The Court Jeweller

Sparkling Royal Jewels From Around the World

Jewel Detective: Henriette of Belgium

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Henriette of Belgium as Duchess of Vendôme, ca. 1910 [1]
Here’s a bit of a research challenge for the jewel detectives among you: can you identify the jewels worn here by Princess Henriette of Belgium (1870-1948), the sister of King Albert I of Belgium and the wife of Prince Emmanuel of Orléans, 8th Duke of Vendôme?
NOTES, PHOTO CREDITS, AND LINKS
1. Detail of a picture postcard; image now in the public domain due to its age; source here.

This Week in Royal Jewels: February 21-27

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February 21-27, 2014
As we wrap up February, here are the top jewel stories of the week!

10. The simple jewels that Queen Maxima wore to welcome home the Dutch Olympic team on Tuesday was overshadowed just a bit by all the hardware that the athletes brought back from Sochi. (Seriously, does everyone in the Netherlands skate that fast???)

9. During a visit to the Spanish National Ballet on Monday, Queen Sofia let her spangled jacket take center stage, pairing it with simple gold jewelry.
8. Royal photographers got a close-up view of Queen Mathilde’s bracelet and watch during a seminar on cyber-bullying on Thursday — wonderful to get to see even simple royal jewels so clearly!
7. Courtesy the Luxarazzi blog, here’s a rare look at a piece of jewelry that once belonged to the princely family of Liechtenstein: the ruby and diamond tiara of Archduchess Elisabeth of Austria.
6. The Bourbon-Parma branch of the Dutch royal family grew a bit this week, with the birth of Princess Zita, the first child of Prince Jaime and Princess Viktoria. As she is a descendant of Queen Juliana, I think we can expect to see this little princess (who was named after her father’s great-aunt, the last empress of Austria) wearing pieces from the family’s jewel foundation one day.
5. For a rather windy visit to Portsmouth on Wednesday, the Duchess of Cornwall wore her Nelson diamond brooch, which she generally dons at events related to the Royal Navy.
4. To welcome German Chancellor Angela Merkel to Buckingham Palace on Thursday, Queen Elizabeth II chose a diamond and pearl brooch from the collection of one of her own German ancestors: Princess Augusta of Hesse-Kassel, the wife of Prince Adolphus, Duke of Cambridge (and grandmother of Queen Mary). The Queen inherited the Duchess of Cambridge’s brooch from Queen Mary in 1953.
3. Also on Thursday, the Queen wore her Cartier aquamarine clips for the presentation of the Queen’s Anniversary Prizes for Higher and Further Education. The clips were given to her by her parents in 1944 as an eighteenth birthday gift.
2. A poster at the Royal Jewels of the World Message Board has posted a complete inventory of the jewels that belonged to the late Princess Lilian of Sweden, including their assessed value. As you may expect, two pieces from the collection of Crown Princess Margareta — the diamond laurel wreath tiara and the scarab necklace — were among the most valuable.
1. And finally, this week the Swedish royal family welcomed a new member: Princess Leonore, the newborn daughter of Princess Madeleine. Some were surprised that the baby was given a title, but I, for one, am thrilled — Queen Estelle is going to need a buddy to help show off the Bernadotte jewel collection in a few years!

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.

This Week in Royal Jewels: February 14-20

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February 14-20, 2014
Time once again to take a gander at ten of the most exciting stories about royal jewels from the past week!
10. Both the Dutch and Danish royal families are on ski holidays this week. Crown Princess Mary of Denmark ably demonstrated that it’s possible to corral four children and one crown prince on the slopes while still wearing a shiny pair of earrings.
9. Hello! revealed this week that a pendant necklace worn by the Duchess of Cambridge was made for her by Merci Maman, a company that specializes in jewelry for mothers. The necklace features three charms: a “W” for William, a charm in the shape of a small child, and a disc engraved with Prince George’s name.
8. An upcoming visit from King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia of Sweden to the Netherlands has been announced. The royal couple will visit the Dutch royals on April 4 and 5 — get excited to see two of the most jewel-savvy queens together!
7. Princess Caroline of Monaco chose monochromatic jewelry for a charity dinner held in Genoa, Italy, on Valentine’s Day.
6. Members of the Belgian royal family attended a mass on Tuesday in honor of deceased family members, and one royal lady sported a jewel surprise. Princess Margaretha of Liechtenstein (whose mother, Grand Duchess Josephine-Charlotte of Luxembourg, was born a Belgian princess) wore a pair of modern earrings that had been previously worn by her aunt, Queen Fabiola of Belgium. Looks like Queen Mathilde is not the only royal who has been given jewel gifts from Fabiola’s collection!
5. At a reception where she revealed that she keeps her BAFTA award on top of her television, Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom wore pearls and the gorgeous sapphire and diamond brooch designed for Queen Victoria by Prince Albert.
4. King Philippe and Queen Mathilde of the Belgians were in Rome this week for a meeting with the Italian president; Mathilde chose simple, elegant pearl earrings to compliment her dove gray coat and hat. She wore equally simple jewelry for a visit to Germany earlier in the week.
3. For an event supporting the Art Room, the Duchess of Cambridge chose modern jewels, including Kiki McDonough earrings, a Mappin & Webb pendant necklace, and a new Cartier watch.
2. The royal who easily wins the “most bejeweled of the week” award is none other than the Prince of Wales! Charles dressed in a traditional thobe and participated in a sword dance during a visit to Saudi Arabia; befitting a prince, the hilt and sheath of the sword he wielded were plated in gold.
1. Although clear photographs of the engagement ring are sadly lacking, Prince Amedeo of Belgium and his new fiancee, Lili Rosboch von Wolkenstein, posed for official portraits on Sunday. No wedding date yet, though apparently it’s being planned for later this year. Here’s hoping we see Lili in a tiara on the big day!