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Sparkling Royal Jewels From Around the World

Spanish State Visit Jewels: Official Welcome Ceremonies

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CHRIS J RATCLIFFE/AFP/Getty Images

For the first time in more than three decades, the Spanish monarch has arrived in the United Kingdom for a state visit. Here’s a look at the jewels we saw during the official welcome ceremonies for King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia.

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Felipe and Letizia were officially greeted this morning by the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall before proceeding to Horseguards Parade in central London to meet with Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh.

Matt Dunham – WPA Pool/Getty Images

King Felipe is related to both the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh in various ways; they’re all descendants of both Queen Victoria and King Christian IX of Denmark. Felipe’s parents, King Juan Carlos and Queen Sofia of Spain, previously made a state visit to the United Kingdom; so did his maternal grandparents, King Paul and Queen Friederike of the Hellenes. Felipe’s great-grandmother (and godmother) was Queen Ena of Spain, the youngest granddaughter of Queen Victoria. Ena was born at Balmoral Castle in Scotland, where the Windsors will shortly retire for their annual summer holidays.

DAN KITWOOD/AFP/Getty Images

From Horseguards Parade, the royal party traveled by carriage to Buckingham Palace, giving us a good view of the jewels worn. With her usual pearls, Queen Elizabeth II wore the Courtauld Thomson Scallop-Shell Brooch, which you can read much more about over here.

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Queen Letizia wore pearl drop earrings set in gold for the first official events of the state visit.

Dan Kitwood/Getty Images

Here’s a slightly better look at the earrings.

DAN KITWOOD/AFP/Getty Images

The Duchess of Cornwall wore familiar jewels, including her four-stranded pearl choker with the large diamond clasp.

Yui Mok – WPA Pool/Getty Images

We got a better look at Letizia’s ensemble after the party disembarked at the palace.

Stay tuned later today for more daytime jewels, and then the glittering tiaras and jewels of the grand state banquet!

Dutch Visit to Italy: State Banquet Jewels

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ALBERTO PIZZOLI/AFP/Getty Images

Tonight’s state dinner in Italy may have been a black tie affair, but leave it to Queen Maxima of the Netherlands to bring us a tiara anyway! Keep reading below for all the details about the grand jewels she wore for the occasion.

For the banquet, Maxima chose pieces from one of her favorite jewelry suites from the family vaults: the Mellerio Ruby Parure. (Read more about the set over here!)

Maxima wore the tiara, earrings, and necklace from the suite with a dramatic one-shoulder red gown.

She also wore the bracelet from the suite.

Here’s a look at the entire ensemble.

Maxima wasn’t the only bejeweled member of the Dutch royal family in attendance at the banquet. Prince Jaime of Bourbon-Parma, the son of Princess Irene of the Netherlands, is the country’s ambassador to the Vatican; his wife, Princess Viktoria, wore the base of the Antique Pearl Tiara to the banquet.

Here’s a look at Viktoria’s full outfit from the banquet.

Dutch Visit to Italy: Arrival in Rome

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ALBERTO PIZZOLI/AFP/Getty Images

King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima of the Netherlands are on a state visit to Italy this week, and they began their program of engagements in Rome.

ALBERTO PIZZOLI/AFP/Getty Images

The day’s events included a visit to Rome’s City Hall, where they met with Mayor Virginia Raggi.

ALBERTO PIZZOLI/AFP/Getty Images

Maxima wore a pale pink dress from Natan, pairing it with a large picture hat and pink-hued jewels.

ALBERTO PIZZOLI/AFP/Getty Images

Here’s a closer look at her earrings, which feature a pear-shaped drop.

ALBERTO PIZZOLI/AFP/Getty Images

This time, the stack of bracelets on her right wrist consists of a bangle that matches her earrings, plus an evil eye bracelet.

ALBERTO PIZZOLI/AFP/Getty Images

She also pinned a brooch to her waist.

ALBERTO PIZZOLI/AFP/Getty Images

Here’s a look at the entire ensemble.

Stay tuned for the jewels worn at tonight’s black-tie dinner!