Royal Jewels

[prince.of.preslav]

Hi MJ!

The orders worn by the members of the Norwegian RF are Dutch and I made a short summary of them. You're right that Queen Bearix wore the Order of St. Olav - Norway's highest order.

It is customary that when you pay a State Visit to another country you wear the orders of the country visited and your hosts wear your country's orders (if any have been bestowed).
Par example when The King and Queen of Norway payed a State Visit to Beatrix/The Netherlands they received and at the banquet wore the Order of the Netherlands Lion. The Dutch Queen, her (now late) husband and sisiter Margaret wore The Order of St. Olav. And remember that orders are not only given to royals, so maybe Norw. orders have been bestowed to Dutch officials!

Here's a photo from the 1996 State Visit to Holland:

 

[prince.of.preslav]

State Visit from The Netherlands to Sweden - Beatrix wore the collar* and star of Sweden''s highest order - The Seraphim. Prince Claus wore the Grand Cross of the hosting country''s second highest order - The Polar Star. King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia wore the Grand Cross of the Order of the Netherlands Lion; Princess Lilian - the Grand Cross of the House Order of the Crown of Orange.

*the Collar is usually given to other monarchs only. Elizabeth II didn''t get it, though.

Photo from the State Visit:

 

[prince.of.preslav]

Spanish State Visit to Narway - King Juan Carlos I and Queen Sofia - The St. Olav; King Harald V and The Crown Prince (not 100% sure) - The Order of Carlos III; Queen Sonja and The Crown Princess - lower Spanish orders.

Photo:

 

[prince.of.preslav]

As I said in a previous post, TRH The Crown Prince and Princess of Denmark are in Washington DC. Here are some photos from the evening engagement in day 1.

Earrings:

 

[prince.of.preslav]

Bracelets and rings:

 

[prince.of.preslav]

A white enemal and diamond brooch in the hair:

 

[prince.of.preslav]

Yesterday HRH visited soldiers at the Walter Reed Army Medical Center. The Princess wore Tahitian pearl earrings and bracelet:

 

[prince.of.preslav]

The bracelets:

 

[prince.of.preslav]

In the evening Crown Princess Mary wore diamond and coral(?) earrings:

 

[prince.of.preslav]

Happy 48th birthday to Princess Astrid of Belgium, Archduchess of Austria-Este!

 

[LadyMaria]

Date: 6/5/2010 7:16:52 AM
Author: prince.of.preslav
In the evening Crown Princess Mary wore diamond and coral(?) earrings:

I love her hair here and in the earlier braid. I''m not sure about these earrings though...they really seem to clash with the dress.

 

[LadyMaria]

OK! Magazine here in the US ran a story last week about the supposed engagement annoucement between Prince William and Kate Middleton. *sigh* We''ve heard this rumor a million times before. But here are two interesting tidbits, one that makes sense and the other that I just said "huh?"

First, William will be named Duke of Cambridge. That makes sense. I had read a story somewhere last year with Duke of Cambridge, Duke of Windsor or Duke of Sussex in the running. I don''t think anyone is ready for another Duke of Windsor yet.

Here''s the comment that made me go "huh?" OK! reported that Kate Middleton would wear the Spencer tiara out of respect for the memory of her mother-in-law.

I think that would be completely inappropriate. A royal bride can wear her family tiara at her wedding, or wear jewels purchased by her husband/his family. If Charles and Diana had a daughter, I could see that daughter maybe wearing the Spencer tiara at her wedding. But for the prospective daughter-in-law to wear her late mother-in-law''s tiara? And that tiara isn''t even with the royal family anymore? Sure, Autumn Kelly borrowed a tiara from the Princess Royal when she married Peter Phillips...but that Festoon tiara is owned by the Princess Royal. And the Princess Royal is still alive to give her permission for the tiara to be used.

I have a really hard time seeing Earl Spencer going along with this.

Now, if they said that Kate would wear the Cambridge Lover''s Knot tiara, that would make more sense, especially if they will be named the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.

So what do you all think? Thumbs up or down to Kate wearing the Spencer tiara at a possible wedding to William?

 

[LadyMaria]

People Magazine here in the US also has an updated copy of their special on royalty (I highly reccomend this issue...lots of pretty sparkly things) and it ran a small blurb on a princely family I had never heard of...Thurn and Taxis.

In the early 80''s the head of the family, Prince Johannes, married Gloria Schonburg-Glauchau. Gloria became the Princess of Thurn and Taxis and was nicknamed Princess TNT for her high partying lifestyle. They had three children, Maria, Elisabeth, and Albert. Prince Johannes passed away in 1990. Albert now has the title.

Here is Prince Johannes and Princess Gloria on their wedding day.

 

[LadyMaria]

Here is a closeup of the family tiara of Thurn and Taxis.

 

[LadyMaria]

Side view of the family tiara of Thurn and Taxis

 

[LadyMaria]

Great detail of the tiara of Thurn and Taxis.

 

[LadyMaria]

Princess Gloria with the tiara on her wedding day.

 

[Coooper]

Date: 6/5/2010 7:07:43 AM
Author: prince.of.preslav
A white enemal and diamond brooch in the hair:

I know this piece - it''s from the Georg Jensen Daisy collection. Very Danish and very beautiful

 

[loriken214]

Date: 6/5/2010 7:12:51 AM
Author: prince.of.preslav
Yesterday HRH visited soldiers at the Walter Reed Army Medical Center. The Princess wore Tahitian pearl earrings and bracelet:

Thank you for posting these lovely photos of Mary....she is SO refreshing and beautiful!

Lori

 

[loriken214]

Date: 6/5/2010 12:13:02 PM
Author: LadyMaria
People Magazine here in the US also has an updated copy of their special on royalty (I highly reccomend this issue...lots of pretty sparkly things) and it ran a small blurb on a princely family I had never heard of...Thurn and Taxis.

In the early 80''s the head of the family, Prince Johannes, married Gloria Schonburg-Glauchau. Gloria became the Princess of Thurn and Taxis and was nicknamed Princess TNT for her high partying lifestyle. They had three children, Maria, Elisabeth, and Albert. Prince Johannes passed away in 1990. Albert now has the title.

Here is Prince Johannes and Princess Gloria on their wedding day.

Hi MJ!

What is the date on the People Magazine that you referenced? I haven''t seen it here in Katy, TX yet. Do you have a photo of the cover that you can post?

Lori

 

[LadyMaria]

Hi MJ!

What is the date on the People Magazine that you referenced? I haven''t seen it here in Katy, TX yet. Do you have a photo of the cover that you can post?


Lori

It is not a regular edition of People Magazine, it''s one of their special issues. It''s called "The Royals: Their Lives, Loves, and Secrets." Across the top of the cover there are 4 pictures: a castle (I think it''s Balmoral), a crown, an ariel shot of Diana at her wedding, then Diana in the Elvis dress and Cambridge Lover''s Knot Tiara. The bottom 2/3 of the cover are big picture of William and Harry.

This special issue originally came out in 2007 (I remember reading through it when I was pregnant with my daughter and on bedrest). This new one is updated for 2010. I got the new one last week, and I''m just up I-45 from you in Dallas. The cover also has a small thing in the corner that says "display until 8/6/10," so hopefully you''ll be able to find it.

 

[prince.of.preslav]

Date: 6/5/2010 11:57:24 AM
Author: LadyMaria
OK! Magazine here in the US ran a story last week about the supposed engagement annoucement between Prince William and Kate Middleton. *sigh* We've heard this rumor a million times before. But here are two interesting tidbits, one that makes sense and the other that I just said 'huh?'

MJ, this post is not agains you, it's against the US magazines that crate such stories (most of them about Diana) in order to sell more copies.

The date mentioned earlier was 3rd June and obviously nothing happened. Today I heard on the news about a possible poposal by Wills this month, but I highly doubt it. The Princes himself has commented that he would not marry untill he finishes his military training. Furthermore, Buck Palace/Clerance House has commented that Prince William has no plans to proopose in the near future.

The tiara - Why on earth the future Princess William of Wales (either Kate or not) would wear the Spencer tiara? The Windsors have enough of dazzling jewels that would be far more appropriate to wear (think of QEQM's tiaras, the fringe, the Lover's Knot...even the Girls of GB and Irelnd!) than the family tiara of Diana, a woman not really loved by The Queen IMHO. And I can not see Lord Spencer loaning the tiara to his nephew's future spouse.
Even if Kate wants to honour her late MIL, she can use the same veil, similar dress, the 'same' wedding cake or even the music, but tha tiara - please not!

The title - I think Cambridge and Sussex are good guesses but I personaly wouldn't mind a mare Prince and Princess William of Wales.

Bobby

Adding here a photo of Earl Spencer's first wife, Victoria Lockwood, on their wedding day in 1989:

 

[prince.of.preslav]

ETA - MJ, Prince Johannes was a very wealthy old men of noble/princely origin. He desperately needed an heir and finaly married the yourg Gräfin Gloria from the impoverished von Schönburg-Glauchau family. In the years of their marriage they led a lavish life and The Princess often appeared with strange coiffures and dresses. That's how she gained the nicknames Princess Punk and Princess TNT. After that her husband's suddenly died and left her with three small children and loths of debts. In order to save the remains of the family's declined fortune, she auctioned a lot of jewels, covered the debts and yet has a lot to choose from. Since she was a sort of regent of her son, she had to calm and stop living her previous life. The Princess became a successful businesswoman and AFAIK still controles the family companies. Furthermore, now we can see HSH as a devout Catholic.

Here's a better (and colour) photo from Johanes and Gloria's wedding in Regensburg, 1980:

 

[prince.of.preslav]

Date: 6/5/2010 12:13:37 PM
Author: LadyMaria
Here is a closeup of the family tiara of Thurn and Taxis.

I wouldn't call this the Thurn und Taxis family tiara. This magnifiscent jewel was created for the French Emipress Eugenie. After the fall of the Empire it was sold and obviously bought the Princes of T&T. When Prince Johanes daied in 1990 and Gloria had to pay the family's debts she sold quite a lot of stunning jewels - among them this tiara. Then an organization called "Friends of the Louvre" (if memory serves right)me right bought it and presented it to the museum where you can see it today.

Link to an interesting article about the tiara - Pearl and Diamond Tiara of Empress Eugenie

Here's nice photo of the tiara:

 

[prince.of.preslav]

At the wedding Furstin Gloria wore this impressive pearl and diamond corsge. It was also sold after her husband''s death.

Here''s some more info - Pearl and Diamond Devant de Corsage of the Princly House of Thurn und Taxis

 

[prince.of.preslav]

Today Elizabeth II attended Derdy Day (day 2 of Epsom Derby) in Surrey. The Queen wore a lovely yellow outfit and a diamond brooch:

 

[LadyMaria]

Date: 6/5/2010 5:43:16 PM
Author: prince.of.preslav

Date: 6/5/2010 11:57:24 AM




MJ, this post is not agains you, it''s against the US magazines that crate such stories (most of them about Diana) in order to sell more copies.

I know to take all the engagement rumors in the US and Britain with a grain of salt. Every few months the papers have to make a big deal about it...usually around Kate''s birthday, Valentine''s Day, etc. I''m pretty numb to that part of the story...things that are meant to happen will happen in due time.

I just thought the bits about the title and tiara were worth discussing.

And thanks for the info on TNT. I knew someone on this board could fill me in on that family!

When I think of TNT and the Princely family of SWB, I start to wonder how many other little Princely titles there are out there...way back in this thread I did a bit on Rocks from ROCKS (Really Obscure Countries and KingdomS) like Morocco, Lesotho, Thailand, etc. I''d love to see more information and pictures from the princely families like TNT and SWB.

 

[Cordata]

Date: 6/5/2010 10:46:57 PM
Author: LadyMaria

Date: 6/5/2010 5:43:16 PM
Author: prince.of.preslav

Date: 6/5/2010 11:57:24 AM




MJ, this post is not agains you, it''s against the US magazines that crate such stories (most of them about Diana) in order to sell more copies.

I know to take all the engagement rumors in the US and Britain with a grain of salt. Every few months the papers have to make a big deal about it...usually around Kate''s birthday, Valentine''s Day, etc. I''m pretty numb to that part of the story...things that are meant to happen will happen in due time.

I just thought the bits about the title and tiara were worth discussing.

And thanks for the info on TNT. I knew someone on this board could fill me in on that family!

When I think of TNT and the Princely family of SWB, I start to wonder how many other little Princely titles there are out there...way back in this thread I did a bit on Rocks from ROCKS (Really Obscure Countries and KingdomS) like Morocco, Lesotho, Thailand, etc. I''d love to see more information and pictures from the princely families like TNT and SWB.

Here is a picture of Princess Gloria with the TNT emerald tiara. Look at her hairstyle and you may imagine why she was nicknamed Princess Punk. Gloria has become extremely conservative and religious these days and I must say that the German public never took her quite serious. But the TNT jewels are stunning. There is also a really big sapphire tiara and, if a remember correctly, a ruby tiara and a diamond tiara as well. Maybe I can find pictures later today (or Bobby jumps in: Bobby, I must say that your virtual vaults are astonishing!)

Lady Maria, the German history is very complicated, because from the early middle ages till the time of Napoleon Germany was an always changing assortment of states, (principalities, duchies, counties, church territories etc.) which were more or less united unter the Emperor. Then Napoleon conquered large parts of Germany and established a couple of kingdoms there, like Bavaria and Würtemberg. Later Germany became united under the Prussian kings who also became emperors. The former royal and princely house had lost their power, but not their titles and styles. That is why there are still a large number of Princes and Princesses about. And from time to time one gets a glimpse at their wonderful old jewellery.

 

[prince.of.preslav]

Cordata, thanks for the summary of the German situation after the Mediatization.

Of coure you can post the photo of the really impressive sappire tiara! Till then here are some more T&T jewels.

First is the above mentioned ruby tiara in combination with earrings from the collection of Princess Clementine of SCG and a necklace. I have clearer photos if you are interested.

 

[prince.of.preslav]

An Indian style diamond, pearl and emerald choker, emrald brooch and impressive ear pendants that once belonged to GD Maria Pavlovna (aka Grand Duchess Vladimir):