The British Monarchy Miscellany
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Duchess of Cambridge.
Queen Mary’s Fringe Tiara
Queen Mary had this tiara created in 1919 using
diamonds from a previous similar tiara that had been used by both Queen Adelaide of Saxe Meiningen and by Queen Victoria (it is sometimes called the Hanoverian Tiara because of the origins of the diamonds contained in it). As refashioned by Queen Mary, the tiara contains 47
diamond bars divided by smaller diamond spikes on a gold and silver frame. It can be dismantled from its frame and also be worn as a fringe necklace. Queen Mary gave 631
it to Queen Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon in 1936 who owned it until her death in 2002 but she wore it sporadically as Queen Mother. The tiara was famously worn as
‘something borrowed’ by Princess Elizabeth at her
wedding in 1947 (when it famously broke and had to be repaired on the day), and also by Princess Anne at her wedding in 1974.
The Greville Tiara
Dame Margaret Greville (1863-1942), an heiress and
famous society hostess, was a personal friend of both Queen Mary and Queen Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon. When she died childless in 1942 she left her personal jewelry collection containing over 60 pieces to Queen Elizabeth, including this tiara. Also called the Boucheron tiara, after the jewelry firm that created it, it is one of the largest tiaras in the Royal Collection, with diamonds mounted on a honeycomb-shaped frame. It was one of the Queen
Mother’s favourite tiaras and after her death it passed to Queen Elizabeth II. She has currently loaned it to Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, who wears it frequently at official functions including the State Opening of Parliament. The other jewelry pieces bequeathed by Mrs Greville included earrings, brooches and necklaces, all of which have been worn frequently by women in the Royal Family.
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The Burmese Tiara
Queen Elizabeth II commissioned this tiara in 1973 using two wedding presents she had received in 1947: 96
rubies from the Burmese people, and diamonds from a tiara given by the Nizam of Hyderabad (see below). The gift of the 96 diamonds was symbolic as in Burmese belief rubies have the power to protect the human body from 96 diseases. The tiara is made of a gold and silver frame supporting ruby-filled flowers, surrounded by diamonds.
Queen Elizabeth II has worn this tiara often since 1974.
NECKLACES
Queen Anne’s and Queen Caroline’s Pearls
Possibly the oldest personal jewels in the Royal Family, these two individual, single-strand pearl necklaces are said to have been belonged separately to Queen Anne, the last Stuart monarch who died in 1702, and to Caroline of Ansbach, Queen Consort of King George II, who died in 1727. Queen Anne’s necklace contains 46 pearls, Queen Caroline’s has 50 pearls. Although individual heirlooms, they are usually worn together, with their combined weight adding to over two kilos. They were worn by
Princess Elizabeth on her wedding day in 1947.
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The Coronation Necklace
Created in 1858 for Queen Victoria, this necklace has been worn by five queens in succession. It takes its name from having been worn at the coronation ceremony of Queen Alexandra in 1902, Queen Mary in 1911, Queen
Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon in 1937, and Queen Elizabeth II in 1953. It consists of a string of 25 large diamonds set in gold and silver, plus a single 22.48-carat pendant known as the Lahore Diamond. The necklace comes with a
matching set of diamond earrings, called the Coronation Earrings.
Queen Alexandra’s Dagmar Necklace
One of the most elaborate jewels in the Royal Collection, this necklace was a present from King Frederick VII of Denmark to her cousin Alexandra on her wedding to the Prince of Wales in 1863. It was designed in the Byzantine style with several gold strings, swags and scrolls, and includes 2,000 diamonds and 118 pearls. Its centerpiece is an enameled pendant in the form of a Dagmar Cross, a traditional Danish decoration based on a cross worn by Queen Dagmar of Denmark in the 13th century. In true Byzantine style, the cross contains silk from King Cnut’s tomb as well as a fragment of the True Cross. The cross pendant is removable, and the pendant-less necklace was last worn by Queen Elizabeth II in the 1950s.
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Queen Victoria’s Golden Jubilee Necklace
This necklace was a gift to Queen Victoria from a
committee of ladies for her Golden Jubilee in 1887. It is made of clusters of gold, pearls and diamonds on a gold string, and the centre cluster is topped by a small silhouette of a crown. Queen Victoria was said to have been very pleased with the gift, but it was not a favourite item of Queens Consorts afterwards. Queen Elizabeth II has worn it frequently during her reign, especially during state visits and at the State Opening of Parliament where it has made more appearances than any other necklace.
The South African Necklace
Princess Elizabeth received this necklace as a 21st birthday gift from the government of South Africa, while visiting the country with her parents in 1947. It originally contained 21 large diamonds but Elizabeth shortened it to 15 after she became Queen, turning the rest into a bracelet. Since then she has referred to the necklace on occasions as her ‘best diamonds’.
The Nizam of Hyderabad Necklace
One of Princess Elizabeth’s wedding gifts in 1947 was a tiara and necklace paid for by the Nizam of Hyderabad, one of India’s last princes, reputed the richest man in the world at the time. Princess Elizabeth chose the gifts 635
herself at the London branch of Cartier while the bill was sent to the Nizam. Elizabeth wore both necklace and tiara during her first years as Queen, however she later
dismantled the tiara to create two brooches, and used the spare diamonds to create the Burmese tiara in 1974
(see above). The necklace remains intact however and has been worn regularly by the Queen, who also has
loaned it to the Duchess of Cambridge. Oriental in design, it is made of platinum and includes over 50 diamonds.
The King Faisal and King Khalid Necklaces
Both these necklaces were gifts from the Kings of Saudi Arabia to Queen Elizabeth II, and both were designed by the American jeweler Harry Winston. The King Faisal Necklace was an official gift to the Queen during that King’s state visit to Britain in 1967. It has over 300
diamonds set in platinum, with a combined diamond
weight of over 80 carats. The King Khalid necklace, also made of platinum and diamonds, was an official gift to the Queen during her state visit to Saudi Arabia in 1979.
Both necklaces have been worn regularly by Elizabeth II over the last 40 years, and have also been loaned to other members of the Royal Family.
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PARURES
The Delhi Durbar Parure
Perhaps the most exotic-looking set of jewels in the Royal Collection, this parure was a gift from King George V to Queen Mary on her 44th birthday, and was expressly
created to be worn at the Delhi Durbar of 1911. It was designed with Indian motifs and contains a large part of the Cambridge Emeralds (see below). Besides the large Delhi Durbar tiara (see above), the parure includes earrings, a bracelet, a stomacher, and a necklace. The earrings are set with oval emeralds surrounded by 11
diamonds. The bracelet is made of gold and platinum with three large emeralds. The stomacher, worn on the breast, is filled with hundreds of small diamonds and seven large emeralds, two of which can be detached to be worn as a brooch. Finally, the Delhi Durbar Necklace is a uniquely designed diamond necklace with seven large Cambridge Emeralds alternating with six large diamonds, and from which hang two separate pendants: a large
drop-shaped emerald from one string, and the Cullinan VII diamond from another string (see below). The parure was often worn complete by Queen Mary throughout her life however the items have not been worn together
since Queen Elizabeth II inherited the set in 1953. The Queen prefers to wear the parure reduced to necklace, earrings, brooch and bracelet, without the tiara and 637
&
nbsp; stomacher, and in this guise she has worn it often
throughout her reign.
Queen Elizabeth II’s Sapphire Set
This set started with a gift from King George VI to his daughter Princess Elizabeth on her wedding in 1947. It originally included a 19th century gold necklace and earrings with large sapphires and diamonds. After
becoming Queen, Elizabeth added a large sapphire
pendant to the necklace that can also be used as a
brooch, and in 1963 she completed the parure by
purchasing a sapphire and diamond tiara, and a bracelet.
The parure has been worn often by the Queen at official functions.
The Brazilian Aquamarine Parure
The President of Brazil presented a necklace and earrings to Queen Elizabeth II on her coronation in 1953 that was set with the finest aquamarines sourced in Brazilian mines. After collecting more quality aquamarines in the following years, Brazil then presented the Queen with an additional bracelet and brooch in 1958. The Queen then completed the parure by commissioning an aquamarine tiara from the crown jewelers made with more Brazilian stones. She was worn the full set often on official occasions, and as individual pieces separately. Most the pieces have platinum frames and also contain diamonds.
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BROOCHES
Prince Albert’s Sapphire Brooch
Prince Albert gave this jewel, a gold brooch with a large sapphire surrounded by 12 diamonds, to Queen Victoria as a present on the day before their wedding in 1840.
Victoria wore it frequently until Albert died in 1861, and it was later worn by all Queen Consorts. It has been worn frequently by Queen Elizabeth II, especially on important occasions including President Kennedy’s reception at Buckingham Palace in 1961, and Prince William’s
christening in 1982.
The Bow Brooches
Bow brooches have been a favourite item of wear of
every queen from Queen Victoria to Queen Elizabeth II.
Four items in particular have been used more than any other:
Queen Victoria’s Bow Brooches is a set of three brooches commissioned by Victoria in 1858 that
contain over 500 diamonds in total. They have been
worn by all Queens in many guises ever since.
The Kensington Bow Brooch was a wedding gift from the residents of Kensington, London, to Queen Mary
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in 1893 when she became Duchess of York. It is made of gold, silver and diamonds, and features a large
pendant pearl.
The Dorset Bow Brooch was another wedding gift to Queen Mary in 1893 from the county of Dorset. It is also made of gold, silver and diamonds.
The True Lover’s Knot Brooch, the largest of the bow brooches, was acquired by Queen Mary in 1932 and
is studded with diamonds. It is usually worn by
Queen Elizabeth II on important occasions like the
wedding of Prince William in 2011, and at official
state visits.
All the bow brooches came into the possession of Queen Elizabeth II at the death of Queen Mary in 1953. She has worn them often, particularly during the Remembrance Day ceremony at the Cenotaph in November, when any
of the brooches can be used to secure a small bouquet of Remembrance poppies to her dress.
The Guards Badge
The Guards Badge is a regimental brooch that combines the badges of the five regiments of the Foot Guards: the Grenadier Guards, Coldstream Guards, Scots Guards, Irish Guards and Welsh Guards. The individual badges are
delicately rendered in fine precious stones inside an oval 640
which is surrounded by an inscription saying ‘Quinque Juncta in Uno’, i.e. Five Joined In One, the motto of the Foot Guards. The brooch was created for Queen Mary
and has become associated with Trooping the Colour.
Queen Elizabeth II has been wearing it at the annual ceremony every year for the last 20 years.
The Rhodesian Flame Lily Brooch
One of the most beautiful brooches in the collection, this jewel was a 21st birthday gift to Princess Elizabeth in 1947
from the children of Southern Rhodesia when the country was still part of the British Empire. It is said that 42,000
Rhodesian schoolchildren gave a little bit of their pocket money to contribute to the purchase of the brooch. It is shaped like Rhodesia’s national flower, the flame lily, and contains over 300 diamonds set in platinum. This was the first jewel Elizabeth II wore publicly as Queen when she arrived back in the United Kingdom from Kenya in
February 1952.
The Williamson Diamond Brooch
Shaped like a jonquil flower, this brooch contains at its centre the Williamson Diamond, a 23.6-carat rare pink diamond said to be the finest of its kind in the world. It is named after Dr John T. Williamson, the Canadian owner of the mine in Tanganyka where the diamond was found, and who gave the jewel to Princess Elizabeth as a
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wedding present in 1947. The brooch has a platinum
frame set with 203 diamonds making up the petals, stalk and leaves of a flower. The Williamson Diamond is set as the central gem in the middle of the petals. Queen
Elizabeth II wore this brooch for her Silver Jubilee in 1977, Prince Charles’ wedding in 1981, and Prince
Edward’s wedding in 1997.
The Commonwealth Brooches
A number of brooches in the Personal Jewels collection are associated with specific Commonwealth countries and are often worn to honour those nations. They
include:
The Canadian Maple Leaf Brooch: a diamond encrusted brooch in the shape of Canada’s national
symbol, it was a gift by King George VI to his wife Queen Elizabeth ahead of their royal tour of Canada in 1939. It is primarily used in Canada-related events and during royal tours of the country.
The New Zealand Fern Brooch: a Christmas gift to Queen Elizabeth II from the women of Auckland,
New Zealand during the royal tour of 1953, it
represents one of the symbols of the country, the
silver fern, in platinum and diamonds. It is often
worn on official New Zealand royal portraits.
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The Australian Wattle Brooch: given to Queen Elizabeth II as a gift by the people of Australia during the royal tour of 1954, it is made in the shape of
Australia’s national flower, the golden wattle, and is set with yellow, white and blue diamonds.
The Jamaican Doctor Bird Brooch: This brooch was given by the people of Jamaica to Queen Elizabeth II during her Golden Jubilee tour of the country in
2002. It represents Jamaica’s national bird, a species of hummingbird only found on the island. It is made of platinum, silver, diamonds, rubies, sapphires, plus Jamaican granite and marble.
The Botswana Flower Brooch: made of gold and diamonds in the shape of a spray of millet,
Botswana’s main crop, it was given to Elizabeth II
from the President of Botswana in 2007.
The Centenary Rose Brooch
This very personal brooch was a gift from Queen
Elizabeth II to her mother, Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother, for her 100th birthday in 2000. It features a hand-painted Queen Elizabeth rose (named after the Queen Mother) on rock crystal, surrounded by 100 diamonds.
After the Queen Mother died at the age of 101 Queen Elizabeth II began to wear the brooch herself.
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GEMS
The Cambridge Emeralds
The origins of this set of large cabochon (i.e. smooth) emeralds are obscure but they probably originated in India where they would have been owned by royalty.
After they appeared in Europe in the 19th century they were offered as a prize in a charity lottery held in Frankfurt in 1818, which was won by the Duke and
Duchess of Cambridge, the son and daughter-in-law of King George III and grandparents of Queen Mary. T
hey were passed down the Cambridge family line until they finally came to Queen Mary in 1910. It is unclear how many emeralds were or are contained in the set but
estimates suggest between 30 and 40, of different shapes and of a bright shade of green. Queen Mary placed most of them in the original Delhi Durbar Parure (see above) but only 20 of them remain in that set today, with nine in the Delhi Durbar necklace alone. The ones that were on the Durbar tiara were later removed and are now
occasionally worn in the Vladimir Tiara (see above). A few emeralds have also been set separately in other jewels.