Can you identify the jewels worn by Queen Friederike of the Hellenes (born Princess Friederike of Hanover), pictured here with her husband, King Paul, and their elder daughter, Princess Sophia (who would later become Queen Sofia of Spain)?
Queen Paola’s Half-Moon Earrings
Time again for another peep into the jewelry box of our Magpie of the Month, everyone! Today we’re focusing on a pair of earrings that have been a part of Queen Paola’s jewelry collection for years: her “half-moon” diamond and pearl studs.
Unlike most European queens, the royal consorts of Belgium have had relatively little jewelry at their disposal during their spouse’s reigns. Because a queen consort isn’t going to immediately receive a cache of jewels to wear at state functions, it’s important that their personal jewels help to pull the weight of white-tie dress codes. Versatile pieces are key, and these earrings, combining pearls and diamonds, fit the bill.
The crescent-shaped earrings are made of a round central pearl, flanked on one side by a half-circle of diamond elements. The edge of each earring has a sunburst effect, with a tiny diamond fringe on its border.
In his book on the jewels of the Belgian royal ladies, Christophe Vachaudez posits that these earrings were given to Paola by her husband’s stepmother, Princess Lilian, the second wife of King Leopold III. She’s been wearing the earrings since the beginning of her marriage — they’re one of the jewelry pieces that has transitioned with her from the more mod styles of the 1960s to the present day.
Paola wore the half-moon earrings on two of the most important days of her life as a Belgian royal lady. Paola married Prince Albert, the second son of Leopold III, and she never expected to become queen consort. But when her brother-in-law, King Baudouin, died unexpectedly in 1993, Paola became the nation’s queen.
She wore the earrings at Baudouin’s funeral mass, and then donned them again at her husband’s inauguration a few days later. You can just see the earring on Paola’s ear at the left side of the photograph above, taken after Albert II’s swearing-in ceremony.
During her husband’s reign, Paola wore the half-moon earrings for both day and evening events. This is where the combination of stones is really key: the pearls set in the earrings make them more suitable for less-formal daywear, while the sparkling diamonds allow them to coordinate with the grandest of the jewels that Paola wore as queen.
You’ll see photos of Paola wearing the earrings with suits during the day; you’ll also see her wearing them with tiaras at royal galas, weddings, and state banquets. Above, Paola wears the earrings at the 2004 wedding of Crown Prince Frederik of Denmark, pairing them with her own diamond bandeau and with the base of the Nine Provinces Tiara, worn as a choker necklace.
Albert and Paola have been keeping a fairly low profile since his abdication in 2013, and these earrings haven’t had a significant outing since. I’m hoping we’ll see them again soon, especially with Paola’s chic new cropped hairstyle. Fingers crossed!
Royal Wedding Jewels: Maria Theresia of Thurn and Taxis
Get excited, everyone: it’s time to review the bridal garb of another just-married princess! On Saturday, Maria Theresia of Thurn and Taxis, a member of a German princely family, married British artist Hugo Wilson in Bavaria. Let’s have a gander at the jewels, shall we?
Although the Thurn and Taxis family sold off many of their most spectacular royal jewels after the death of Maria Theresia’s father, Prince Johannes, the family does still have some baubles in the vaults. But the bride chose not to attempt any of the skyscraper tiaras from the family’s collection, instead wearing a rather delicate floral headband.
The little flower crown encircled the bride’s head — you can see it here beneath her veil. It’s difficult to tell what it’s made of — possibly a light metal? No matter what the material is, the flower crown is a far cry from her mother’s bridal tiara a generation ago: the pearl and diamond tiara from the French crown jewels.
The TnT family is known for its eccentricities, and lest you think that Maria Theresia went wholly conservative with her bridal attire, have a glance at her Vivienne Westwood bridal gown! The skirt is made of an intriguing printed fabric. I’ve been wondering whether perhaps this is a screen printing of one of her new husband’s paintings on the gown? If anyone knows, please pipe up in the comments! (Here are some examples of his work, just for stylistic comparison.)
Maria Theresia’s mother, the larger-than-life Princess Gloria, has toned down her look considerably over the decades, though she still has a flair for the dramatic in her dressing. For her daughter’s wedding, Gloria wore a pink gingham dirndl, accessorizing with pearls, white gloves, and a white fur.
But check out the necklace worn by the bride’s sister, Elisabeth! I can’t help but love the incredible exaggeration of this piece, and I always like dark purple against icy blue. It’s ridiculous, but it’s so ridiculous that it’s kind of chic.
The whole Thurn and Taxis clan was adorably excited at the wedding. The tall, phone-wielding man in the center of the photo is Maria Theresia’s brother, Albert. He’s the 12th Prince of Thurn and Taxis. Trivia fact: the TnT family got their princely title from a Holy Roman Emperor, Leopold I, because they were the Postmasters General of part of the Holy Roman Empire! Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night…
A good semi-royal wedding always brings tons of familiar faces out of the woodwork. Tatiana Casiraghi, daughter-in-law of Princess Caroline of Monaco, wore purple satin and an absolutely ENORMOUS pair of earrings.
The Casiraghis are linked to German royalty via Princess Caroline’s (estranged) marriage to Ernst August of Hanover. His two sons attended the wedding with their mother, Chantal. She wore a jacket that came with its own accessories, but she also added a couple of large rings and an oversized wristwatch.
The bride’s mother was born into a Bavarian noble family, the Schönburg-Glachaus. Gloria’s sister, Countess Maya of Schönburg-Glachau, paired pearls with her striped dress. Her daughter, Pilar Flick, also wore a single-stranded necklace.
Gloria’s brother, Count Alexander of Schönburg-Glachau, attended his niece’s wedding with his wife, Irina. She’s the one wearing the coral and gold jacket, and she appears to have gotten the big-earring memo from the Casiraghi camp.
The groom’s family may not be from noble or royal lineage, but they certainly fit the bill sartorially at the wedding. The groom’s mother paired a pendant necklace with her yellow dress. I can’t quite decide if his sister is wearing a separate necklace or if the piece is an embellishment on her dress, but I like it. (Her hat, unfortunately … not so much.)
Back to the nobles, then. This is Alexander, the Hereditary Prince of Isenburg and his wife, Sarah. You might be more familiar with two of Alexander’s sisters: Sophie, who is married to Georg Friedrich of Prussia, and Katharina, who is married to Martin of Austria-Este (brother of Prince Lorenz of Belgium). Sarah has apparently gone light on the jewels, but I can understand why: her coat does all the talking here.
One more noble guest for our post today, this time from Italy. Alessandra Borghese is a close friend of Gloria of Thurn and Taxis; both princesses are passionate about their Catholic faith. It looks like there may be the hint of a pearl necklace beneath her optical-illusion ensemble, but who can tell?
So, readers: what are your feelings on the jewels and frocks at this particular princely wedding?