Duchess of Cambridge Jewels 3: January 2016 -

[DanyT]

I think pearls are neutral enough to wear with different colored gems. It worked for me. Loved the neckline with necklace as well.

 

[HRHHermione]

I think pearls are neutral enough to wear with different colored gems. It worked for me. Loved the neckline with necklace as well.

I agree. I thought it looked amazing and I'll always be excited when she wears a new and major piece from the collection.

 

[Elly C]

Horribly mismatched indeed. The only thing I can think is that she was going to wear a red dress and found out Letizia was and so changed.



I think the pairing of the Lovers Knot Tiara and Diana's Collingworth Pearl and Diamond Earrings are a match made in heaven. They really look beautiful and create a balanced effect. Unfortunately, the appearance of the magnificent and beauteous Ruby and Diamond Floral Bandeau Necklace stuck in her cleavage was like fingernails on a chalkboard. The Bandeau is worthy of a sonnet and there it sits, it's beautiful, dainty and feminine rubies and diamonds spent the evening arguing with the prissy pink lace that had it surrounded.



I look forward to seeing it in a perfect setting as Catherine certainly has the long neck and decolletage to provide the perfect canvas for the Ruby and Diamond Floral Bandeau Necklace. All she needed was the right frame and the pink gown wasn't it even if it did have an overly deep Hollywood plunge going on.

That is an interesting possibility. I am sure there is communication between royals about what the two Queens are wearing but perhaps this doesn't extend to other royal ladies . I really want to believe, like you, that she will wear this wonderful necklace again with a more fitting gown.

 

[Leslie Mae]

I think pearls are neutral enough to wear with different colored gems. It worked for me. Loved the neckline with necklace as well.[/QUOTE

Agreed. And, in my book, there is no such thing as "mismatched" jewelry. The duchess looked amazing and that necklace looked great with the earrings and tiara. I love the way the necklace looked with the low-cut light pink dress. Too bad we didn't get a really good look at the whole outfit.

 

[duchessrachel]

Very true!! Excited when Harry gets married to see which jewels the wives get. Hoping Harry wife wears the sapphire and pearl choker necklace!

I agree! I so want either Kate or Harry's wife to wear that pearl/sapphire choker. That is a magnificent piece of jewelry. It is to amazing to stay out of sight for too long.

 

[camelot23ca]

I agree! I so want either Kate or Harry's wife to wear that pearl/sapphire choker. That is a magnificent piece of jewelry. It is to amazing to stay out of sight for too long.

Diana certainly had some magnificent jewelry and I hope we get to see more of it on Kate now that she and William are attending more high profile events.

 

[Mirabel]

How do these jewelry loans from the Queen work?


For example, does Kate tell the Queen that she noticed a gorgeous necklace in the vaults and wanted to borrow it for the banquet?


Or does the Queen mention that she thinks that particular necklace would look nice, so Kate ought to wear it?


Or do they all get together to rummage through the jewels and choose who wears what?

 

[MichelleQ2]

^^^ I have often wondered the same thing. Some items may just be HM saying I know you have some big events coming up - perhaps you might like this (there is no way that necklace was a last minute add - the neckline dress was perfect). or maybe Catherine likes pearls - maybe she could get some use of of these.

but oh to be able to rummage through the vaults and try on -

 

[camelot23ca]

How do these jewelry loans from the Queen work?


For example, does Kate tell the Queen that she noticed a gorgeous necklace in the vaults and wanted to borrow it for the banquet?


Or does the Queen mention that she thinks that particular necklace would look nice, so Kate ought to wear it?


Or do they all get together to rummage through the jewels and choose who wears what?

I've always thought that the Queen would have let Kate have a look at the collection available to her shortly after the wedding so she'd have a general idea of her options. I also think the jewelry is regularly cared for by experts available for members of the royal family to consult, and they may be the ones who guide new members of the family towards appropriate choices.

Like everything else I think choice of jewels goes by seniority, so the Queen decides which pieces she wants, then Camilla, then Kate, etc. Although if someone had a strong preference I can't see them arguing about it. ?

 

[GrammaSueSue]

How do these jewelry loans from the Queen work?


For example, does Kate tell the Queen that she noticed a gorgeous necklace in the vaults and wanted to borrow it for the banquet?


Or does the Queen mention that she thinks that particular necklace would look nice, so Kate ought to wear it?


Or do they all get together to rummage through the jewels and choose who wears what?

I read an article sometime ago (sorry, can not remember where) that Catherine consults with Angela Kelly (Queen's Dresser) concerning jewelry. Ms Kelly has knowledge and access to the vault and knows what HM will most likely be wearing. I think there was an article about Angela Kelly's relationship with HM.

 

[Osipi]

This is an uneducated guess but I would imagine that when it comes time to consult and decide about pieces of jewelry, there's probably a catalogue with all the different pieces in it with, most likely, excellent photographs and where applicable, a history of the specific pieces.

We can't expect HM to remember everything about everything in that vault.

 

[Pranter]

If I ever get to go to London all I want to do is be able to take a tour of where all this jewelry is stored....


LaRae

 

[Mirabel]

This is an uneducated guess but I would imagine that when it comes time to consult and decide about pieces of jewelry, there's probably a catalogue with all the different pieces in it with, most likely, excellent photographs and where applicable, a history of the specific pieces.

We can't expect HM to remember everything about everything in that vault.

True.

Yet there must be certain items the Queen would prefer not to lend, like her favorite tiara, for example.
So are some things simply marked off-limits, while others are fair game?

 

[Pranter]

I would think there are at least some jewels reserved for the Monarch to use and no one else.

I think though once some of the other ladies repeatedly wear more personal piece (like the Cambridge tiara) it's probably more polite for one of the other wives to choose another option.



LaRae

 

[Leopoldine]

I read an article sometime ago (sorry, can not remember where) that Catherine consults with Angela Kelly (Queen's Dresser) concerning jewelry. Ms Kelly has knowledge and access to the vault and knows what HM will most likely be wearing. I think there was an article about Angela Kelly's relationship with HM.

This dovetails with what I've read about Diana borrowing jewels from HM.

Way back when, right before one of Diana's first big events as PssoW, I mean like 4 hours before, Diana was given an order with a very wide orange sash from Queen Beatrix. The outfit that Diana planned on wearing was abandoned, and she contacted HM's dresser to borrow a necklace from HM for the newly-selected white dress. She was lent a pearl choker with a diamond-studded element in the front.

I think I got this from a Sarah Bradford book.

In any event, the picture of Diana dressed for that Dutch dinner are well-known. She wears her large sapphire to anchor the sash.


EDIT - I just checked the pic. Diana's sash wasn't wide at all. My memory is playing tricks!

 

[tihkon2]

Somebody a few pages back said that Catherine wasn't wearing the Cambridge Lover's Knot tiara, but Queen Mary's Lover's Knot. She's wearing the same tiara Diana wore for years, and the Queen before her, and Queen Mary before her. It's posts like that, which make people confused and lead to false information.

 

[Tiggersk8]

Well...The colour & design of that particular Order does provide an optical illusion of width. I've gotten tripped up by that a few times myself over the years. [emoji4]

I thought Kate looked amazing last night & really thought it all worked really well. It is so lovely to be seeing that necklace out of the Vault again and about time too!! It's one of my Favourites from the Jewel Collection and all due to the design. It's such a delicate design and so beautiful too.

ITA w/those who said the neckline of the dress was no accident and I thought it was perfect. Low enough to show it off and not so low to be offensive.

Speaking of Jewels we haven't seen for awhile....I've been wondering when those gorgeous Pearl Drops were going to show up. Ever since the CLK Tiara became part of Kate's Collection, (Yes, I know it's on loan from HM, but as no one else is wearing it...) I've been wondering when we'd see those come out to play. They truly are a perfect match for that Tiara.

You know...I've been wondering between Kate gaining more confidence, the Cambridges about to take on more Royal duties & it being the 20th Anniversary of Diana's death if this very well could be the start of seeing more of Diana's Jewelry being worn by Kate? The reason I bring up the Anniversary is that perhaps there's been some thinking that 20 years is long enough for these beautiful pieces not to be seen & perhaps there won't be as much fuss between "Who wore it better!?!"

Which we all know will happen regardless. Anyway, it is something I've been pondering. Plus, between the Bandeau & the Nizam necklaces, we know Kate looks great in a statement necklace & w/her love of Blue....I really want to see her in the Sapphire Choker. [emoji4]

 

[duke of poliganc]

when queen alexandra died she left her wedding gifts to queen mary i think the queen is doing the same but skipping camilla and handing it to kate .

the ruby necklace looked lovely on kate my only criticism is that it looks a bit short and close to the neck it almost looks like a choker , they need to reattach the two element that the queen removed it to make it shorter.

 

[Osipi]

This makes sense to me. Charles had an extraordinary close relationship with his grandmother, the Queen Mum, and a lot of the pieces that he inherited from her are being seen on Camilla. Once he becomes king, Camilla also will have access to the vault and the pieces to be worn only by a Queen consort and once again, a lot of the Queen Mum's jewelry comes into play.

We may see some of the favorites of HM remain in the vault while Charles is king to resurface once Kate is queen. I don't think we're going to see a boatload of new pieces added to the vault but more or less that the BRF, when the occasion calls for it, will wear pieces of provenance with history behind them. There are many, many beautiful items that already exist and as the times change and tiara and big bling events become the exception rather than the norm, I think the vault will be used more and more and "new" pieces become more of a rarity.

 

[Pranter]

It is probably somewhat natural that Diana's key pieces are going to be seen on her son's wives ...there is a pretty personal connection there. Maybe later on down the road, another generation ..after the boys are gone you'll see them more used by other royal ladies...but most of us probably won't be around to see it.


LaRae

 

[Skippyboo]

The future royals are going to be directly related to Diana. The branches of the Gloucesters and Kent stop being royals when the current HRHs die, Anne's children-not royal, York girls can't pass on their HRHs , neither can James and Louise if they used them. So any future members of the BRF are going to be descendants of Diana's sons or married to a descendant. Whatever jewelry from Diana that William inherited will be part of the monarch's jewelry collection once he becomes King.

 

[Pranter]

Hmmm I would think those William inherited from his mother would remain in his personal ownership to be dispensed however on his death (should he choose to pass them elsewhere) ...not part of the Monarchy 'owned' jewels.


LaRae

 

[Mirabel]

Hmmm I would think those William inherited from his mother would remain in his personal ownership to be dispensed however on his death (should he choose to pass them elsewhere) ...not part of the Monarchy 'owned' jewels.


LaRae

But that is the way jewels get scattered and eventually auctioned off!
I think it's best to keep them the property of the Monarchy.

 

[Pranter]

Oh sure I agree...there have been some great pieces (at least in my opinion) lost! However just pointing out that Williams personal property is separate from what belongs to the Monarchy. Unless he 'donates' it or whatever it is he would need to do to incorporate it into the Royal collection.


LaRae

 

[duke of poliganc]

But that is the way jewels get scattered and eventually auctioned off!
I think it's best to keep them the property of the Monarchy.

It would be even better if it was property of the royal family so that everyone get the chance to wear some of the jewellery when the need to instead of asking a jeweler or a another family member to loan them a piece of jewellery and the jewellery it self doesn't need to sit in the vault for decades or even a hundred year till a monarch or consort stumbleupon it and find it match their taste and wear it.

 

[Osipi]

There are certain pieces identified with Diana such as the Lover's Knot tiara and the art deco emerald choker (famously worn as a headband) were part of the royal collection and returned to the Crown after her death. Some of her jewelry was auctioned off (the Swan Lake suite most recently).

Anything with any kind of royal provenance has been returned to the collection following Diana's death. Her personal jewelry was left to William and Harry equally and will remain their personal property (like the Queen's wedding bracelet from Philip) to do with as they wish.

So presuming William, upon the engagement of his daughter Charlotte, gives Diana's sapphire engagement ring (with Kate's consent of course) to her fiance to use as an engagement ring, that piece would eventually pass out of the royal line. If George were to use that same ring, it would remain in the royal line for that generation at least.

 

[Pranter]

I'm still bummed about the Swan Lake set being gone....that was gorgeous.


LaRae

 

[padams2359]

I think Charlotte may be loaned a tiara, and possibly have one purchased for her, like Princess Margaret, because as her jewels are pasted down her family, the further, and further they move away from the monarchy. Jewels belonging to Camilla will also come into play due to the fact she has non royal children that should rightfully inherit her personal jewels. It will be the jewels from Charles that will be the issue. If he bought them for her, they could go to her children, if they belonged to QEQM, they should remain in the royal family. Quite the quagmire.

 

[Moonmaiden23]

I'm still bummed about the Swan Lake set being gone....that was gorgeous.


LaRae

What happened to it? Do you have any photos? I can tell just by the name that it was probably exquisite!

 

[Pranter]

I guess I don't understand the quagmire...if they are gifts from Charles to Camilla then they are hers to do whatever she wants with...however anything belonging to the Monarchy will go back or remain there. I don't imagine Charles is going to gift Camilla with anything belonging to the Monarchy.


LaRae