Duchess of Cornwall Jewellery 4: February-November 2007

[branchg]

Originally Posted by BeatrixFan

Based on the tales of Margaret Rhodes and several others including Countess Mountbatten of Burma...

The Queen Mother left all of her jewels to The Queen in a tax-free transfer to avoid estate tax. She did not approve of Camilla and made it quite clear that she was opposed to Charles marrying her.

The Queen refused to consider the matter until after her mother's death because of her disapproval.

[BeatrixFan]

Evidence? Note that I gave sources for my facts.

[Elspeth]

Originally Posted by Madame Royale

So it was

I recall seeing Camilla wear the Keppel piece but they aren't real rubies are they?

Depends on what they are. If they're synthetically produced and have the same chemical composition as natural rubies, then they're real rubies (although not nearly as valuable as natural ones). But if they're some other red stone that just look like rubies, then they're not real ones. I assume it'd be the latter, because I don't think the technology to create synthetic ruby had been developed at the time this tiara/necklace was created.

[branchg]

Originally Posted by BeatrixFan

Evidence? Note that I gave sources for my facts.

The Times noted the tax-free transfer of her property to The Queen. The issue of Camilla was revealed when the Countess of Wessex gave an unknowing interview to a journalist posing as a sheik. She was quoted as saying there was "no chance" of Charles and Camilla marrying while the "old lady" was still alive, aka The Queen Mother.

[Elspeth]

It seems as though different people have different opinions of the Queen Mother's attitude to a marriage between Charles and Camilla, because Margaret Rhodes, Countess Mountbatten, and the Countess of Wessex are all reliable sources. I suppose it's possible that the Queen Mother changed her mind over time or that it made a difference to her after Diana died.

[GillW]

Does anyone have a link to pictures of Camilla wearing the delicate gold bow brooch, which shows the initials on both of the blue end drops?
If I edit this enough times, maybe I'll get it right! - Apologies...

http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r...ps-broochg.jpg


Thanks.

[jcbcode99]

Sorry, GillW, your link didn't work (I totally know how that goes). {ETA: it's working now - Elspeth} But, I have seen pictures of the brooch and I think it is just beautiful! It is so elegant, just like Camilla. She is really lucky to have all these gems at her disposal!
Janet

[xtan]

yes, she is really lucky to have all those wonderful gems at her disposal. no wonder she never let go of charles at all....

[BeatrixFan]

Yes, I'm sure she waited 30 odd years just to wear a tiara or two.

[Warren]

Originally Posted by BeatrixFan

Yes, I'm sure she waited 30 odd years just to wear a tiara or two.

Not forgetting that she has access to a very nice one belonging to her own family...

[Skydragon]

Originally Posted by xtan

yes, she is really lucky to have all those wonderful gems at her disposal. no wonder she never let go of charles at all....

Is that what she was waiting 30+ years for, silly me....

[jcbcode99]

Not to ignore the Durbar and the Boucheron, but I think that the emerald drop earrings and the brooch Mrs. Greville left the Queen Mother were worth the wait alone. Here's a link--fifth set of pictures down, Camilla is dressed in green velvet and wearing the earrings and the brooch. Above this set of pics is a pic of several pieces of emerald jewellery--and the earrings can be viewed a bit better here

Cornwall1

[jcbcode99]

I also love seeing the jewellery as it was worn then, and then seeing it cross generations to new members of the family. I think doing so makes a subtle statement about longevity.

[Thomas Parkman]

But My God the Hats, maybe we should start a Worst Hats Thread. I would have a field day. Please do not misunderstand. I love hats. I like men to wear hats, I like women to wear hats. The loss of hat wearing in my humble opinion comes only just below women wearing pant suits and pants. an absolutely awful abomination.

But the hats Camilla wears look as if they were designed by somebody strung out on huffing Go, smoked up on weed or some other brain killing illlegal drug. Not all of them you understand. I just think the Brits have the wackiest ways with those contraptions. and that has not been confined to Camilla either. Now let me get out of here before Warren and the members come after me to skin me alive. Cheers.

[Skydragon]

Thomas, Thomas, hats are a very individual thing and each hat must be chosen, by the man or woman for the occasion. A couple of her hats were not what I would wear, but they still looked good on Camilla! I expect some of my hats would not be worn by Camilla, but you go too far when complaining about trousers and trouser suits on women!!!

[Elspeth]

Thomas, here's the thread - complain away!

[Jed Cecil]

This is just to clear up what I see as a continuing thread of semi-confusion regarding the wonderful diadem made by Garrard in 1911 for the Delhi Durbar and worn by Queen-Empress Mary on that occasion.

Yes, 5 of the Cambridge Emeralds were inverted, as it were, and stood upright at the top. And the Cullinans III and IV were set centrally. I, too, would prefer the jewel restored with these gems, but HM The Queen uses the Cambridge Emeralds interchangeably with the fantastic pearls in the Grand Duchess Vladimir Tiara. And the Cullinans III and IV have been used for many decades now joined as a brooch and HM wears it often.

Even going back into the 18th Century, there are many precedents, especially in jewels made by the major houses for Royal Families, in designing the jewels so that they were adaptable for many purposes. Many of the pieces which Prince Albert designed for Queen Victoria were able to come apart as various other jewels and be worn separately. Queen Mary originally designed the Lover's Knot Tiara with upstanding pearls completely around the jewel --- the pearls had been a wedding gift. But she wore it many times both ways, according to the photographic evidence. Once, and I forget to what occasion or ceremony (it may have been to the wedding of Wilhelm II's daughter in 1913), Queen Mary even had the Cullinan's I and II taken out of the Scepter and Imperial State Crown, respectively, and wore THEM pinned to her bodice as a brooch, with Cullinan's III and IV also worn on the same occasion! Dear Queen Mary, sadly we'll never see another like her.

Sorry to be so long-winded, but the subject fascinates me and the questions posed in this forum are so interesting! The Crown Jewels of the United Kingdom are a collection that has been formed relatively recently, but the jewelery that forms the private collection of HM The Queen is so vast that it may be hard to imagine. There are jewels we have never heard of, gifts given by the Lords of India and the Empire to Edward VII, George V, Edward VIII and George VI during the world tours taken when they were variously Dukes of York and Princes of Wales. Who knows what unimaginable treasures were brought back --- and all private property. Queen Alexandra's collection was stupendous and we know much of it was given to her grandson, the late Duke of Windsor.

Another spectacular collection of jewelry is used by the Swedish Royal Family and primarily owned by The Bernadotte Foundation, including the fabulous Leuchtenburg Sapphire Parure and SO much else.

But if I could go back in time and see any one collection of jewels, it would be the treasures of the Youssupovs. The legendary photograph of the cache found in the safe that had been bricked up in the Youssupov palace, and found several years after the revolution, makes my mouth water! The mounds of loose stones and marvelous treasure are so amazing! Also, I suppose I wouldn't say no to walking through the Grand Duchess Vladimir's bedroom with a glass of champagne, and seeing all HER fabulousness! Sigh. Those were the days...

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Alexandra's jewels were divided among her children after her death by George V and Queen Mary. The myth of The Duke possessing any jewels belonging to the Royal Collection has been debunked many times, including a statement issued in 1974 by Buckingham Palace.

The Duke did possess a number of valuable emeralds, rubies, diamonds and sapphires that he was given over the years during his tours of India as Prince of Wales. Many of these gems were later reset by Cartier and Van Cleef & Arpel in Paris into spectacular jewels for The Duchess.