Princess Madeleine wears the Swedish Aquamarine Bandeau (Photo: Michel Porro/Getty Images) |
Queen Sofia’s Star and Pearl Tiara
Princess Benedikte wears the Star and Pearl Tiara (Photo: Chris Jackson/Getty Images) |
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.
Queen Sofia of Sweden wears the tiara |
In his book on Danish royal jewels, Bjarne Steen Jensen notes that the tiara was altered slightly at some point after Sofia received it. In the portrait of Sofia wearing the tiara above (which Jensen dates to the late nineteenth century), the center star is noticeably taller than the rest of the elements of the tiara. In photographs of the tiara on all of its other wearers, that middle star has been lowered so that it sits evenly with the other stars.
When she died in 1913, Sofia left the tiara to another Swedish queen: her daughter-in-law, Victoria of Baden. And when Victoria died in 1930, she was specific about who she wanted to inherit the piece: her granddaughter, Princess Ingrid. When Ingrid married Crown Prince Frederik of Denmark (later King Frederik IX) five years later, she took the tiara with her to her new country. In the photograph above, Crown Princess Ingrid wears the tiara during the 1938 celebrations for the 80th birthday of her grandfather, King Gustaf V of Sweden. (Eagle-eyed tiara spotters will also note that Ingrid’s necklace was later turned into the Antique Corsage Tiara, Anne-Marie’s 18th birthday tiara.)
During Ingrid’s lifetime, she was generous in lending this tiara to other members of the family. Her younger daughters, Anne-Marie of Greece and Benedikte of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg, both borrowed the tiara from Ingrid; so did Benedikte’s daughters. In 1964, Ingrid lent the tiara to her cousin, Princess Margaretha of Denmark, to wear at Anne-Marie’s royal wedding in Athens. Jensen posits that Ingrid chose to lend Margaretha this particular tiara because it was originally owned by Margaretha’s grandmother, Queen Sofia of Sweden.
Princess Benedikte wears the tiara (Photo: Vittorio Zunino Celotto/Getty Images) |
When Queen Ingrid died in 2000, the tiara was left to Princess Benedikte. Today, Benedikte wears the tiara frequently, often pairing it with another set of star elements (from the collection of Victoria of Baden) that can be worn as brooches, earrings, hair ornaments, or even suspended on a necklace. (Unlike other star tiaras, the stars on this piece are fixed and apparently are not removed.) She also follows her mother’s example and often lends the tiara to the other women in her family. Both of Benedikte’s daughters, Alexandra and Nathalie, have been photographed in the tiara, as has her son’s partner, Carina Axelsson.
Christening Jewels: Prince Oscar of Sweden
Christening of Prince Oscar of Sweden in Stockholm (Photo: JONATHAN NACKSTRAND/AFP/Getty Images) |
This morning in Stockholm, the Swedish royals and their guests attended the christening of Crown Princess Victoria and Prince Daniel’s baby son, Prince Oscar. Here’s a look at some of the jewelry we saw on display.
Photo: Andreas Rentz/Getty Images |
Oscar’s proud mother wore pearls with her white dress. Her pearl drop earrings are by Kreuger.
Photo: Andreas Rentz/Getty Images |
Victoria also wore a delicate, silver-toned bracelet…
Photo: Andreas Rentz/Getty Images |
…and her engagement and wedding rings, which Oscar helpfully showed off. The baby has some new jewelry of his own: the insignia of the Order of the Seraphim.
Photo: Andreas Rentz/Getty Images |
Oscar’s big sister, Princess Estelle, also made a jewelry debut today! Check out her adorable, tiny pearl necklace.
Photo: Andreas Rentz/Getty Images |
Queen Silvia also wore pearls for her grandson’s christening. Her earrings feature pear-shaped pearl drops suspended from diamond studs, and her three-stranded pearl necklace has a diamond and topaz clasp.
Photo: Andreas Rentz/Getty Images |
Here’s a glimpse of the Queen’s bracelets, watch, and rings.
Photo: JONATHAN NACKSTRAND/AFP/Getty Images |
Princess Madeleine, Oscar’s aunt, is also one of his godparents. She wore the diamond earrings that were originally part of Queen Josefina’s Diamond Stomacher. These earrings have been worn by several family members over the years; last June, Princess Sofia wore them on her wedding day.
Photo: JONATHAN NACKSTRAND/AFP/Getty Images |
Princess Sofia wore small, glittering hoop earrings with square diamond pendant drops.
Photo: Andreas Rentz/Getty Images |
Here’s another look at the earrings, plus a better view of her family order.
Princess Christina stopped by the airport on her way to the chapel, to pick up some propellors for her hat #prinsdop pic.twitter.com/sXmsLI2Wtm— The Royal Forums (@theroyalforums) May 27, 2016
Two of the king’s sisters, Princess Margaretha and Princess Christina, were also at the christening. Above, you can see Christina wearing pearls. (Behind her, you can also just see Countess Marianne Bernadotte, also wearing pearls, and Dagmar von Arbin, who just celebrated her 100th birthday!)
Photo: JONATHAN NACKSTRAND/AFP/Getty Images |
Two of Oscar’s godparents were royal. Crown Princess Mette-Marit, one of his godmothers, wore pearls and diamonds, plus her lovely aquamarine and diamond brooch.
Photo: Andreas Rentz/Getty Images |
Here you get a slightly better view of Mette-Marit’s sparkling headband, which appears to be set with diamond-like and pearl-like stones. You also get a good look at her earrings; this pair has interchangeable drops.
Photo: Andreas Rentz/Getty Images |
And here’s a look at her gorgeous diamond bracelet.
Photo: Andreas Rentz/Getty Images |
Crown Prince Frederik of Denmark was another royal godparent, so Crown Princess Mary made a glittering appearance at the christening as well. Above, you can see her pearl drop earrings. The pair features champagne-colored pearls suspended from a cluster of sparkling stones.
Photo: Andreas Rentz/Getty Images |
And here’s a glimpse of Mary’s delicate bracelets, plus a ring that appears to be set with a gray pearl.