studs arranged in a flower-inspired cluster, from which pendants made of diamonds and large, rectangular-cut gemstones are suspended. The pale pink gems are, I believe, morganites.

If my notes are correct, the earrings come from the brand Cenius & Bach. This angle offers a nice view of the floral stud and the pink tone of the gems.

Mary also owns a second, almost identical pair of earrings from the same brand, set with purple amethysts. (She’s a February baby, so amethyst is her birthstone.) These feature Mary’s royal cypher on the back of the pendant, and I believe the pink version may include the cypher as well.

Today, Frederik and Mary will host the Icelandic presidential couple in Copenhagen as King and Queen of Denmark. The state visit begins later today in Copenhagen with an official welcome reception at Amalienborg. After several more daytime engagements, the day will conclude with a gala banquet at Christiansborg Palace, attended by the King and Queen and Princess Benedikte. I’m planning extensive coverage here on the site, so head back later today and cross your fingers for two excellent tiaras this evening!