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Sparkling Royal Jewels From Around the World

Prinsjesdag Jewels 2017

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ROBIN VAN LONKHUIJSEN/AFP/Getty Images

Following the destruction in the Caribbean after the recent hurricanes, this year’s Prinsjesdag in the Netherlands was a bit more sedate, with muted colors all around. But we did get some glittering jewels to enjoy!

KOEN VAN WEEL/AFP/Getty Images

Queen Maxima accessorized her gray gown with diamonds and aquamarines, including one of my favorite Dutch royal jewels: the family’s diamond trellis necklace in its all-diamond form. She also wore pieces from Queen Juliana’s aquamarine suite, including the large brooch and earrings with the briolette drops. An aquamarine ring can just be spotted on her left hand.

ROBIN VAN LONKHUIJSEN/AFP/Getty Images

She also wore two of her go-to diamond bracelets: her wedding bracelet and the bracelet made of her family’s initials.

NIELS WENSTEDT/AFP/Getty Images

Princess Laurentien chose a pair of statement earrings with milky blue gemstones and chain pendants to coordinate with her silvery gown and hat. I also spy a blue ring — perhaps aquamarine or blue topaz — on her right hand.

ROBIN VAN LONKHUIJSEN/AFP/Getty Images

She secured her order sash with a small round brooch.

BART MAAT/AFP/Getty Images

Not on the balcony, but present for the festivities, was Princess Beatrix, who wore colorful jewelry, including a bracelet that appears to be set with cabochon stones.

State Opening of Parliament Jewels 2017

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CARL COURT/AFP/Getty Images

This morning, Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom attended a scaled-back version of the State Opening of Parliament, where she delivered the Queen’s speech in a hat and coat rather than her usual crown and robes.

Arthur Edwards – WPA Pool/Getty Images

The Queen was accompanied to the event by her eldest son, the Prince of Wales. The Duke of Edinburgh, who usually attends with her, has been hospitalized on a precaution while dealing with an infection. (Buckingham Palace has assured everyone that there’s no need for alarm.) With Philip’s impending retirement, I’d imagine we’ll be seeing Charles play this role in the future, too.

Toby Melville – WPA Pool/Getty Images

Because the State Opening had to be rescheduled as a result of the recent elections, the Queen did not wear the grand trappings of state to deliver her speech, but the Imperial State Crown was still present at the event. (I don’t want to jinx anything, but I wouldn’t be surprised if this is the model for the State Opening for the rest of QEII’s reign. I hope I’m wrong about that, but wearing a crown and robes would be difficult for most of us, let alone a woman who is over ninety.)

Arthur Edwards – WPA Pool/Getty Images

The Queen did wear her usual daytime jewel combo: pearl and diamond earrings, pearl necklace, and brooch. Congrats to everyone who guessed the Cullinan V Brooch in our earlier poll!

Arthur Edwards – WPA Pool/Getty Images

After the speech, the Queen and Prince Charles zipped off to Royal Ascot. Look for our coverage of the races later this afternoon!

No Crowns at Parliament in June

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ALASTAIR GRANT/AFP/Getty Images

June is typically one of the sparkliest royal months in the United Kingdom, with Trooping the Colour, Garter Day, and Royal Ascot coming back-to-back. But this year, the recently-called elections will be changing a few things — and not for the better where royal jewels are concerned!

It was announced today that, because of the elections, the state opening of parliament has been moved to June 19. That was supposed to be Garter Day, but this year’s service has been cancelled by the Queen so that she can attend the state opening. No parade of royals in their formal Garter attire at Windsor this June, sadly.

But it gets even worse for royal jewel lovers: because of the shuffle, the state opening will be noticeably less formal this year. The Queen will not wear her crown or her robes, and she’ll be driven to parliament in a car, not a carriage. This kind of “dressed-down” state opening has happened before, but not since the 1970s. Unfortunately, it means we won’t see the kind of pageantry and finery that we’ve come to expect from the event.

So, bottom line: we’ll likely see a hat and brooch at parliament on June 19, and we’ll have to wait until next year to see the Garter knights and ladies at Windsor. What brooch do you hope HM will wear for the state opening? Something particularly grand, perhaps, to lend just a little bit of sparkle to a usually glittering occasion?