Two important royal antique jewels are paired up in this contest!
Queen Alexandra’s Wedding Necklace vs. The Hanoverian Pearls
Queen Alexandra’s Wedding Necklace
In 1863, the Prince of Wales ordered this diamond and pearl necklace from Garrard, plus its coordinating parure, as a wedding present for his bride, Princess Alexandra of Denmark. Alexandra wore the necklace, with its button-style pearl and diamond clusters and pear-shaped pearl pendants, on their wedding day. In 1925, Queen Mary inherited the necklace, and she later passed it on to Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother. Now owned by the Queen, the necklace was most recently worn by the Duchess of Cambridge.
As the name of this necklace suggests, the pearls were allegedly brought to Britain by King George I, the first British monarch from the House of Hanover. Some of the pearls are also said to have belonged to Mary, Queen of Scots. (George was a direct descendant of Mary via her granddaughter, Elizabeth Stuart.) The two-stranded necklace can be identified easily by its large diamond clasp. Queen Victoria designated the necklace as an Heirloom of the Crown. It’s been worn by Queen Alexandra, Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother, and now the present Queen.
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