This Week in Royal Jewels: March 21-27

March 21-27, 2014

Time for yet another roundup of this week’s sparkliest royal jewels. Enjoy!

10. The Duchess of Cornwall made a visit to an East Sussex hospice on Wednesday, where she accessorized her outfit with a cheerful tortoise brooch.

9. Christie’s is preparing to hold one of their “Magnificent Jewels” auctions in New York next month; most of the jewels in the catalogue are twentieth-century pieces, but the auction also includes this nineteenth-century diamond and pearl brooch, the property of “a gentleman.” You can view the auction lots online here.

8. On Thursday, Queen Sofia of Spain selected a glittering gold brooch and earrings for an engagement at Zarzuela Palace in Madrid.

7. Princess Margriet of the Netherlands chose a colorful set of jewels to visit the town hall in Velsen on Wednesday, including a necklace and a pair of earrings.

6. Queen Elizabeth II chose pastels and pearls for a trip to Lloyd’s of London on Thursday. She wore the Duchess of Cambridge’s Pendant Brooch, but without its drop pearl pendant. The brooch once belonged to the Queen’s great-great grandmother, Princess Augusta, Duchess of Cambridge.

5. King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima of the Netherlands welcomed world leaders to their country for the G8 Summit on Monday. Maxima wore an heirloom brooch with a long history: the diamond and pearl strawberry leaf brooch that once belonged to Queen Sophie. (That’s King Abdullah II of Jordan on the right receiving an enthusiastic hug from his fellow monarch!)

4. It’s been an incredibly busy week for Maxima; along with the G8 events and the Chinese state visit, she also attended an investment conference wearing this striking gold necklace.

3. The Countess of Wessex made a glamorous appearance for a good cause on Wednesday, speaking at the St John Ambulance Everyday Heroes celebration wearing an Alexander McQueen gown. The “necklace” is actually an embellishment on the gown; Sophie is also wearing earrings by Heavenly Necklaces.

2. Last week in Sweden, Princess Christina pulled off a bejeweled surprise, sporting the Aquamarine Kokoshnik Tiara often worn by her sister, Princess Margaretha. There are rumors that King Carl XVI Gustaf has bought the tiara back from Margaretha. And Christina, who makes more appearances at white-tie events than her sisters, does need another sparkler, after her tiara was stolen and thrown into the sea a few years ago. (At the same event, Queen Silvia wore the Nine-Prong Tiara.)

1. One more peek into the Dutch jewel collection this week, this time from the Chinese state banquet held on Saturday. We looked yesterday at the jewels worn by Queen Maxima on the day, but Princess Beatrix also attended the banquet, wearing the diamond bandeau.

NOTES, PHOTO CREDITS, AND LINKS
1. Banner image: detail of The Marriage of George, Duke of York to Princess Mary of Teck (1894) by Laurits Tuxen. Image in the public domain; source here.