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Maud of Wales as Queen of Norway, ca. 1905 [1] |
NOTES, PHOTO CREDITS, AND LINKS
1. Photograph available via Wikimedia Commons; source here.
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Sparkling Royal Jewels From Around the World
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Maud of Wales as Queen of Norway, ca. 1905 [1] |
NOTES, PHOTO CREDITS, AND LINKS
1. Photograph available via Wikimedia Commons; source here.
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Beatrix of the Netherlands wears the Pearl Button Tiara [1] |
Some tiaras are indelibly associated with a major event in a royal woman’s life. Many of those occasions are royal weddings, but for some lucky royal ladies, they get to choose one of their tiaras to wear for their coronation ceremonies. When Princess Beatrix of the Netherlands was invested as queen, following the abdication of her mother, she chose the family’s pearl button tiara.
The tiara, as per its name, is made of five pearl and diamond buttons placed on a diamond base. The buttons are sometimes referred to as “floral” in design, and indeed, the diamond design surrounding each large pearl does resemble the petals of a flower. These button elements started out as brooches, worn in the nineteenth century by Queen Sophie [2]. Some have argued that the festoon base of the tiara was originally part of a coronet also owned by Queen Sophie (who born a princess of Württemberg), but the tiara as we know it today was not worn in public until the middle of the twentieth century. It was first worn by Queen Juliana in 1965.
Since then, it has become a favorite piece of the Dutch royal women, who have trotted it out on some major occasions. Besides Queen Beatrix’s investiture, the tiara was also worn at two major royal weddings: that of Princess Margriet and Pieter van Vollenhoven in 1967, and that of Prince Willem-Alexander (now the nation’s king) and Máxima Zorreguieta Cerruti in 2002. Margriet wore the tiara with the buttons (she wore it the same way at last night’s dinner, too); however, Máxima substituted five of Queen Emma’s diamond stars for the pearls.
Since then, Máxima has worn both the star and pearl versions of the tiara, while Beatrix and Margriet stick with the classic pearl version. The tiara is simple and looks quite easy to wear — it wouldn’t surprise me if this is one of the first tiaras worn by the current Princess of Orange, Catharina-Amalia, when she begins attending state events [3].
NOTES, PHOTO CREDITS, AND LINKS
1. Cropped version of a photograph available via Wikimedia Commons; source here.
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The British royal family attends Trooping the Colour, June 2013 [1] |
— From the President of the United Arab Emirates, a gold jeweled photograph frame set on a jeweled ostrich egg
— From the Newhaven Chamber of Commerce, a gold rose tie pin
— From the Kudumbashree Rural Project, a pair of earrings
— From a private individual, a faux pearl necklace
— From the pupils from The Mahis Secondary School for Girls, a craft bracelet
— From HH Sheikha Mozah bint Nasser, an obsidian and enamel box
— From HM King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, a parure
— From HM The Sultan of Oman, a necklace
— From a private individual, a pewter tie pin
— From a private individual, a pair of cufflinks
— From a private individual, two seed necklaces
— From a private individual, a lapel pin
— From a private individual, a briefcase containing a pen, a tie and jewelry
There’s been no other details about the big jewelry item on this list: the parure gifted to Camilla by King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al Saud. Here’s hoping we learn more about this suite of jewelry soon!
Kensington Palace
While last year’s list of royal gifts was full of presents for the yet-to-be-born Prince George, William and Kate made no overseas visits this year, so they’re not included on any of the 2013 gifts lists. That should change next year, as the family is prepping for a visit to Australia in 2014.
It’s worth noting that all of the gifts listed above are not the private, personal possessions of the royals who receive them. They can’t sell them, but they can wear and display them — and in the case of jewels, thank goodness for that!