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Sparkling Royal Jewels From Around the World

This Fortnight in Royal Jewels: August 14-27

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August 14-27, 2015

Time yet again for a recap of some of the royal jewels on display over the past few weeks. We’re still in the doldrums of August, but we’ve got a few bejeweled appearances to discuss! Be sure to vote for your favorite jewels in the poll below…

10. Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden wore a delicate necklace, earrings, and bracelets with a silver watch at the Climate Pilgrimage on August 22.

9. Joining Victoria at the Climate Pilgrimage was Crown Princess Mette-Marit of Norway, who wore a gold pendant necklace and colorful bracelets.

8. During the VJ Day anniversary celebrations on August 15, the Countess of Wessex wore her trendy pearl earrings from Heavenly Necklaces, with a large pearl affixed to the back of a smaller stud.

7. Here’s how you know that the back-to-front pearl earrings are definitely on trend: Queen Rania of Jordan wore a marbleized pair at a university conference in France on August 26.

6. Empress Michiko of Japan wore a pair of interesting earrings and a simple pendant necklace to travel to a medical checkup in Tokyo on August 9.

5. Four days earlier, Michiko wore a simpler pair of earrings with a pearl necklace at the Florence Nightingale awards ceremony.

4. Crown Princess Victoria wore a rather “sharp” pair of earrings with a coordinating bracelet at the Radio Sweden anniversary celebrations on August 21.

3. Queen Maxima selected a lovely pair of earrings with a pale pink pendant drop at the opening of Papageno House on August 26.

2. The Duchess of Cornwall wore some of her favorite pieces of jewelry — her pearl and diamond earrings, plus her pearl necklace with the round diamond clasp — at the VJ Day anniversary celebrations on August 15.

1. Queen Elizabeth II chose one of her most important brooches — the Cullinan V — for the VJ Day anniversary celebrations. (You can read more about the Cullinan Diamond here!)

The Top Ten: Diamond Floral Tiaras

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One of my favorite kinds of sparklers, hands down, is the classic floral tiara. It’s hard to find one that doesn’t make the wearer look good. They’re usually well-balanced, extremely sparkly, and easy to wear — three very important factors. Here are ten of my favorite floral tiaras — be sure to weigh in with your list in the comments below!

10. The Small Nassau Floral Tiara

The Vine Leaves Tiara from the grand ducal collection is one of my favorite tiaras of all time, but it’s really more of a wreath than a true floral tiara. The more petite diamond floral sparkler in the Nassau vaults is a proper floral tiara, and it’s romantic enough that it’s been used as a wedding tiara more than once by family brides.

This diamond sparkler originally belonged to the Queen Mother, who wore it in the fashionable ’20s bandeau style early in her royal career. The tiara remains in the family’s vaults today, and it’s anyone’s guess as to which princess will don it next. The Duchess of Cambridge? One of the York princesses? Prince Harry’s future wife? We’ll see!

8. The Isenburg Floral Tiara

The family tiara of a relatively minor German princely family, this diamond floral sparkler came into the spotlight when it was worn by two family brides: Katharina, who married Archduke Martin of Austria-Este (brother of Prince Lorenz of Belgium), and Sophie, who married Prince Georg Friedrich of Prussia.

When Princess Astrid of Belgium dons a tiara, it’s usually this diamond floral sparkler, which belonged to her mother-in-law, Archduchess Margherita of Austria-Este (born Princess Margherita of Savoy). A legacy of the ’20s, the tiara was originally worn as a bandeau.

6. The Hanoverian Floral Tiara

They may not have a throne anymore, but the House of Hanover still has several sparkly tiaras in their arsenal, including this lovely diamond floral piece. Unseen for years, it reappeared a decade ago on Princess Caroline, the wife of Prince Ernst August, at the Danish crown princely wedding.

5. Princess Benedikte’s Floral Birthday Tiara

It’s a tradition in the Scandinavian royal families to give princesses a tiara on their eighteenth birthdays, and this was the sparkler given to Princess Benedikte of Denmark in 1962. Made from a diamond floral brooch that belonged to Queen Alexandrine, the tiara can also be worn with an emerald as its center stone.

Okay, maybe not all floral tiaras are easy to wear — but then, not every floral tiara is the Braganza. The biggest sparkler in the Swedish royal vaults, this diamond tiara belonged Empress Amelie of Brazil before making its way to Sweden. Today, it’s one of the favorite pieces of Queen Silvia.



3. The Imperial Chrysanthemum Tiara

Chrysanthemums are such an important symbol to the Japanese imperial family that the monarchy is sometimes called “the Chrysanthemum Throne.” It makes sense, then, that one of their grandest tiaras features a chrysanthemum motif. Empress Michiko doesn’t often wear tiaras anymore, but when she did, this diamond floral tiara was a regular in her rotation.

Princess Marie of Denmark really only wears one tiara on a regular basis, but it’s a good one: a diamond floral sparkler that belonged to Princess Dagmar of Denmark. The tiara has height, sparkle, and interest — what’s not to love?

Classic, classic, classic — this diamond floral tiara was made for a nineteenth-century Spanish queen and looks just as a good in the twenty-first century. This still belongs to Queen Sofia of Spain, but she frequently loans it to Queen Letizia, who puts it to good use at state banquets and other white-tie events.

Royal Jewel Rewind: Princess Madeleine’s Wedding (2013)

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Note: From Friday, June 5 until Sunday, June 14, I will be traveling and will be away from my computer. For notes about how this will affect the blog, especially commenting, visit here!
Let’s get into the Swedish royal wedding spirit with a look back at the wedding of Princess Madeleine of Sweden, everybody! Madeleine married Christopher O’Neill two years ago this week, with white tie and tiaras galore. (If you missed yesterday’s look at their pre-wedding dinner, click here!)

On her wedding day, Princess Madeleine borrowed her mother’s Modern Fringe Tiara, wearing it with orange blossoms arranged at the tiara’s base. She also wore the Vasa earrings, historic pieces of Swedish royal heirloom jewelry.

On her left wrist, Madeleine wore one of the family’s diamond bracelets.

The gown was designed by Valentino. The groom also received a new bit of bling: the Order of the Polar Star, the second highest-ranking order of chivalry in Sweden.

The mother-of-the bride wore jewelry that reminded all gathered that she was, indeed, the Queen of Sweden. Silvia donned Queen Sofia’s Tiara (also sometimes called the “Nine-Prong”) with diamond earrings, a diamond riviere with a pendant stone, and the diamond floral brooch from the Brazilian parure. She also wore the Order of the Seraphim and her husband’s family order.

In memory of her late great-aunt, Princess Lilian, Crown Princess Victoria wore the tiara that Lilian bequeathed to her: the Boucheron Laurel Wreath Tiara, which was given to Crown Princess Margareta of Sweden as a wedding present by Queen Sofia. The tiara can also be worn as a necklace, but Victoria chose another heirloom necklace for the wedding: the one created by modifying a stomacher that had belonged to Joséphine of Leuchtenberg. Victoria also wore diamond earrings, diamond bracelets, a diamond rosette brooch, the Order of the Seraphim, and her father’s family order. Her best accessory, though, was probably the adorable Princess Estelle!

Royal girlfriend Sofia Hellqvist, who will become Princess Sofia of Sweden on Saturday, wore a pair of golden earrings with a leaf motif for the wedding.

The king’s sisters were all at the wedding as well. Princess Margaretha wore the Baden Fringe Tiara with diamond earrings and a diamond necklace, plus the Order of the Seraphim and her brother’s family order.

Princess Birgitta wore the Connaught Diamond Tiara, plus diamond earrings, diamond bracelets, and the sapphire and diamond necklace that belonged to her mother, Princess Sibylla. She’s also wearing the Order of the Seraphim and her brother’s family order.

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Princess Désirée, the king’s third sister, wore the Napoleonic Cut-Steel Tiara, pairing it with diamond earrings and a coordinating diamond (and pink topaz?) brooch. She also wore the Order of the Seraphim and her brother’s family order.

The king’s fourth sister, Princess Christina, wore the family’s Diamond Six-Button Tiara with pearl and diamond jewelry. She’s also wearing the Order of the Seraphim and her brother’s family order.

Princess Désirée of Hohenzollern, Princess Birgitta’s daughter, wore a diamond necklace with the pearl tiara that Birgitta received from her grandfather, King Gustaf VI Adolf of Sweden.

Vicky, the girlfriend (now wife) of Princess Christina’s son, Gustaf Magnuson, wore a gorgeous pair of pendant earrings.

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Countess Gunnila Bernadotte af Wisborg, the widow of Count Carl Johan Bernadotte af Wisborg, wore her diamond aigrette tiara with pearls.

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Countess Marianne Bernadotte af Wisborg, the widow of Count Sigvard Bernadotte af Wisborg, wore her amethyst and gold parure.

Crown Princess Mette-Marit of Norway wore her mother-in-law’s amethyst parure with the Order of the Polar Star.

Mette-Marit’s sister-in-law, Princess Märtha Louise of Norway, wore the small version of Queen Maud’s Pearl Tiara, plus a demi-parure set with either sapphires or tanzanites. She also wore the Order of the Polar Star.

Crown Princess Mary of Denmark donned the tiara from the Midnight Parure, a pair of diamond earrings, the Order of the Polar Star, and her mother-in-law’s family order.

Princess Marie of Denmark wore her usual sparkler: Princess Dagmar’s Floral Tiara. She also wore diamond earrings. She doesn’t have a Swedish order, so she wore her highest Danish order, the Order of the Elephant, plus her mother-in-law’s family order.

Princess Benedikte of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg, one of Madeleine’s godparents, wore the star and pearl tiara that once belonged to Queen Sofia of Sweden. She also wore a set of diamond stars that belonged to Queen Victoria of Sweden, a diamond necklace that belonged to Queen Alexandrine of Denmark, and pearl earrings. She’s wearing the Order of the Polar Star, plus her father’s family order and the ribbon and badge of the Order of the Dannebrog. (Note: the man walking beside Benedikte isn’t her husband, Prince Richard; it’s Prince Andreas of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, first cousin of the Swedish king.)

Marie-Chantal of Greece and Denmark wore her daughter’s diamond fringe tiara, plus diamond earrings, a long delicate necklace, and the Order of Saints Olga and Sophia (her highest Greek order, as she doesn’t have a Swedish order).

Tatiana of Greece and Denmark borrowed her mother-in-law’s Antique Corsage Tiara, pairing it with her diamond wedding earrings, a small diamond brooch, and the Order of Saints Olga and Sophia.

Theodora of Greece and Denmark borrowed a diamond tiara from her sister, Alexia. She also wore diamond and pearl pendant earrings, a small diamond and pearl brooch, and the Order of Saints Olga and Sophia.

The Countess of Wessex borrowed an aquamarine tiara from her mother-in-law, Queen Elizabeth II. She paired it with diamond earrings, a round diamond and aquamarine brooch, the Royal Victorian Order (her highest British order, as she doesn’t have a Swedish order), and Elizabeth II’s family order.

Hereditary Grand Duchess Stéphanie of Luxembourg wore the family’s suite of pearl and citrine jewelry for the first time at the wedding. Because she doesn’t have a Swedish order, she wore her highest Luxembourgish order, the Order of Adolphe of Nassau. (The citrines and the blue order sash also helpfully echoed the colors of the Swedish flag!)

Say it with me, everybody: Princess Charlene wore no jewelry. Maybe they forgot to pack her jewel case?

Princess Takamado, on the other hand, wore a delightful suite of matching pearl and diamond jewelry, including a tiara, a necklace, a pair of earrings, and two bracelets. Hisako doesn’t have a Swedish order, so she wore her highest Japanese order, the Order of the Precious Crown.

Princess Anna of Bavaria wore a tiara that reportedly belongs to her own family, the Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburgs, plus diamond earrings and a necklace with a vivid purple-pink gemstone.

Hereditary Princess Kelly of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha wore the family’s antique turquoise and diamond tiara at the wedding, plus small earrings and the Ducal Saxe-Coburg and Gotha House Order, which was revived by Kelly’s father-in-law in 2006.

The mother of the groom, Eva O’Neill, kept her jewelry simple, choosing a fascinator instead of a tiara and wearing (relatively) small diamond earrings.

Eva’s daughters, however, donned tiaras. Tatjana d’Abo wore a small diamond bandeau with a floral motif.

And Countess Natascha of Abensberg-Traun wore a delicate diamond meander bandeau with simple diamond earrings and an elaborate bracelet.



That’s it for our look back at Princess Madeleine’s wedding! Stay tuned for more Swedish jewels this week, and click here to read all of our posts about the upcoming royal wedding!