Sapphires, Diamonds, and Pearls for the Belgian Royals in Brussels

New year receptions have also been taking place in Brussels, and this week we saw sapphires, diamonds, and pearls sparkling on Belgium’s queen and crown princess at a palace reception for European dignitaries.

Queen Mathilde of the Belgians wore bright royal blue to greet the heads of European institutions and permanent representatives accredited to the European Union at the Royal Palace in Brussels on Tuesday. Jelka Van Duyse shares that the dress and shoes are both from Armani Privé, and she notes that the blue color references the symbolic color of the EU.

With the dress, Mathilde wore a pair of gorgeous diamond and sapphire earrings, which are newer additions to her jewelry box. These feature triangular diamond studs, diamond “strings,” and beautiful sapphire cabochon drops.

The earrings (and the dress and shoes) were notably worn for the welcome ceremony during the President of Italy’s state visit to Belgium back in October.

We also got a very good look at the earrings when Princess Elisabeth borrowed them to wear for the transition of power ceremonies in Luxembourg at the beginning of October.

Speaking of the Duchess of Brabant, Elisabeth was also present for the reception, as well as an audience with prominent EU leaders ahead of the event. The future queen, who will graduate from Harvard this spring, is beginning to take on a higher-profile role within the family. Soon, she will succeed her aunt, Princess Astrid, as the lead of Belgium’s economic missions. (Queen Mathilde will take on the role until Elisabeth is ready to step in.)

Elisabeth chose the same designer as her mother for the occasion, wearing a belted dress from Giorgio Armani. It’s the same one she chose to wear for a reception ahead of the coronation in Britain in May 2023.

For Tuesday’s reception, Elisabeth added additional sparkle to her ensemble with a classic pair of diamond and pearl button earrings. Queen Mathilde (and just about every royal lady in Europe) owns a similar pair, and I’m not sure whether Elisabeth borrowed these from her mother or has her own version of the earrings.

Speaking of Belgium’s royals: before I sign off today, here’s a reminder that I’ll be featuring an extensive article for paid subscribers at Hidden Gems tomorrow about a spectacular suite of diamond and aquamarine jewels that belonged to the late Queen Fabiola. The set will soon be sold at auction—along with Fabiola’s engagement ring. Join me at Hidden Gems tomorrow for more!