The Princess of Wales Jewels 1: September 2022 -

[CrownPrincessJava]

At last, at last, at last we are seeing some of Princess Diana's important jewellery. We still have not seen the Saudi sapphires and I cannot remember seeing the aquamarine drop earrings. There may be rubies and more sapphires (worn by Princess Diana on an official visit to Germany) that we are still to see. Wow.
Princess Catherine is beautiful and has a gorgeous smile and she makes the jewels look good.

I personally doubt we will ever see the Saudi sapphires, due to human rights violations in Saudi Arabia. And I suspect the aquamarine jewellry may have gone to Prince Harry too.

 

[Iluvbertie]

At last, at last, at last we are seeing some of Princess Diana's important jewellery. We still have not seen the Saudi sapphires and I cannot remember seeing the aquamarine drop earrings. There may be rubies and more sapphires (worn by Princess Diana on an official visit to Germany) that we are still to see. Wow.
Princess Catherine is beautiful and has a gorgeous smile and she makes the jewels look good.

This was not Diana's but the royal family's. Diana wore it but so did Queen Mary for instance.

Just because Diana wore a piece of jewellery doesn't mean she owned it and the vast majority of what she wore was borrowed from the royal collection or the Queen's private collection.

 

[HRHHermione]

I personally doubt we will ever see the Saudi sapphires, due to human rights violations in Saudi Arabia. And I suspect the aquamarine jewellry may have gone to Prince Harry too.

I hope that’s not true. Aside from being beautiful, they come from an entirely different era of Saudi history and politics and shouldn’t be linked to the atrocities of the current Crown Prince.

 

[EllieCat]

I've been waiting decades for this gorgeous emerald choker to reappear! At one time, when all was going well, I thought that Meghan might get it, but now I'm so glad that didn't happen.

It looks lovely on Catherine, however I don't think anyone will wear it as well as Diana did. Although if Catherine had IMO worn a nicer dress it may well have looked better.

Now I'd like to see her in that huge sapphire and pearl choker (the sapphire brooch that I believe the Queen Mother gave Diana and that Diana had changed into a choker). Maybe Catherine will wear that at the Coronation. And then I will be in heaven

Of course it's got absolutely NOTHING to do with me, but I would have liked Prince William to have given Catherine her very own major piece of jewellery. All she (seemed to) get from him, was a pre-owned engagement ring but i may be wrong.

 

[duchessrachel]

I love the emerald choker. I like it better they way Queen Mary wore it with the pendant attached, but it is gorgeous on the Princess of Wales. I am hoping she will eventually wear Diana's 6 strand pearl choker with the large sapphire stone.

 

[Frelinghighness]

Thrilled to see the choker on her and it looks even better on a brunette,imo. The earrings compliment the choker. What a good choice, green is the theme of course.

 

[southwind]

Not a big fan of the choker but is good to see it again! Agree that's look better on Catherine.
Using it on this tour is a subtle, but powerful message.

 

[Moonmaiden23]

That choker looks unbelievably beautiful against that gown!

 

[tihkon2]

This was not Diana's but the royal family's. Diana wore it but so did Queen Mary for instance.

Just because Diana wore a piece of jewellery doesn't mean she owned it and the vast majority of what she wore was borrowed from the royal collection or the Queen's private collection.

People aways say this but at that time the queen used to gift jewels. The easiest explanation and the one I always say, is that she gave Diana the choker, as well as the Lover's Knot tiara and other jewels.

I would be happy to be corrected with actual real proof such as a statement from the Palace that Diana was NOT given these jewels.

 

[Spheno]

I love the emerald choker. I like it better they way Queen Mary wore it with the pendant attached, but it is gorgeous on the Princess of Wales. I am hoping she will eventually wear Diana's 6 strand pearl choker with the large sapphire stone.

Queen Mary never wore it with a pendant.

 

[Spheno]

People aways say this but at that time the queen used to gift jewels. The easiest explanation and the one I always say, is that she gave Diana the choker, as well as the Lover's Knot tiara and other jewels.

I would be happy to be corrected with actual real proof such as a statement from the Palace that Diana was NOT given these jewels.

In 2012 The Royal Collections publish book The Queen's Diamonds. It has chapter about The Queen Mary's Lover's Knot Tiara. It says: "The tiara was inherited by The Queen from her grandmother in 1953 and was worn by Diana, Princess of Wales, following her marriage in 1981."

This book confirms that the owner at the moment (2012) was queen Elizabeth II.

 

[muriel]

Now I'd like to see her in that huge sapphire and pearl choker (the sapphire brooch that I believe the Queen Mother gave Diana and that Diana had changed into a choker). Maybe Catherine will wear that at the Coronation. And then I will be in heaven

I so do hope not. The coronation should be all about Charles and Camilla, and I do hope that a piece of jewellery worn so prominently by his ex makes its debut on the day.

 

[Toledo]

She looks amazing in green, which is a favorite color in Boston because of the Irish immigrants to the city. The most famous one, also a royal legend, Princess Grace of Monaco.

Here's Princess Katherine in green

 

[Emmily]

Such a beautiful piece of jewelry and so happy to see it on Catherine. I love it with the gown.

 

[Hallo girl]

In 2012 The Royal Collections publish book The Queen's Diamonds. It has chapter about The Queen Mary's Lover's Knot Tiara. It says: "The tiara was inherited by The Queen from her grandmother in 1953 and was worn by Diana, Princess of Wales, following her marriage in 1981."

This book confirms that the owner at the moment (2012) was queen Elizabeth II.

Do you think there is a vault of jewellery that is now allocated to the Princess of Wales, not owned by her, but to be worn by the current Princess whoever that happens to be.

 

[muriel]

Do you think there is a vault of jewellery that is now allocated to the Princess of Wales, not owned by her, but to be worn by the current Princess whoever that happens to be.

I suspect the Queen and the Princess of Wales have probably had a conversation about items of jewellery the Princess may potentially want to wear in time. I suspect it all still lives in the BP vault where most of the jewellery sits, barring the pieces the Queen and the Princess use regularly and are housed at Clarence House or Adelaide Cottage.

 

[Hallo girl]

I suspect the Queen and the Princess of Wales have probably had a conversation about items of jewellery the Princess may potentially want to wear in time. I suspect it all still lives in the BP vault where most of the jewellery sits, barring the pieces the Queen and the Princess use regularly and are housed at Clarence House or Adelaide Cottage.

I just wondered really as a follow up to earlier posts with regards what jewellery was Dianas and what was from the Queen. Because Catherine has been wearing bits and pieces ( expensive bits and pieces) that Diana wore there is an assumption that it was her personal jewellery but I do not agree, I think pieces that were previously worn by royal ladies were on loan as such.

 

[Elly C]

I know I have read previously on this site about the change of approach regarding gifting and loans of major pieces of jewellery. Would someone kindly elaborate on when the previous Queen instigated this so that the Royal Collection could be protected for the future . Also, if there was a particular instance that brought about this change.
Every now and again we hear about major pieces coming up for auction which is quite sad as they usually disappear into some private vault.

 

[tihkon2]

In 2012 The Royal Collections publish book The Queen's Diamonds. It has chapter about The Queen Mary's Lover's Knot Tiara. It says: "The tiara was inherited by The Queen from her grandmother in 1953 and was worn by Diana, Princess of Wales, following her marriage in 1981."

This book confirms that the owner at the moment (2012) was queen Elizabeth II.

Thank you for answering. However, what you've quoted from the book doesn't really confirm that to me. Is there something in the book that explicitly says that Her Majesty owned the tiara at that time? I understand that the book title was "The Queen's Diamonds".

 

[MARG]

It's not part of the Cambridge emeralds set, though, is it? The set that almost triggered a scandal with Francis of Teck and his mistress, and led to royal wills being sealed?

True, they are indeed part of the Cambridge Emeralds in their last iteration by Queen Mary who removed the upright emeralds but the Delhi Durbar grand tiara and had the 10 drop-shaped emeralds altered to enable them to become a third, emerald alternative to the empty or pearl version of the Duchess Vladimir tiara which, IMHO was a stroke of genius as was loaning the single choker to Catherine for an international event such as this.

I personally doubt we will ever see the Saudi sapphires, due to human rights violations in Saudi Arabia. And I suspect the aquamarine jewellery may have gone to Prince Harry too.

While I appreciate the statements made about the Saudi Suite, I believe that nothing has changed since Diana wore them. SA is just as autocratic and abusive of common human rights now as they were then. Everyone still shakes their fingers at the UN but they still trade oi with them and greet them officially at No 10 and Buckingham Palace. To have an "oh how dreadful to wear them" moment would be the height of hypocrisy which would only be dredged up by someone wanting to stir the issue to try to shame the monarchy as indeed they tried when Meghan wore a set of aquamarine(?) chandelier earrings but the, of course, somehow the same rules don't apply to the real world of oil and trade. Yeah right.

 

[Susan D]

People aways say this but at that time the queen used to gift jewels. The easiest explanation and the one I always say, is that she gave Diana the choker, as well as the Lover's Knot tiara and other jewels.

I would be happy to be corrected with actual real proof such as a statement from the Palace that Diana was NOT given these jewels.

Yes, we don't know if jewels were loaned to Princess Diana or if the jewels were gifts from the Queen.

 

[muriel]

I know I have read previously on this site about the change of approach regarding gifting and loans of major pieces of jewellery. Would someone kindly elaborate on when the previous Queen instigated this so that the Royal Collection could be protected for the future . Also, if there was a particular instance that brought about this change.
Every now and again we hear about major pieces coming up for auction which is quite sad as they usually disappear into some private vault.

Just some perspectives:

> Royal jewellery falls into three main pots: (1) Jewellery privately owned by the monarch e.g. The Greville jewels, the QM Lovers Knot tiara (2) The Royal Collection: Jewellery typically received from overseas heads of state by members of the BRF in their official capacity. These items are held in trust for the nation by the monarch, and recipients within the BRF are allowed to use the items as they deem fit during their lifetime. e.g. the Dubai sapphire necklace, the Saudi demi-parures received by Camilla (3) Jewellery owned by the Crown e.g the Oriental Circlet

 

[Stefan]

Just some perspectives:

> Royal jewellery falls into three main pots: (1) Jewellery privately owned by the monarch e.g. The Greville jewels, the QM Lovers Knot tiara (2) The Royal Collection: Jewellery typically received from overseas heads of state by members of the BRF in their official capacity. These items are held in trust for the nation by the monarch, and recipients within the BRF are allowed to use the items as they deem fit during their lifetime. e.g. the Dubai sapphire necklace, the Saudi demi-parures received by Camilla (3) Jewellery owned by the Crown e.g the Oriental Circlet

but in the second category one has also to divide as the Policy with the gifted Jewels is only in Place since about 20 years. Otherwise for example the aquamarines of Queen Elizabeth II. and many of her diamond necklaces which were gifts from Saudi Kings would not have been her private posessions.

 

[Spheno]

I know I have read previously on this site about the change of approach regarding gifting and loans of major pieces of jewellery. t.

I read this about Denmark (Alexandra vs Marie)

 

[muriel]

but in the second category one has also to divide as the Policy with the gifted Jewels is only in Place since about 20 years. Otherwise for example the aquamarines of Queen Elizabeth II. and many of her diamond necklaces which were gifts from Saudi Kings would not have been her private posessions.

Fair point. Though we still do not know which of the jewellery, including the Saudi diamond jewellery or the Brazilian aquamarines, is owned by the monarch personally and which belongs to the Royal Collection.

 

[SirGyamfi1]

Yes, we don't know if jewels were loaned to Princess Diana or if the jewels were gifts from the Queen.

The tiara was a loan from the Queen not an actual gift to Diana, I don’t believe it was among her wedding gifts so I don’t see why it should be seen as “gifted to Diana”. The fact that the jewels were returned to the palace should be fairly obvious what personally belonged to her and what didn’t. In any case, the only noted gifts to royal brides were Sarah’s York tiara which was bought and a tiara given to Sophie, I don’t recall Diana being “gifted” a tiara.

 

[Elly C]

The tiara was a loan from the Queen …….In any case, the only noted gifts to royal brides were Sarah’s York tiara which was bought and a tiara given to Sophie, I don’t recall Diana being “gifted” a tiara.

That makes perfect sense as the Princess of Wales is presumed to eventually become the Queen (consort) and as such would automatically have access to the official collection and would not need to be gifted a tiara.

 

[SirGyamfi1]

Fair point. Though we still do not know which of the jewellery, including the Saudi diamond jewellery or the Brazilian aquamarines, is owned by the monarch personally and which belongs to the Royal Collection.

The Brazilian aquamarines were gifted long before the policy of gifts from foreign states being put into the Royal collection so I assume it’s part of her personal collection. But maybe she was advised to put it in the collection but no one knows in that case

 

[SirGyamfi1]

Thank you for answering. However, what you've quoted from the book doesn't really confirm that to me. Is there something in the book that explicitly says that Her Majesty owned the tiara at that time? I understand that the book title was "The Queen's Diamonds".

The tiara was a copy of one owned by Queen Mary’s aunt so therefore a personal jewel and considering how previous generations of royals used to gift away jewels probably indicates for the most part the late Queen Elizabeth wasn’t going to gift her grandmother’s jewels to anyone. The tiara did not come from the Spencer collection nor was it bought for Diana. The tiara was commissioned by Queen Mary who got Garrards to make it. Plus I don’t think she would gift Queen Mary’s emerald choker either, she simply loaned it to Diana, just because these jewels were closely associated with her doesn’t mean she owned them outright as gifts. There were jewels that she owned personally such as gifts from foreign royals, gifts from Charles and QEQM but the lovers knot and emerald choker aren’t part of that at all.

 

[An Ard Ri]

This looks fabulous on Catherine, it's such a wonderful surprise.

Yes it was a real highlight to see it and hadn't expected it. The Princess is becoming more comfortable wearing jewels now.