Kent Jewels

[Sean.~]

Originally Posted by branchg

She has number of beautiful and valuable jewels that belonged to Princess Marina and the Duchess of Windsor. However, she also has many less expensive pieces which she designed herself using semi-precious stones and materials. Princess Michael is known to be very creative.

I like most of her pieces, but that one 'creation' she wore to Edward and Sophie's wedding was dowright scary.

[bernard lachaise]

Princess Mickael of Kent is incredible, she will make a glittering queen, imagine if she had the collection of Queen Elizabeth at her disposal it would be wonderful!!! But her jewelry collection is also interesting for a minor royal. What is the provenance of these jewels: what is inheritance or Prince and Princess Mickael bought some of the pieces (and did they have the money for that?).

[auntie]

First and foremost, she has inherited 2 of Princess Marina's tiaras, which she (Princess Marina)received from, I suppose King George V and Queen Mary as wedding gifts, the other major peices she has are also probably from her (a pearl chocker\necklace, if I'm not mistaken) some smaller peices and so forth. She did inherit some peices from Wallis Simpson, whom she was severely criticized for keeping up a friendship with, a brooch and earrings I think, and I'm sure she goes for some good quality custom Jewells!
After all thats been said, Queen Mary was a very generous mother in Law in deed, if you think of all the jewells that the Duchess of Kent, Gloucestour, Princess Michael, the Queens mother, (before becoming queen) received from her!

[james]

http://pro.corbis.com/images/AADS003...-476e877c808c}
The book "The Queen's Jewels" (deceptive title as it details almost all of the jewellry owned by the British Royals) says that this choker and the matching bracelet, which is also owned by the princess, was a wedding gift from Queen Mary to Marina. The earrings are also described as large oriental pearls and are said to be worth a lot of money on their own. Apparently it's because the pearls are large and perfectly matched that make the earrings so valuable as this is quite rare. (Most of my info. comes from this book, I really recommend it).

http://pro.corbis.com/images/0000377...-19ac830f71bf}
It's been said that these ruby earrings were given by Wallis Simpson and Princess Michael never wore them in the Queen Mother's presence but that story has never been confirmed.

http://pro.corbis.com/images/0000292...-369f37c9abc0}
This large diamond cluster pendant was a brooch belonging to Tsar Nicholas II's mother and was bought from her by Queen Mary after the Russian revolution and passed to Princess Marina on her death. Princess Michael also wears it as a brooch.

http://pro.corbis.com/images/0000276...-1907f61768dd}

http://pro.corbis.com/images/0000318...-4d553573ca77} [pic no longer available - Sept 07]
Wearing two sapphire and diamond Cartier clips and wearing them on either side of a pearl and sapphire necklace. These were purchased by Prince George for Princess marina in the 1930's.

http://pro.corbis.com/images/QV00122...-98af9d396ed1}
Large emerald and diamond brooch worn on a string of black pearls. Origin unkown. This brooch was worn a lot by the Duchess of Kent in the 1970's so probably belonged to Princess Marina.

[auntie]

In what year did Princess Marina die? it seems that Princess Michael received alot of jewells from her, or is it because she is ostentatious?(tastefully so)

[Elspeth]

Princess Marina died in 1968, before Prince Michael was married.

[auntie]

Thanks Elspeth, how were her Jewells dished out? wouldn't the present duchess received more?

[Elspeth]

The present Duchess may have received more; I don't know how the jewels were left. It might depend on whether any of her children were godchildren of ladies without descendents of their own and who might have inherited from their godmothers, like Prince Richard of Gloucester did from Princess Marie Louise. I assume in that case it was because Prince Richard was the younger son, so most of the Gloucester property and jewels would go to the older son. Of course, by the time the Duke died, Prince Richard's older brother was also dead so Prince Richard inherited everything from his father as well as inheriting from Princess Marie Louise.

I gather the Duke of Kent sold some of the family jewellery at one point, although I'm not sure why. There are also rumours (I'm not sure if they're substantiated) that Princess Michael has had paste replicas made of jewellery that she's sold so it looks as though she still has it.

[branchg]

The Queen's cousins are not particularly wealthy and she takes care of their expenses to ensure they have a life of dignity. Katharine, Duchess of Kent has her own private money from her father and Princess Alexandra's husband, Sir Agnus, left her a small fortune, but the rest of the family is far from rich.

The Duke of Gloucester inherited part of his mother's fortune, which was quite considerable as a Montagu-Scott, and is well-off. So, when it comes down to it, having a lot of valuable jewels, that no one wears often and are of minimal historical value, doesn't make sense when you could use the cash.

[james]

I remember the accusation of Princess Michael's jewels being paste appeared only once in the book "Theirs is the Kingdom" in 1987 and was shot down in flames by the Kent's themselves who angrily put out a statement saying that all the jewels belonging to Prince Michael are in trust for his children so the Princess couldn't sell them even if she wanted to as they are, officially, not her property to dispense with.

[Paula**]

That jewels will be Lady Gabriella's jewels one day?
Lady Gabriella is so stunning and beautiful she should be a Princess :p she deserve the jewels

[dakodas]

After all thats been said, Queen Mary was a very generous mother in Law in deed, if you think of all the jewells that the Duchess of Kent, Gloucestour, Princess Michael, the Queens mother, (before becoming queen) received from her!

Well, according to a special I saw, Mary collected an OBSCENE amount of jewelry. She layered before it was hip!

[ldmemail]

Originally Posted by james

http://pro.corbis.com/images/0000312...-e322af09f90e}

The Duchess of Kent in her Pearl and Diamond fringe tiara, which was a wedding gift from her parents, pearl and diamond drop earrings, choker and bracelet.

Sorry to contradict but the Pearl & Diamond Diadem was an heirloom from Queen Mary.

[branchg]

Originally Posted by ldmemail

Sorry to contradict but the Pearl & Diamond Diadem was an heirloom from Queen Mary.

No, it wasn't. Leslie Fields states in her book it was a wedding gift from Katharine's parents. The Cambridge sapphire parure was from Queen Mary to Princess Marina who left it to The Duke after her death.

[Josefine]

has the kent children ever worn any major jewlery from the kent jewlery box and how big his this jewlery box when we talk about historicle items

[Stefan]

Originally Posted by james

http://pro.corbis.com/images/0000312146-008.jpg?size=67&uid={1714cdf5-735c-4908-aa73-e322af09f90e}

The Duchess of Kent in her Pearl and Diamond fringe tiara, which was a wedding gift from her parents, pearl and diamond drop earrings, choker and bracelet.

There are to 2 Theories about this tiara. the one says it was the wedding Present from the parents of the present Duchess the other that after the sold the Cambridge Sapphire Tiara the small Tiara which was worn by the present Duchess on her Wedding day was adapted to make it bigger.

[Elspeth]

Originally Posted by Josefine

has the kent children ever worn any major jewlery from the kent jewlery box and how big his this jewlery box when we talk about historicle items

Lady Helen Windsor (the Duke of Kent's daughter) wore the Kent fringe tiara for her wedding.

[Zonk]

Its a shame that most of the Kent jewels will never be seen in public.

Other than Princess Michael of Kent who wears some of the jewelery, the Duchess is definitely low profile. And when the Earl and Countess of St. Andrews inheirt the Dukedom and with the royal family getting smaller...chances are we won't see hardly anything. I am sure their are some masterpieces hidden away.

[ldmemail]

Originally Posted by branchg

No, it wasn't. Leslie Fields states in her book it was a wedding gift from Katharine's parents. The Cambridge sapphire parure was from Queen Mary to Princess Marina who left it to The Duke after her death.

Research it as I did - Princess Alexandra wore the same tiara in Australia before the Kent's marriage ! The Duchess' late parents would not have been in a position to give such a wedding gift. Also the Cambridge Sapphires were a wedding gift from Queen Mary - not an inheritance.

[auntie]

Originally Posted by ldmemail

Research it as I did - Princess Alexandra wore the same tiara in Australia before the Kent's marriage ! The Duchess' late parents would not have been in a position to give such a wedding gift. Also the Cambridge Sapphires were a wedding gift from Queen Mary - not an inheritance.

Weddding gift to whom? The present Duke and duchess, or Princess Marina?