Can you identify the jewels worn here by the current Duchess of Gloucester, photographed in 1989 (on the occasion of her 17th wedding anniversary) at Kensington Palace?
Jewel History: “England’s Royal Wedding” (1893)
London, July 6 — The marriage of the Duke of York (Prince George of Wales) and Princess Victoria Mary of Teck, an event to which all England had been looking forward with deep interest, took place at 12:30 o’clock today in the Chapel Royal, St. James’s Palace. The wedding was a brilliant function, and was attended by a large gathering of the members of the British royal family, continental sovereigns or their representatives, and many members of the highest nobility.
The weather was beautiful. The occasion was made one of national rejoicing and a partial British holiday. Great crowds of people gathered along the line of the route from Buckingham Palace, up Constitution Hill, through Piccadilly, St. James’s Street, and Marlborough Gate to the garden entrance of St. James’s Palace, which is on the north side of the Mall. The decorations along the line of the royal procession were profuse and beautiful. The roadway was kept open by the Household troops in their glittering uniforms, by detachments drawn from the military depots, by the Metropolitan Volunteers and militia, by Middlesex Yeomanry, and by the police.
The scene was full of life and movement, and the ceremony eclipsed in pomp and splendor any recent state ceremonial in connection with the British court.
Mary of Teck with her parents, the Duke and Duchess of Teck
The royal party left Buckingham Palace in four processions, the first conveying the members of the household and distinguished guests. The next included the Duke of York and his supporters, the Prince of Wales, and the Duke of Edinburgh. The bride came in the third procession, accompanied by her father, the Duke of Teck, and her brother, Prince Adolphus of Teck. The last procession was that of the Queen, who, accompanied by the Duchess of Teck, her younger sons, and the Grand Duke of Hesse, drove in state to the ceremonial.
The cheering as the royal carriages drove forward was immense. The members of the royal family and guests on alighting at St. James’s Palace walked to the state apartments and subsequently down the grand staircase and under the Color Court colonnade to the seats reserved for them in the chapel.
Illustration of the interior of the Chapel Royal at St. James’s Palace
Her Majesty alighted in the Ambassadors’ Court under a specially-erected canopy over the glass doors of the passage leading to the chapel. Thence she walked to the haut pas at the north end of the edifice. The place was beautifully adorned with palms and flowers from the royal conservatory and carpeted with crimson. Upon the same platform seats were provided for the Prince and Princess of Wales, the bride and bridegroom, and other members of the family. The members of the diplomatic body, including the members of the United States Embassy and the other invited guests, occupied special seats in the body of the chapel and in the royal and east galleries.
The Duchess of Fife, Queen Louise of Denmark, and Queen Alexandra (then Princess of Wales) at the wedding celebrations
Drawing-room dresses were worn by the ladies, the gentlemen appearing in full levee dress.
At 12:15 o’clock the Duke of York and his escort arrived at the Chapel Royal. Five minutes later deafening cheers announced the arrival of Princess May. A fanfare of trumpets was sounded as the Queen arrived, and the greatest enthusiasm was manifested by the multitude of people who were gathered in the vicinity of St. James’s Palace.
As the processions entered the chapel and were marshaled in their places in front of the altar, a good view was obtained of the royal personages present, and also of the lesser dignitaries. Brilliant uniforms, on the breasts of which glistened the stars and crosses of many orders, and magnificent gowns were seen on every side.
Queen Victoria four years later, during her Diamond Jubilee celebrations
The Queen headed the procession. She walked alone leaning on an ebony stick. Her Majesty was attired in a black dress with a train. The bodice was of broche silk with lace. She wore across her bosom the broad blue ribbon of the Order of the Garter, the highest British order, and on her head was a small diamond crown, from which a veil depended. Around her neck was a necklace of diamonds with pendant attached. As Her Majesty passed up the nave of the chapel, the whole assemblage bowed.
George V (then the Duke of York) in his naval uniform
Following the Queen came the Prince of Wales and the Duke of Edinburgh, and behind them walked a number of the Admirals in full uniform, escorting the bridegroom, who wore the uniform of a Fleet Captain. The Duke of York looked flushed, perhaps due to the weather, which was intensely warm.
George V and Nicholas II of Russia, photographed during the wedding celebrations
The Tsarevich, the official representative of the Emperor of Russia, was in military uniform and wore a picturesque white sling jacket edged with ermine.
The King of Denmark escorted his daughter, the Princess of Wales. The Princess wore a dress of pure white silk and a tiara of diamonds.
The Marquis of Lorne wore the dress of a Highland chief, the plaid of which was that of the Campbell clan. His wife, Princess Louise, the fourth daughter of the Queen, was attired in a heliotrope-colored robe. She also had a tiara of diamonds.
Mary of Teck’s wedding dress
The bride leaned upon the arm of her father, and as the procession advanced her train was carried by her bridesmaids.
Among the notabilities present were Mr. and Mrs. Gladstone. They were in their seats before the royal party appeared in the chapel. Mr. Gladstone wore the uniform of the Brethren of Trinity House, which included a large pair of naval epaulets. Mrs. Gladstone wore a black robe, trimmed with Brussels lace, and a black cap studded with diamonds.
The Queen sat throughout the ceremony with absorbed attention. The Duke of York responded to the questions in a clear voice, his answers being audible in the furthest corner of the chapel. Princess May’s responses were not so audible, and could be heard scarcely beyond the royal circle.
The Right Hon. and Most Rev. Edward White Benson, Archbishop of Canterbury, Primate of All England and Metropolitan, who conducted the service, did so with special emphasis. His voice was resonant, and not a word was missed by those who listened to him. At the conclusion of the religious ceremonies he made a short address to the royal bride and groom upon the high station of the wedded life and their duties to the nation. He enjoined them to cultivate moderation and discretion, combined with enthusiasm for all worthy ends. Their one prayer, the Archbishop added, ought to be that no element of wisdom, charity, or righteousness be lacking in their lives.
The Duke and Duchess of York on their wedding day
At the conclusion of the closing hymn and prayer the Queen was the first to salute the royal couple, after which the Prince and Princess of Wales and the Duke and Duchess of Teck kissed the bride and congratulated the groom. In leaving the chapel the Duke and Duchess of York led the way, followed by the Queen.
The marriage ceremony opened with the procession of the clergy into the chapel. This consisted of the Archbishop of Canterbury; the Bishop of London; the Dean of the Chapel Royal; the Sub-Dean; the Bishop of Rochester; the Hon. and Rev. E. Carr-Glynn, Vicar of Kensington; Canon Hervey, Domestic Chaplain to the Prince of Wales; and Canon Dalton, Chaplain to the Duke of York. Handel’s march from the “Occasional Overture” was played by the organist as the procession came forward.
While the Archbishop and clergy were taking their places the music of the march in “Scipio” came from the organ and immediately the front of the second procession, including the royal family and royal guests, came in sight. They were conducted to their seats as they entered. As the Queen’s procession, which included the Duchess of Teck, two of the Princes of Teck, and the Grand Duke of Hesse, walked up the aisle, Sir Arthur Sullivan’s “Imperial March” was played. A “March in G,” composed by Smart, was played during the progress of the bridegroom’s procession to the communion table, and as the bride and her supporters passed up the aisle to the altar, the organist played the march from Wagner’s “Lohengrin.”
The Duke and Duchess of York and the bridal party
The bride wore the veil which was worn by the Duchess of Teck on the occasion of her own marriage. Her wedding gown was of silver brocade, in perfect harmony with the bridesmaids’ toilets of white satin and silver lace. The bridesmaids’ gowns were made in low bodices, and neither hats, wreaths, nor veils were worn, only a simple rose in the hair. The bridesmaids were Princesses Victoria and Maud of Wales, Princesses Victoria, Alexandra, and Beatrice of Edinburgh, Princesses Margaret and Victoria Patricia of Connaught, Princess Victoria of Schleswig-Holstein, and Princess Eugenie.
The Archbishop of Canterbury, assisted by the other clergy, performed the ceremony, the bride being given away by her father. The magnificent silver sacramental plate, the central alms dish of which is said to have been manufactured in the reign of Charles I, and is valued at $50,000, was displayed upon the altar, which was decked with the choicest flowers.
Illustration of the Yorks leaving their wedding service
The service began with the marriage chorale “Father of Life,” specially composed by Dr. Creeser for the occasion and sung by “the gentlemen and children of the Chapel Royal,” as the members of the choir are styled. in the middle of the service, Sir John Barnaby’s “O, Perfect Love,” a chorale sung at the marriage of the Duke and Duchess of Fife in the Buckingham Palace chapel, was given. The service concluded with the hymn “Now Thank We All Our God.” Mendelssohn’s Wedding March was played as the royal party left the chapel, the united processions of the bride and bridegroom leading to the throne room, where the registry of the marriage was attested by Her Majesty and the other members of the royal family and royal guests. Among those who signed the registry were also Prime Minister Gladstone; Lord Herschell, Lord High Chancellor; the Earl of Rosebery, Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs; the Earl of Kimberley, Lord President of the Council; and the Duke of Norfolk. The Duke of Norfolk is a Catholic. He signed the register as the hereditary Earl Marshal of England.
After receiving congratulations, the Duke and Duchess of York left Buckingham Palace, driving through the mall to the city and thence proceeding by the Great Eastern Railway from Liverpool Street to Sandringham. The Lord Mayer and Sheriffs met the newly-wedded pair at St. Paul’s Cathedral, and their progress through the decorated and crowded streets was triumphal.
To enumerate the bridal gifts and the names of their donors would require several columns of newspaper space. Presents were received from all parts of the British dominions. The Duke of York’s present to his bride consisted of an open-petaled rose in pearls and diamonds and a five-row pearl necklace. The pearls are not exceptionally large, but they are perfectly pure in color and splendidly matched.
The Duchess of Gloucester wears the Teck turquoises
The Duke and Duchess of Teck gave their daughter a set of jewels comprising a tiara, necklet, and brooch of turquoises and diamonds.
Much has been said regarding the opposition of the Princess of Wales to the marriage, it being stated that she did not approve of her son marrying the girl who had been engaged to his brother, even though that brother was dead. The present given by the Princess of Wales should put to rest these rumors, for it is doubtful if a more valuable gift was ever given by anyone on a similar occasion. The Princess’s gift consisted mostly of jewelry and precious stones, the whole being valued at $1,250,000.
On the way back to Buckingham Palace from the Chapel Royal, the procession was led by the carriage of the Queen. Her Majesty, who was accompanied by the Duchess of Teck, was wrapped in a white Indian shawl. She gave instructions that the carriage should proceed slowly in order that she might view the decorations. This gave the loyal crowds along the route an excellent opportunity to again see Her Majesty, and she was enthusiastically cheered. She kept up a lively conversation with the Duchess of Teck, who pointed out to her the special features of the decorations that caught her eye.
Following the Queen came the carriage of the bride and bridegroom. The newly wedded couple were animatedly talking, only occasionally stopping their conversation to salute the crowd in response to the cheers with which they were welcomed.
Immense crowds were assembled in the Mall, Birdcage Walk, the upper part of St. James’s Park, and everwhere else in the vicinity of Buckingham Palace. Even in Grosvenor Place, back of the palace gardens, from which nothing of the procession could be seen, people stood packed and jammed. Buckingham Palace Road was also crowded.
The Duke and Duchess of York, with Queen Victoria, on their honeymoon
Shortly after the royal party entered the palace, the Queen, the Duke of York and his bride, and the Duke and Duchess of Teck appeared on the balcony. As they stepped out the crowd went wild with enthusiasm. The cheering and long-continued expressions of popular approval have seldom, if ever, been equaled in London. So prolonged was the demonstration than a chair was brought to the balcony, and the Queen seated herself. She appeared to be suffering a little from heat, and, as she sat in the chair, she slowly fanned herself. Her face plainly showed the pleasure she felt at the enthusiasm of the crowd, who in every way possible expressed its approval of the marriage which it is believed Her Majesty to a certain extent brought about.
The Duchess of York looked charmingly beautiful as she stood on the balcony and acknowledged the salutations of those she may at some time be called upon to rule. She carried in one hand a bouquet of Provence roses, orchids, and orange blossoms.
The Yorks on their honeymoon
At 2:30 the royal party withdrew from the balcony to attend the dejeuner. This was a very social affair, royalty for the time being putting aside its prerogatives and entering fully into the joyousness of the occasion. The toasts were drunk with all the honors, and nearly two hours were spent at the table.
During this time the crowds awaited with as much patience as they could muster for the reappearance of the bride and groom on their way to Sandringham, the Prince of Wales’s country residence, where they will spend part of their honeymoon. At 4:30 o’clock the Duke and Duchess bade adieu to the Queen and their other relatives and left the palace.
Belgian Royal Wedding Jewels
Yesterday in Rome, Prince Amedeo of Belgium married his longtime girlfriend, Elisabetta Rosboch von Wolkenstein. Amedeo is the son of Princess Astrid of Belgium (daughter of King Albert II and Queen Paola) and her husband, Archduke Lorenz of Austria-Este. Lili, as the bride is known, is the daughter of Ettore Rosboch von Wolkenstein and Countess Lilia de Smecchia.
Although Lili is related to several Italian noble families, she chose to borrow a bridal tiara from her new husband’s grandmother. The diamond tiara, made in the Art Deco style, originally belonged to Queen Elisabeth of Belgium. She passed the tiara along to her daughter-in-law, Queen Astrid; after Astrid’s death, it was worn by King Leopold III’s second wife, Princess Lilian. Queen Paola, who now owns the tiara, began wearing it in the 1960s. And this isn’t the first time it’s been used as a bridal tiara.
It was also worn by the groom’s aunt, Queen Mathilde, on her wedding day in 1999.
The media revealed during the ceremony that Lili’s wedding gown was made by Valentino.
She also added a set of pearl and diamond pendant earrings to her bridal ensemble, which was topped off by a veil edged in lace.
Princess Astrid, the mother of the groom, is known for her sometimes-kooky outfits and hats. For her son’s wedding, though, she wisely kept things rather toned down, though she added a whimsical pearl necklace and pearl earrings to her soft blue dress and headpiece.
Amedeo’s uncle and aunt, King Philippe and Queen Mathilde of the Belgians, posed with three of their four children outside the basilica.
Mathilde wore the diamond and pearl earrings she wore at her own royal wedding, plus a diamond bracelet and a burlap bag wrapped ’round her head.
Mathilde’s elder daughter, the Duchess of Brabant, also attended the wedding. You can’t see Elisabeth clearly in this photograph, but she was among the bridesmaids in the wedding party, as was her cousin, Princess Louise. (Here’s a clearer picture of Elisabeth in her bridesmaid attire.)
The groom’s grandmother, the Italian-born Queen Paola, wore a necklace of five strands of pearls, plus pearl and diamond earrings and a really interesting dragonfly brooch.
Another of Amedeo’s aunts-in-law, Princess Claire, kept her jewelry simple for the occasion, choosing a pair of small earrings and a wristwatch.
The eldest of Prince Amedeo’s three sisters, Princess Maria Laura, went with a monochrome look for her older brother’s wedding. I love the dramatic silver and green earrings she added to her green lace dress and green floral headpiece.
Like his new wife, both of Amedeo’s grandmothers were born in Italy. His paternal grandmother, Archduchess Margherita of Austria-Este, was born a Savoyard princess. Most of her elaborate jewels are worn today by Princess Astrid, and she appears to have gone jewel-free to her grandson’s wedding. No matter, though — that rather amazing walking stick adds a good bit of shine!
Through his great-aunt, the late Grand Duchess Josephine Charlotte, Amedeo is related to the royal family of Luxembourg, too. Two of his Luxembourgish cousins, Prince Guillaume (on the right) and Prince Jean, both attended the wedding, as did Jean’s wife, Countess Diane de Nassau (who wore very dramatic earrings).
Princess Margaretha, Jean and Guillaume’s sister, attended the wedding with her husband, Prince Nikolaos of Liechtenstein. She wore golden earrings, a bracelet, and a simple necklace; I’m not sure if the piece on the front of her blouse is a brooch or a part of the garment itself.
Also on the guest list from Liechtenstein were Prince Philipp and Princess Isabelle, who wore a pair of earrings that I’d love to get a better look at, plus a hat that doubles as the prow of various ships.
Another Luxembourgish princes, Marie Astrid, is related to Amedeo through the Belgian royals; Marie Astrid’s husband, Archduke Carl Christian, is a Habsburg like Prince Lorenz. Like many of her fellow attendees, Marie Astrid selected pearls for the day, wearing pearl earrings, a pearl necklace, and a lovely pearl bracelet.
Carl Christian and Marie Astrid also brought along their children and their spouses, increasing the cousin total considerably.
Carl Christian’s sister, Archduchess Maria Constanza, attended with her husband, Franz Josef von Auersperg. Love the necklace.
And finally, there was a surprise Yorkie appearance at the wedding! Not sure whether Princess Beatrice knows the couple personally or was there representing another member of the Windsor clan, but she was a rather low-key guest either way. A bit of jewelry would have helped to spice up this blush-colored dress, but alas, there doesn’t seem to be any piece of visible bling here. Help, British jewelry industry: can’t any of you please recruit this British princess to be your spokesperson? She needs sparkle!
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