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Sparkling Royal Jewels From Around the World

Royal Jewels from the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge’s Wedding (2011)

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Ten years ago today, the eyes of the world were on Westminster Abbey, where Prince William of Wales married his longtime girlfriend, Kate Middleton. The new Duke and Duchess of Cambridge were cheered by thousands gathered in the streets of London and millions more watching on television from home. Today, I’ve got a look back at some of the jewels worn for the magnificent wedding ceremony.

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Kate Middleton arrived at Westminster Abbey wearing an Alexander McQueen gown and two pieces of significant jewelry: a tiara and a pair of earrings. 
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The tiara was the Cartier Halo Tiara, which royal watchers had until that morning called the “scroll” tiara. The sparkler was a nod to the Queen Mum, after whom Kate has carefully patterned her royal role in the years since.
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Made by Cartier, the tiara was a gift from King George VI to his wife, Queen Elizabeth (the Queen Mother), in 1936. The Queen Mum gave the tiara to her elder daughter, the future Queen Elizabeth II, on her eighteenth birthday in 1944. Elizabeth later loaned it to her sister, Princess Margaret, and to her daughter, Princess Anne. 
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The tiara had gone unworn in public for years before it made a surprise appearance on April 29, 2011. (It’s been displayed during the decade since, but it hasn’t been worn again since the wedding day.)
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If the tiara was Kate’s “something borrowed,” her wedding earrings, which were a gift from her parents, certainly counted as her “something new.” Designed by Robinson Pelham to echo the scrolling diamonds of the Cartier tiara, the earrings also featured a pendant with a small diamond acorn in its center. The acorn may seem like a strange motif for a bride to wear, but this symbol was a tribute to her own family.
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A coat of arms was granted to the Middletons in the weeks before the wedding, and it featured three acorns, one for each of their three children. The earrings, then, marry design elements from both the Windsors and the Middletons in one small, elegant diamond package. (Kate also added another new piece of jewelry to her collection on the day: a slim wedding band made out of Welsh gold.)
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For the Queen, the day must have been joyful not only because it represented the happiness of her grandson but also because it helped to ensure the continuation of her monarchy. She wore a large diamond brooch that represented the generations of the family that had come before. 
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Queen Mary’s Lover’s Knot Brooch was inherited by the Queen from her grandmother in 1953. Mary bought the diamond brooch from Garrard in 1932. And this wasn’t the only major royal wedding to which Elizabeth wore the brooch; she also affixed it to her bright blue gown at Princess Margaret’s wedding in 1960.
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The bride’s mother, Carole Middleton—one of the most elegantly dressed women at the wedding, if you ask me—added a delicate necklace with a sparkling pendant and matching earrings to her outfit.
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Her ensemble for the day was a Catherine Walker design.
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The Duchess of Cornwall wore one of the most voluminous hats to the wedding, but she kept her jewelry simple. 
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The most dazzling pieces she wore were the pair of diamond brooches in the shape of four-leaf clovers. She also wore a single strand of pearls and pearl drop earrings.
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Queen Margrethe II of Denmark, who (like many of the royal guests) is both a member of the extended family and the head of another royal house, wore one of her most sentimental pieces of jewelry on the day: the Diamond Daisy Brooch, which was given to her by her mother, the late Queen Ingrid. 
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The brooch is also a remembrance of Margrethe’s British-born grandmother, Princess Margaret of Connaught. Head over here for more on the history of the piece!
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Queen Mathilde of the Belgians, then the Duchess of Brabant, wore a deep turquoise satin outfit and accessorized it with diamond jewelry. 
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Her necklace in particular is of interest: it’s her laurel wreath tiara, which was one of her wedding gifts, taken off its frame. She paired the necklace with diamond and pearl earrings, a diamond bracelet, and a diamond rose brooch.
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Queen Maxima of the Netherlands, then still a princess, also went for major bling. Along with a diamond necklace and earrings, she wore a number of the family’s diamond stars attached to her hat. 
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The choice of jewels was a small tribute to Maxima’s own royal wedding, where she wore diamond stars on her tiara. The earrings she wore for the Cambridge wedding were made with diamonds taken from Queen Emma’s Art Deco Corsage.
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The Spanish royals were three strong at the Abbey: Queen Sofia and the Prince and Princess of Asturias (who are now King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia). 
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Queen Sofia wore a coordinated set of beaded jewelry that picked up the purple hues of her outfit.
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As usual, Letizia’s jewels were on the minimalist side: a ring or two on her right hand and her Chanel diamond star stud earrings.
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The Norwegian royals are some of the closest foreign cousins of the Windsors, with both families descending from King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra. 
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On the day, Queen Sonja of Norway wore an interesting set of jewelry made from small pearls and gold.
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Princess Ameerah of Saudi Arabia (who has since divorced her royal husband) added large diamond stud earrings to her pink lace dress and coordinating hat.
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Princess Lalla Salma of Morocco wore gold and diamond jewelry that perfectly complimented her beautifully embroidered kaftan.
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Queen Anne-Marie of Greece wore pearls, including a single-stranded necklace and pearl drop earrings with modern gold and emerald studs.
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Princess Marie-Chantal’s hat was the star of the show, but she accented it with sparkling earrings. She attended the wedding with her husband, Crown Prince Pavlos of Greece, and their son, Constantine Alexios, who is a godson of Prince William.
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Prince Seeiso and Princess Mabereng of Lesotho were also in attendance. She wore a lovely suite of matching jewels made of gold set with green stones—perhaps peridot?
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Representing Sweden, Crown Princess Victoria brought along pieces of jewelry from the Bernadotte family vaults. Her earrings are the diamond drops repurposed from Queen Josefina’s Diamond Stomacher, and her brooch is the diamond and pearl floral brooch from the family collection. She also added a necklace with a pearl pendant.
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Pearls were also the jewel of choice for Grand Duchess Maria Teresa of Luxembourg. She wore a pair of antique pearl drop earrings, a single-stranded pearl necklace, and a diamond and sapphire ring.
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Charlene Wittstock, who would become Princess Charlene of Monaco a few months after this wedding, also chose pearls for the occasion.
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As always, Charlene’s style reflects elegance with a modern edge. Rather than reaching for classic diamond and pearl cluster earrings, Charlene wore a new pair with an interesting design twist.
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The Kents also pulled out the pearls from their jewelry boxes. It’s no surprise that so many royal ladies went in that direction; pearls are especially appropriate for a daytime wedding. The Duchess of Kent wore pearl earrings, a pearl bracelet, and a clover pendant studded with pearls.
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Her daughter, Lady Helen Taylor, wore a pair of delicate gold earrings.
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Princess Michael of Kent wore pearl earrings and a double-stranded pearl necklace.
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Her daughter-in-law, Lady Frederick Windsor (Sophie Winkleman), wore classic diamond and pearl drop earrings, too.
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Indeed, nearly every member of the extended British royal family was present for the wedding, most of them wearing subtle, elegant jewels. Pearls, again, were particularly popular.
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Here, you’ll spot Lady Nicholas Windsor, Princess Michael of Kent, and Princess Alexandra, the Hon. Lady Ogilvy. Alexandra wore her lovely pearl choker necklace with the geometric diamond and pearl clasp, as well as a diamond brooch.
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The Duke and Duchess of Gloucester (partially hidden here) attended as well. Birgitte wore pearls with a pair of circle brooches. (You can see her wearing the same brooches in our post on the funeral of Grand Duke Jean of Luxembourg.)
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The Earl and Countess of Ulster, Lady Davina and Gary Lewis, and Lady Rose and George Gilman were present, too.
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Lady Sarah Chatto, Princess Margaret’s daughter, wore lovely jewels inherited from her mother. She wore her diamond and pearl drop earrings, which she also wore on her own wedding day, and her diamond and pearl necklace with its pearl pendant. You’ll also catch a glimpse here of Viscountess Linley in pearls with a floral brooch, and Lady Gabriella Windsor wearing a simple pendant necklace.
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The Princess Royal got the pearl memo, too. She wore a triple strand of pearls with her Andrew Grima pearl, diamond, and gold earrings, as well as her diamond, pearl, and gold floral brooch.
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Zara Phillips, who was married a few months after this wedding, wore simple pearl studs with her eye-catching hat.
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Autumn Kelly Phillips also wore pearl earrings and a necklace with a pearl pendant.
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The Countess of Wessex’s primary accessory was her pave-set diamond earrings.
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Princess Eugenie of York chose a pair of earrings with pendant drops, although really, her outfit needed no extra accessories at all. 
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(Same with her big sister’s famous ensemble, of course.)

Royal Jewels at the Cambridges’ Pre-Wedding Dinner (Part 2)

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Our look back at the royal jewels worn for the pre-wedding dinner in London in April 2011 continues today with a survey of the accessories chosen by the foreign royals attending the festivities. We had a good range of royals from around the world, almost all of whom stepped in front of the cameras and gave us a look at their attire. (A notable exception: Willem-Alexander and Maxima of the Netherlands, who were staying at the Mandarin Oriental and therefore didn’t need to make an entrance/exit.)

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Queen Margrethe II of Denmark chose a two-toned gown for the dinner and carried a beaded clutch bag. Like many of the foreign royals at the wedding, she’s a cousin of the Windsors. Margrethe is the granddaughter of a British princess (Margaret of Connaught, who married King Gustaf VI Adolf of Sweden at Windsor in 1905).
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She accessorized with pearls and diamonds, including a four-stranded pearl necklace and a pair of square diamond brooches. These diamond ornaments were originally cloak clasps, worn as part of traditional royal court dress in Sweden. They belonged to one of Margrethe’s illustrious ancestors, Queen Josefina of Sweden (Joséphine of Leuchtenberg), who was also a granddaughter of Empress Joséphine of France.
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King Harald V and Queen Sonja of Norway, who are the closest European royal cousins of Elizabeth II, were in attendance as well. King Harald is a great-grandson of King Edward VII of the United Kingdom; Harald’s father, King Olav V, was born on the Sandringham estate.
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Sonja wore diamonds and pearls, including a three-stranded pearl bracelet and a four-stranded pearl necklace. She also wore the Drapers’ Company Brooch, which was a wedding gift to Princess Maud of Wales (later Queen Maud of Norway).
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Grand Duke Henri and Grand Duchess Maria Teresa were the representatives from Luxembourg. Like Prince William and Prince Harry, Henri is a graduate of the military academy at Sandhurst. (Henri’s father, Grand Duke Jean, was a graduate of both Sandhurst and Ampleforth College. He also joined the British Army, serving with the Irish Guards during World War II. For years, Jean was colonel of the Irish Guards, and he could often be spotted during the annual Trooping the Colour celebrations in London.) Henri is also a cousin of the British royals; he is a great-great-grandson of King Frederik VIII of Denmark, who was the elder brother of Queen Alexandra of the United Kingdom.
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Grand Duchess Maria Teresa also chose diamonds and pearls for the gala. The brooch pinned to her gown is Princess Ingeborg’s Pearl Fleur-de-Lis Brooch. You’ll note that the clutch bag that Maria Teresa carried is also a royal heirloom: it features the initials of her late mother-in-law, Grand Duchess Josephine-Charlotte.
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Sweden was represented at the wedding celebrations by Crown Princess Victoria and Prince Daniel. (CP Victoria is a great-granddaughter of Princess Margaret of Connaught and a great-great-granddaughter of Prince Leopold, Duke of Albany.)
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Victoria wore several pieces of important Bernadotte jewelry for the gala, including the diamond zig-zag bracelet, the diamond floral earrings from the Braganza Parure, and the family’s diamond and ruby brooch.
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Three royal representatives came to the wedding from Spain. Queen Sofia is related to the Windsors in several ways. She’s a descendant of Queen Victoria’s eldest daughter, Empress Victoria of Germany. She’s also a Greek royal cousin of the Duke of Edinburgh. (Her son, Felipe, was also in attendance; he’s also a descendant of Princess Ena of Battenberg.)
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Sofia’s ensemble for the gala featured shades of bronze, taupe, and teal. She accessorized with her usual layered jewels, including a floral necklace with coordinating earrings and a gem-set brooch.
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The Princess of Asturias (now Queen Letizia) wore a gorgeous lavender-hued gown with floral appliques.
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She accessorized with diamonds, including her Cartier diamond bracelet and her diamond wedding earrings.
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The Duke and Duchess of Brabant (now King Philippe and Queen Mathilde) were the royal representatives from Belgium. The royal families from the UK and Belgium have significant historic ties; the first monarch of independent Belgium, King Leopold I, was an uncle of both Queen Victoria and Prince Albert. Leopold’s first wife was the tragic Princess Charlotte of Wales, the only child of King George IV of the United Kingdom. Leopold became King of Belgium after her untimely death.
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For the pre-wedding gala, Mathilde wore a vibrant orange dress with diamond and pearl accessories. We discussed her necklace (which may have been a loan) in this previous post.
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The Sultan of Brunei attended the gala dinner with his wife, Queen Saleha. She wore an elegant printed gown with a matching hijab for the event.
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As usual, she also wore impressive diamonds, including brooches, a bracelet, and a rather astonishing necklace.
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In April 2011, Malaysia’s monarch (or Yang di-Pertuan Agong) was the Sultan of Terengganu. (The monarchy is an elected one, with the head of state chosen from among nine royal representatives.) His wife, Sultanah Nur Zahirah, was present for the gala dinner. She wore an iridescent purple gown with a coordinating hijab, as well as several sparkling jewelry pieces, including a necklace and a large ring.
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King Mswati III of Swaziland (now Eswatini) attended the gala dinner with Inkhosikati LaMahlangu, one of his eleven wives.
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She wore several sparkling accessories with her ensemble, including a pair of earrings and a statement bracelet.
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Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn represented Thailand at the festivities; she is the daughter of the late King Bhumibol Adulyadej and a sister of the present king, Vajiralongkorn. As usual, her jewelry was minimal. Her most striking accessory was her brooch, which features a portrait of King Rama V framed in diamonds.
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Prince Albert II of Monaco attended the gala with his fiancee, Charlene Wittstock (now Princess Charlene). She wore a silver gown with a festive skirt for the event.
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Charlene accessorized with diamonds, including long pendant earrings and a bracelet. That jewel, which features butterfly and flower designs, looks to me like it may be a Van Cleef and Arpels piece.
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Sheikha Al-Mayassa attended as Qatar’s representative at the event with her husband, Sheikh Jassim. At the time, she was the daughter of the reigning Emir of Qatar; today, her brother holds that role. She is also the chairperson of Qatar Museums. For the gala dinner, she wore diamond and emerald earrings with an avant-garde gown. (She has definitely inherited a love for haute couture fashion from her mother, Sheikha Mozah!)
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Princess Lalla Salma of Morocco was elegant as always in one of her richly-embroidered kaftans. She accessorized with dazzling earrings and a sparkling jeweled belt.
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Several members of former reigning families with close ties to the Windsors were present, too. King Constantine II and Queen Anne-Marie of Greece were both in attendance. They lived in London for several years, and they are cousins of both the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh. King Constantine is a close friend of the Prince of Wales, and he is one of Prince William’s godfathers. For the gala, Queen Anne-Marie wore a gown in shades of cornflower blue and bronze, accessorized with pearls.
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Crown Prince Pavlos and Crown Princess Marie-Chantal were also part of the Greek royal guest list. Prince William is a godfather of their eldest son, Constantine-Alexios. Marie-Chantal wore a gown in a shade of blushing ivory for the dinner.
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She accessorized with a pair of JAR earrings, made by the ultra-exclusive designer Joel Arthur Rosenthal.
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The Greek royal group was rounded out by Prince Nikolaos of Greece and Denmark and his wife, Tatiana. They were newlyweds, having married in Greece in August 2010.
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Tatiana wore dramatic jewels for the gala dinner, including long earrings and a necklace that featured two long strands suspended along her back.
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Crown Prince Alexander of Serbia attended the gala dinner with his wife, Katherine. A descendant of Queen Victoria, Crown Prince Alexander was born in the United Kingdom and baptized at Westminster Abbey. (Queen Elizabeth II is one of his godparents.) He also had a British military career, graduating from Sandhurst and serving in the Queen’s Royal Lancers. Through his mother, Princess Alexandra of Greece and Denmark, Alexander is also a cousin of the Duke of Edinburgh.
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Katherine often wears this suite of diamond jewels, which includes a necklace and matching earrings, for royal events.
Stay tuned: our royal wedding anniversary coverage continues tomorrow!