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Sparkling Royal Jewels From Around the World

Jewel History: Now Married Three Times (1903)

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Alice and Andrew on their religious wedding day in Darmstadt [source]
“Now Married Three Times”
(originally appeared in the New York Times on 8 Oct 1903)

Darmstadt, Oct. 7 — In the presence of a notable gathering, which included an Emperor, an Empress, a King, and two Queens, the marriage of Princess Alice of Battenberg [1] and Prince Andreas of Greece [2] was celebrated today according to the rites of the Lutheran and Greek churches.

The bride’s aunts, uncles, and parents at the wedding: Grand Duke Ernst of Hesse and by Rhine, Tsarina Alexandra Feodorovna of Russia, Tsar Nicholas II of Russia, Princess Irene of Prussia, Prince Henry of Prussia, Grand Duchess Elisabeth Feodorovna of Russia, Grand Duke Sergei Alexandrovich of Russia, Princess Louis of Battenberg, and Prince Louis of Battenberg [source]

The wedding party, whose dresses and uniforms made a very effective spectacle, assembled at 3:30 in the old castle, and then crossed the castle yard to the castle church. Prince George of Greece [3] with Princess Victoria [4] led the procession, and they were followed by the Grand Duke of Hesse [5], with the Czarina [6]; the Czar [7], with Queen Alexandra [8]; the members of the Greek royal family, and finally Prince Louis of Battenberg [9], with his daughters, the Princesses Alice [10] and Louise [11].

The church was filled with diplomats, the local authorities, and the royal suites. The Protestant ceremony lasted three-quarters of an hour, the officiating clergyman being the Rev. Dr. Petersen. The party then, amid the ringing of the famous chimes, drove in reverse order to the Greek chapel, a mile distant on the Mathildanhohe, where they were greeted by a large crowd. There the marriage ceremony was celebrated according to the Greek rites by Archpriest Janitcheff, a Russian choir performing the musical service. All then returned directly to the palace.

Princess Alice on her wedding day; she wears her mother’s diamond star tiara (later lost in Russia during the revolution) and a diamond circle-and-star necklace that’s said to have been a wedding gift from her mother [source]

The bride wore white crepe de chine, with orange blossoms, and a bodice of Point de Venise lace. Queen Alexandra was dressed in purple tulle, with sequins, and had a diamond diadem. The Czarina wore a gown of white tulle embroidered with silver, and wore a Russian diadem. The Queen of Greece was in gray satin.

A family dinner was held this evening, with forty-two covers. Afterward the wedded couple started in a motor car, presented by the Czar, for Heiligenberg Castle on a short honeymoon.

Alice wearing the diamond tiara that may have been her wedding gift from her uncle and aunt, Tsar Nicholas II and Tsarina Alexandra Feodorovna of Russia (see note #12 below) [source]

The gifts to the bridal couple include a massive silver epergne from the King and Queen of England and a magnificent diadem of brilliants from the Czar and Czarina [12].

The civil marriage of Prince Andrew and Princess Alice took place on Tuesday.

NOTES

1. Princess Andrew of Greece and Denmark (1885-1969), born Princess Alice of Battenberg, was the elder daughter of Prince Louis of Battenberg and Princess Victoria of Hesse and by Rhine. Through her mother, she was a great-granddaughter of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert. She had five children, including the Duke of Edinburgh; she lived a remarkable, complicated life.

2. Prince Andrew of Greece and Denmark (1882-1944) was the seventh child of King George I and Queen Olga of Greece. He met and fell in love with Alice at the coronation of King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra of the United Kingdom in 1902. Queen Alexandra was Andrew’s aunt; King Edward was Alice’s great-uncle.

3. Prince George of Greece and Denmark (1869-1957) was the groom’s elder brother. He was married to Princess Marie Bonaparte but also had a long-lasting, very complex relationship with his uncle, Prince Valdemar of Denmark.

4. Princess Louis of Battenberg (1863-1950), born Princess Victoria of Hesse and by Rhine, the eldest daughter of Grand Duke Louis IV of Hesse and Princess Alice of the United Kingdom (the second daughter of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert). Following World War I, when her husband was stripped of his German title, Victoria was known as the Marchioness of Milford Haven.

5. Grand Duke Ernst of Hesse and by Rhine (1868-1937) was the bride’s uncle. He was the younger brother of Princess Victoria of Hesse. Ernst had been married to another grandchild of Queen Victoria, Princess Victoria Melita of Edinburgh, but two years before this wedding, they divorced. A little over a year after Alice and Andrew’s wedding, Ernst married again, this time to Princess Eleonore of Solms-Hohensolms-Lich. Their son, Georg Donatus, would eventually marry Andrew and Alice’s daughter, Cecilie.

6. Tsarina Alexandra Feodorovna of Russia (1872-1918), born Princess Alix of Hesse and by Rhine, was the bride’s aunt. She was the youngest living sister of Princess Victoria of Hesse. I’m thinking you all know what happened to her, but just in case: hemophilia, Rasputin, revolution, murder.

7. Tsar Nicholas II of Russia (1868-1918) was the groom’s first cousin; his mother, who was born Princess Dagmar of Denmark, was the sister of King George I of Greece. Again, I’m thinking you all know what happened to him; see above.

8. Queen Alexandra of the United Kingdom (1844-1925), born Princess Alexandra of Denmark, was the groom’s aunt; she was the sister of King George I of Greece. She was also the bride’s great-aunt, as her husband, King Edward VII, was the brother of the bride’s grandmother, Princess Alice of the United Kingdom.

9. Prince Louis of Battenberg (1854-1921) was the bride’s father. He had a German princely title (his father was a Hessian prince), but he served in the British royal navy, even becoming First Sea Lord in 1912. He relinquished his German title in the wake of World War I and adopted the Anglicized surname “Mountbatten”; King George V subsequently made him the Marquess of Milford Haven. His children were all prominent 20th century royal figures: Princess Andrew of Greece, Queen Louise of Sweden, Earl Mountbatten, and George, 2nd Marquess of Milford Haven.

10. This is Princess Alice, the bride.

11. Princess Louise of Battenberg (1889-1965), younger sister of the bride. She became Lady Louise Mountbatten when the family’s German titles were removed in 1917; six years later, she married the widowed Crown Prince Gustaf Adolf of Sweden and eventually became Queen Louise of Sweden.

12. This bit of information raises an interesting question: which of Alice’s tiaras was the Russian gift? There are photographs of Alice wearing four tiaras during her lifetime. The first, her wedding tiara, never belonged to her; it was borrowed from her mother, Princess Victoria, and was lost in Russia during the revolution. The second “tiara” was actually Alice’s wedding necklace set on a frame; I’ve seen it stated that the necklace was Alice’s wedding gift from her mother. That leaves two tiaras that belonged personally to the princess: the meander tiara that now belongs to Princess Anne, and the diamond tiara that was broken up in the late 1940s for Queen Elizabeth II’s engagement ring and wedding bracelet. By the description of the piece as a “magnificent diadem,” I’m guessing it’s the latter, which was quite large, rather than the small bandeau-style meander tiara. The photographs of Alice wearing the larger diamond tiara are also from an earlier period of her life than the photographs showing the meander tiara. Any and all thoughts on this subject are welcome in the comments!

Royal Jewel Rewind: Haakon and Mette-Marit’s Wedding (2001)

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He was a crown prince, and she was a single mother and a waitress: theirs is something of a real-life Cinderella story. On this day fourteen years ago, Crown Prince Haakon and Crown Princess Mette-Marit of Norway, the nation’s future king and queen, married in Oslo. Let’s have a look at the jewels worn at their wedding, shall we? (PS: if you missed yesterday’s look back to their pre-wedding gala, head over here!)

The bride wore a lovely, sleek, simple wedding gown and adorned it with equally delicate jewels. The star of the show, jewelry-wise, was the diamond daisy bandeau given to her by her new parents-in-law, King Harald and Queen Sonja. She also wore a delicate necklace and small earrings.

And here’s a better look at the dress, including the dramatic bouquet. (And look how young Haakon looks without the beard!)

Haakon’s mother, Queen Sonja, wore the family’s magnificent suite of emeralds with a bright green gown. She also wore the Order of St. Olav and King Harald’s family order.

The groom’s sister, Princess Märtha Louise, wore the tiara given to her by her grandfather, King Olav. She also wore an … interesting set of jewelry, including a necklace, a bracelet, and earrings, that look to be set with topazes or aquamarines. You can also spot a small diamond brooch, the Order of St. Olav, and her father’s family order. I’m not sure about the ring — it’s not her engagement ring, as she and Ari didn’t make their engagement official until that December.

Princess Astrid, King Harald’s sister and Crown Prince Haakon’s godmother,wore the gorgeous suite of turquoise and diamond jewelry that belonged to Queen Alexandra of the United Kingdom, her great-grandmother. She’s also wearing the Order of St. Olav and three family orders: those of her grandfather (King Haakon VII), her father, (King Olav V), and her brother (King Harald V).

Without a doubt, the most adorable Norwegian guest at the wedding was Mette-Marit’s son, Marius. Look at his little suit! How many four-year-olds get to wear white tie and tails?

Queen Silvia of Sweden dazzled in diamonds, including Queen Sofia’s Tiara, the Carl Johan Earrings, a diamond collet necklace with a pendant, diamond bracelets, and a large diamond brooch. She’s also wearing the Order of St. Olav and the family order of her husband, King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden (who is also Crown Prince Haakon’s godfather).

Crown Princess Victoria made an early appearance in what has become her signature tiara, the Baden Fringe. She’s also wearing the small diamond earrings made from Queen Josefina’s diamond stomacher, a diamond and pearl brooch, the Order of St. Olav, and her father’s family order.

Princess Madeleine wore the Modern Fringe Tiara to the wedding. (It’s the same piece that she wore at her wedding, but she couldn’t have known that then — her wedding day was still more than eleven years in the future.) She’s also wearing simple diamond stud earrings, the Bernadotte diamond bow brooch, and a diamond necklace. She didn’t yet have a Norwegian order in 2001, so she’s wearing the Order of the Seraphim, plus her father’s family order.

Also representing the Swedes: Prince Carl Philip, who escorted his sisters. Like Madeleine, he’s wearing the Order of the Seraphim.

Queen Margrethe II of Denmark (another of Crown Prince Haakon’s godparents) wore the appropriately heart-shaped Baden Palmette Tiara to the wedding, pairing it with a diamond riviere and a pair of over-the-top diamond floral earrings. She’s also wearing the Order of St. Olav, the badge of the Order of the Dannebrog, and her father’s family order.

No Mary yet at this wedding — but Crown Prince Frederik was the best man! He’s wearing the Order of St. Olav.

Princess Benedikte, Margrethe’s younger sister, wore a tiara she had just inherited from her late mother: Queen Sofia’s Star and Pearl Tiara. She paired it with a diamond necklace that was made from a sautoir that belonged to Queen Alexandrine, plus Queen Ingrid’s diamond fan earrings and star brooches that belonged to Queen Victoria of Sweden. She’s also wearing the Order of St. Olav.

Benedikte’s elder daughter, Princess Alexandra of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg, borrowed her mother’s Floral Birthday Tiara for the wedding. She also wore an elaborate choker necklace of seed pearls. Bjarne Steen Jensen, author of a book on Danish jewels, states that the piece was one of Queen Ingrid’s christening gifts, given to her by her Swedish grandparents, King Gustaf V and Queen Victoria.

Queen Margrethe’s youngest sister, Queen Anne-Marie of Greece, also wore a piece of Ingrid’s jewelry at the wedding: the Khedive of Egypt Tiara, which belonged to Ingrid’s mother, Crown Princess Margareta of Sweden. (The piece is now the wedding tiara for Ingrid’s female descendants.) Anne-Marie is also wearing an aquamarine pendant that belonged to Margareta, plus a square aquamarine and diamond brooch that was a gift from a Greek shipping magnate. The diamond bracelets on her right wrist are a part of the convertible necklace made from Queen Alexandrine’s sautoir. She’s also wearing her highest Greek order, the Order of the Redeemer.

Anne-Marie’s elder daughter, Princess Alexia of Greece and Denmark, wore her diamond tiara at the wedding. She also wore the same small diamond earrings that she wore at her wedding, plus a brooch with a small pendant drop and the Order of the Redeemer.

Anne-Marie’s second son, Prince Nikolaos, also attended the wedding. Like his mother and sister, he’s wearing the Order of the Redeemer.

The Brits sent three representatives to Haakon’s wedding — though curiously, his British godmother, Princess Anne, didn’t attend. Prince Charles came alone (though Haakon and Mette-Marit returned the favor four years later, as some of the only European royals to attend his wedding to Camilla). Charles is wearing the Order of St. Olav.

The other Windsors at the wedding were the Earl and Countess of Wessex. Sophie wore her wedding tiara, diamond earrings, and the pearl and diamond necklace given to her by Edward as a first anniversary present.

Queen Paola of Belgium wore Queen Elisabeth’s Art Deco Bandeau, plus her diamond half-moon earrings, her convertible diamond necklace, a crescent-shaped brooch, and the Order of St. Olav.

The Duke of Brabant — now King Philippe of the Belgians — attended the wedding without his wife, Mathilde, who was expecting their first child, Princess Elisabeth (now the Duchess of Brabant). Philippe is wearing his highest Belgian order, the Order of Leopold.

Grand Duchess Maria Teresa of Luxembourg wore the Chaumet Pearl Choker Tiara to the wedding, plus an enormous double-stranded diamond necklace, diamond bracelets, diamond and pearl earrings, and the Order of St. Olav.

To solve the problem of a modest tiara for a princess-to-be, Máxima Zorreguieta Cerruti (now Queen Máxima of the Netherlands) wore the base of the Antique Pearl Tiara without its upright pearls. She’s also wearing earrings and a brooch set with diamonds and gray pearls.

She also wore diamond bracelets and her engagement ring.

Willem-Alexander’s brother, Prince Constantijn (wearing the Order of the Netherlands Lion), attended the wedding with his wife, Princess Laurentien. She wore the family’s Ears of Wheat Tiara, made of brooches that date to the beginning of the 19th century.

No Monegasque princesses at this wedding, unfortunately, but Prince Albert II attended, wearing the Order of Saint-Charles.

Queen Sofia of Spain wore her floral tiara with diamond earrings, a diamond necklace, and a diamond bow brooch, plus the Order of St. Olav. Her escort was her son, the Prince of Asturias (now King Felipe VI of Spain). This was pre-Letizia, and many of you will remember that Felipe’s controversial wedding date was…

… his girlfriend, the statuesque Norwegian model Eva Sannum. Their relationship ended a few months later, and he met Letizia the following year.

Which jewels from this royal wedding are your favorites?