The Court Jeweller

Sparkling Royal Jewels From Around the World

Here’s to a Sparkling 2020!

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Happy New Year, everyone! 


(And I have to wish a very Happy Blog Birthday to The Court Jeweller, which officially turns six years old today!)

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The last year has been such an exciting one, both in the royal world and for me personally. We witnessed imperial enthronements and royal weddings in 2019 — and I celebrated a wedding of my very own! I’m so thankful for all your kind words and support in the past year.

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As we move into a new year and a new decade, we’ll certainly have lots of sparkle to look forward to! We’ve already got a few things on the docket, including two Dutch state visits, Queen Margrethe II’s 80th birthday, a wedding in Britain, Crown Princess Victoria and Prince Daniel’s 10th wedding anniversary, and a new baby in Luxembourg!

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So here’s a toast to the new year — may we all have happy, healthy, prosperous, and sparkling months ahead. (As always, we’ll be here bright and early tomorrow with our first major glittering event of 2020 — New Year’s jewels in Denmark!) What are you looking forward to this year?



The Best Royal Jewels of 2019: #1 (The Japanese Imperial Enthronement)

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And now, for the sparkliest royal jewelry moment of the year…
#1: The Japanese Imperial Enthronement

JAPAN POOL VIA JIJI PRESS/AFP/Getty Images
We witnessed a once-in-a-generation series of celebrations in Japan this year, as Emperor Akihito celebrated thirty years on the Chrysanthemum throne, and then abdicated in favor of his son, Emperor Naruhito.
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A new imperial era dawned in May, when Emperor Naruhito officially ascended to the throne. He made his first speech as emperor in Tokyo in front of Empress Masako and the rest of the imperial family.
TOSHIFUMI KITAMURA/AFP/Getty Images
Empress Masako made her first appearance in the Meiji Tiara, an heirloom reserved for the use of the Japanese empress.
TOSHIFUMI KITAMURA/AFP/Getty Images
And her sister-in-law, Crown Princess Kiko, wore the family’s crown princely diamond parure for the first time as well.
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A few days later, the imperial family greeted the public from the palace balcony, with brooches and pearls the empress and princesses.
BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP/Getty Images
Shortly afterward, Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako hosted their first state visit, and Masako brought out a fantastic gold and diamond necklace during the state banquet.
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In October, we marveled at the pageantry at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo as Emperor Naruhito was officially enthroned.
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The entire imperial family wore incredible ceremonial attire during the enthronement rite.
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And the numerous royals attending the ceremonies brought jewels with them from around the globe.
STR/Japan Pool via Jiji Press/AFP via Getty Images
That night, the imperial family hosted the first of a series of enthronement banquets for their guests. Empress Masako was dripping in diamonds…
PIERRE EMMANUEL DELETREE/AFP via Getty Images
…and the foreign royal guests brought along their very best tiaras, too!
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In November, the festivities concluded with one more magnificent moment: a parade through the streets of Tokyo. Empress Masako again wore the heirloom diamonds of Japanese empresses. What an incredible imperial year it’s been!