In today’s article at Hidden Gems, I’m continuing the tale of the Connaught family’s tour of the Mediterranean in 1905. In this week’s installment, Princess Margaret finally meets her husband-to-be, Prince Gustaf, in Cairo. As bonus reading today, I’ve got a peek at some of the grand tiaras that were being worn at the royal court of Gustaf’s grandfather, King Oscar II, in 1905, including jewels that belonged to Queen Sofia and Crown Princess Victoria.
Margaret Meets Her Match: The Courtship of Princesses Margaret and Patricia of Connaught (Part 4)
[Hidden Gems exclusive]
Over the past few weeks, we’ve been working our way across Europe with the Duke and Duchess of Connaught, retracing the visits they made on their 1905 tour of the Mediterranean with their daughters, Princess Margaret and Princess Patricia. The Duke was traveling in his role as Inspector General of the Armed Forces, reviewing British troops abroad, while his daughters were meeting with potential future spouses. After striking out in Portugal and Spain, an unexpected match was waiting in Egypt: an eligible Scandinavian prince.
The Swedish royal vaults are fully stocked with every kind of tiara you could imagine, but today’s tiara—Queen Sofia’s Tiara—is one of the most divisive. Whether you love it or hate it, let’s have a look at the history of the tiara with a million nicknames!
Queen Sofia’s Star and Pearl Tiara
The famous trio of Danish royal sisters—Queen Margrethe II, Princess Benedikte, and Queen Anne-Marie—have an amazing collective stash of tiaras. Today’s tiara, the elaborate and unusual Star and Pearl Tiara, belongs to the middle sister of the family, Princess Benedikte.
One of the most delightful things about royal jewelry is the extensive history witnessed by the glittering gems. Today, we’re discussing a parure that has seen a whole lot over the past two centuries: the grand emerald set now owned by the Norwegian royal family.
The Swedish royal family owns a spectacular collection of royal jewelry that dates back centuries. But one of the tiaras they possess, the Braganza Tiara, is particularly special and magnificent—and it has unexpected roots in South America.
The Leuchtenberg Sapphire Tiara
If you’re on the lookout today for jewels that belonged to members of the imperial family of France, you’d best look not only in the Louvre but also in the family foundation of the Bernadottes, the royal family of Sweden. Like many of their grandest pieces, the gorgeous sapphires in their collection started out in nineteenth-century France.
Sweden’s Sparkling Sunray: The Baden Fringe Tiara
One of the sparkliest fringe tiaras in the business, the Baden Fringe Tiara has actually been historically associated with two royal Swedish Victorias. It’s a classic diamond sunray tiara, with wide diamond fringes and short diamond spikes. It’s both beautiful and sort of dangerous-looking, with its design mimicking sharp glinting rays of light, both illuminating and a little bit blinding.
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