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Sparkling Royal Jewels From Around the World

Jewels in Motion: Juan Carlos and Sofia’s Royal Wedding

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AFP/Getty Images
Fifty-five years ago today, Don Juan Carlos of Spain married Princess Sophia of Greece and Denmark in Athens. The Greek princess (who changed the spelling of her name to the Spanish Sofia) wore a family heirloom, the Prussian Tiara, to wed the future Spanish king in two ceremonies (one Roman Catholic, one Greek Orthodox). Here’s a look at snippets from their wedding day!

Sofia and her father, King Paul of the Hellenes, leave for the wedding
Sofia arrives for the Roman Catholic wedding ceremony
Juan Carlos and Sofia kneel during the Catholic ceremony
The couple processes out of the cathedral after the Catholic ceremony
Sofia arrives for the Orthodox ceremony
Juan Carlos bows and Sofia curtseys during the ceremony
King Paul exchanges the wedding crowns, which were also used at his own royal wedding
Another angle showing King Paul holding the crowns
The bride and groom wave to the gathered crowd
Sofia waves as the carriage processes through Athens

This Week in (Daytime) Royal Jewels: May 5-11

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May 5-11, 2017
We’ve had an almost overwhelming amount of bling here on the blog this week, so I’m dividing our best jewels countdown into two categories. This post covers my top daytime jewels of the week; a post will pop up in a few hours with the glittering evening jewels. Don’t forget to vote in each poll!
BERIT ROALD/AFP/Getty Images
10. Wednesday’s royal birthday festivities in Oslo included lunch on the royal yacht, and Queen Mathilde of the Belgians chose a striking pair of modern silver statement earrings for the event.

KALLESTAD, GORM/AFP/Getty Images
9. Queen Maxima of the Netherlands wore oversized floral earrings and a long beaded necklace for the luncheon on the yacht on Wednesday.
EMMANUEL DUNAND/AFP/Getty Images
8. In Luxembourg, Hereditary Grand Duchess Stephanie selected a golden leaf pendant and drop earrings to welcome the Duchess of Cambridge for Thursday’s visit. (More jewels from the visit over here!)
Carlos Alvarez/Getty Images
7. On Tuesday, Queen Letizia of Spain wore her Bounkit amethyst and green jade earrings to welcome Costa Rica’s presidential couple to the palace in Madrid.
JOHN THYS/AFP/Getty Images
6. New blue topaz and diamond earrings from Kiki McDonough were the stars of the Duchess of Cambridge’s ensemble in Luxembourg on Thursday. (See close-ups of her jewels from the trip here!)
Jeff Spicer/Getty Images
5. Grand Duchess Maria Teresa of Luxembourg was elegant in pearls to welcome the Duchess to the grand ducal palace on Thursday. (More over here!)
Liam McBurney – WPA Pool/Getty Images
4. The Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall visited Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland this week; for Tuesday’s engagements in Northern Ireland, Camilla wore her diamond and sapphire dragonfly brooches. (More jewels from the trip here!)
Brian Lawless – WPA Pool/Getty Images
3. On Wednesday, Camilla wore her standard diamond and pearl earrings in Belfast, pairing them with a diamond and turquoise trefoil brooch. She has worn the piece in public before, wearing it for the funeral of the Dowager Duchess of Devonshire in 2014 and during the Irish visit in 2015.
JOHN STILLWELL/AFP/Getty Images
2. Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom wore the grand Cullinan V Brooch for lunch with the Duke of Cambridge and Myanmar’s Aung San Suu Kyi at Buckingham Palace on Friday.
Adrian Dennis – WPA Pool/Getty Images
1. The first brooch that Elizabeth II wore as Queen, the Flame Lily, was her choice for Tuesday’s visit to Pangbourne College.

Norwegian Royal Birthday Gala Jewels (Part 2)

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HEIKO JUNGE/AFP/Getty Images

It may have been raining in Oslo this evening, but Europe’s royals turned out in bejeweled black-tie splendor for King Harald V and Queen Sonja of Norway’s birthday gala. Here’s a look at some of the pieces they wore! (If you missed the first part of our post, head over here!)

Nigel Waldron/Getty Images

Queen Mathilde of the Belgians wore her glamorous diamond fringe earrings for the gala.

Nigel Waldron/Getty Images

We also got a good view of her sapphire and diamond ring.

Mathilde also wore one of her diamond bracelets.

And her midnight blue gown was a sparkling statement on its own.

Nigel Waldron/Getty Images

Queen Maxima of the Netherlands chose diamonds and sapphires for the second day in a row.

Nigel Waldron/Getty Images

The large diamond and sapphire ribbon brooch at her waist was the star of her outfit.

She wore my favorite Dutch royal necklace, the Diamond Trellis Necklace, in its sapphire setting. (It can also be worn in other configurations, including all-diamond and diamond-and-pearl settings.) On her wrists, she wore three diamond bracelets: her wedding bracelet, her family initial bracelet, and one of the East Indies bracelets.

Maxima’s gorgeous navy and gold gown is another of my favorites from her wardrobe.

Princess Beatrix of the Netherlands was very covered-up as she arrived at the Opera House, but I believe we’ve got pearls here, plus earrings set with diamonds and amethysts.

Princess Mabel wore a pair of modern earrings with black and white gemstones.

The earrings went well with Mabel’s black gown, with its reverse polka-dot design. I also spy a diamond bracelet on her right wrist.

And this is here just because I think their mother/daughter-in-law relationship is lovely.

Nigel Waldron/Getty Images

Grand Duchess Maria Teresa of Luxembourg dug into the family’s collection of heirloom emerald and diamond jewelry for the gala, including the classic choker necklace.

Nigel Waldron/Getty Images

One of the Deco-style emerald and diamond bracelets adorned her left wrist.

Maria Teresa’s green gown featured a beautiful sheer train; unfortunately, the fabric suffered a bit in the damp weather.

Nigel Waldron/Getty Images

Hereditary Grand Duchess Stephanie of Luxembourg wore pieces from the family’s grand aquamarine parure.

Nigel Waldron/Getty Images

The bracelet, which she wore on her left wrist, shares design elements with the parure’s bandeau.

Here’s a look at Stephanie’s entire ensemble.

Queen Sofia of Spain kept most of her jewelry literally under wraps, but I spot golden earrings. Her dress is also sparkles quite a lot all on its own.

The Countess of Wessex wore gem-set earrings with a matching ring. According to the expert on Sophie’s attire, Anna, the set includes a matching necklace, but the maker has not been identified.

The metallic threads embroidered on Sophie’s gown also provided a bit of extra glitter.

Queen Anne Marie offered up a bit of a jeweled surprise, pairing earrings from the family’s emerald parure with a pearl bracelet and necklace.

Her daughter-in-law, Princess Marie-Chantal, wore a pair of elaborate statement earrings. (I believe these are by JAR.) She also wore a large pearl bracelet.

Her busy gown didn’t require much in the way of accessories!

Princess Tatiana of Greece and Denmark wore small sparkling earrings with her white ensemble.

She kept the look simple, wearing no jewelry that pulled focus from her lacy bodice.

Which gala jewels were your favorites?