Queen Mathilde Jewellery 1: Ending 2021

[Duc_et_Pair]

Indeed the rules of the Code Napoleon [as regards equal inheritance between all children upon death of a parent] have ensured the tragic dispersal of estates and collections of all kinds throughout the countries he invaded in Europe .. Fortunately he never made it to Britain where Primogeniture [inheritance of the eldest son] ensured the preservation of great houses and collections [at least until the dreaded 'Death Duty' taxes began to take their toll...]
Thankfully most estates and collections are now held 'in trust' for future generations thus reducing the destructive effects of these taxes, and individuals are free [in Britain] to leave their property to whom they chose, rather than have it ordered according to the dictates of the state.

At the other hand the Code Napoléon ensures that neither the widow nor the younger children are left in poverty, which quite often happened. Look at Belgium: King Leopold II became so estranged with his daughters that he disinherited them all. His maîtresses Cléopâtre-Diane de Mérode and Blanche Delacroix ("Baroness de Vaughan") were overloaded with the most amazing and expensive gifts imagineable. So the continental system that all children have an equal right on a share and that the surviving spouse is always left the usufruct for life was not a too bad idea from Napoléon....

 

[maria-olivia]

We should have had more jewels if we remained from the main Branch and not from the the King's brother the Count of Flanders.
Leopold Ii had a son who could be Leopold III , but he died at 10 years old
Only Princess Clémentine , Princess Napoléon , kept her jewels.
Princess Louise jewels , sold . Princess Stephanie jewels stolen, Empress Charlotte jewels partly stolen , Countess of Flandres partly stolen also.....

 

[Duc_et_Pair]

That is absolutely true, the Belgian collection could have been one of the grandest in the world. The "problem" is that twice the direct line ended, making a sidestep (King Leopold II having no own successors, King Baudouin having no own successors) and with an abdicated, re-married King Leopold III being estranged to his own children.

When King Leopold II would have established a "Crown Collection" or a family foundation for the jewels then his fantastic collection would still have been in Belgian hands.

 

[maria-olivia]

I agree totally with you and like your posts ! Bravo MO

 

[An Ard Ri]

H.M.Queen Mathilde wearing a very large pair of floral earring at the Autumn Concert,personally I find them gaudy and too large.

Queen Mathilde and King Philippe of Belgium assist the Autumn Concert... News Photo 457267654 | Getty Images

 

[IloveCP]

Mathilde only had 1 tiara appearance of 2014:

1

 

[Duc_et_Pair]

I stubled over this great picture with Queen Mathilde wearing the bandeau from the Diadème des Neuf Provinces (click on the pic itself to blow it to XL). I wonder: is this a sort of wire wrapped around the bandeau to hold it to a frame? I see those strange lines, looking like wires. It looks a bit eh... amateuristic, a decent jeweller would not have done it like that. Or is it optical illusion?

 

[maria-olivia]

You can open and close the bandeau to wear it as choker.

 

[Duc_et_Pair]

Yes, that is right. My assumption that the bandeau has been wrapped with wire seems correct. Maybe there is a monture for the Diadème des Neuf Provinces in full setting, but not for the Bandeau alone. It looks like it has been wrapped with wire around a frame, no professional setting with a monture.

That said, I like the Bandeau as it is, without the arches on top.

 

[*Mara*]

New brooch for Mathilde?
http://imageupper.com/i/?S0800010100011N14217635392465640

For today's reception Mathilde wore her wedding earrings and a brooch I don't recall her wearing before. I sure hope its real and not just costume jewellery. Perhaps a gift for todays birthday girl?
Sorry, couldn't find a better pic so far.

 

[Andrew 24]

WOW! Very nice piece. I hope it is part of late Queen Fabiola jewellery collection. If so it would means that QF found some solution for her jewels to stay with royal family.

 

[dbarn67]

Or a birthday gift from the King as her birthday is today.

 

[Bine221]

WOW! Very nice piece. I hope it is part of late Queen Fabiola jewellery collection. If so it would means that QF found some solution for her jewels to stay with royal family.

Goooosh, I hope so, too! And: mainly for the BIG pieces, the really substancial ones (Tiaras and Parures)
BYe Bine

 

[roseroyal]

Wow! Love it from what I can see!

 

[roseroyal]

Or a birthday gift from the King as her birthday is today.

If it is, the man's got good taste!

 

[IloveCP]

That brooch is absolutely stunning.

 

[Duc_et_Pair]

WOW! Very nice piece. I hope it is part of late Queen Fabiola jewellery collection. If so it would means that QF found some solution for her jewels to stay with royal family.

I can not remember having seen this broche with Queen Fabiola. It is proibably "vintage jewelry": the "Broche Fabiola" by Lopez Linares is available for just € 70,--. see this one. It is not the same but I stumbled over it.

 

[rubies]

Love that brooch. Mathilde needs some new jewels.

 

[maria-olivia]

How did you find out this 70 euros Fabiola's Brooch. I just saw Lopez Linares site.

 

[Duc_et_Pair]

The broche is called "Broche Fabiola" but it is not the same as worn by Queen Mathilde. It is very well possible that she wore real diamonds and pearls, maybe we will have more pictures soon.

 

[IloveCP]

Stunning earrings on Mathilde recently:

1

 

[roseroyal]

I wasn't sure if I liked those or not...

 

[maria-olivia]

In an Auction in Brussels yesterday evening they sold a huge diamond parure : necklace, bracelet, brooch and earrings for 25.000 euros +25 % charges.
It is certainly for a rich Russian or Chinese Lady... It should have been nice for our Queen.

 

[An Ard Ri]

Who was selling them off Maria Olivia ,just wondered if they were Belgian nobles?

 

[maria-olivia]

The Commisaire Priseur (Is it Curator in english ?) had 2 unknown Bying Orders , nobody present at the Auction made an offer and the parure went to the first Order ? Russia , China , bye bye...

 

[IloveCP]

Tiaras Mathilde wore at royal weddings and celebrations:

Frederik and Mary: 1 2

Victoria and Daniel: 1

Albert and Charlene: 1

Guillaume and Stephanie: 1

 

[roseroyal]

Tiaras Mathilde wore at royal weddings and celebrations:

Frederik and Mary: 1 2

Victoria and Daniel: 1

Albert and Charlene: 1

Guillaume and Stephanie: 1

1- Love the color of the dress, - but not that poof in the front which makes the dress look off, and makes her breasts look like they are sitting on a shelf. Don't like the tiara because you can hardly see it
2 Love the tiara, and love the dress, even though it would make good curtains for the Palace sitting room.
3- Love the tiara.
4- Love the shiny raspberry color of the dress. Love the tiara.
5- Love the color of the dress. Love the tiara.
She really is a most fairytale and regal Princess and Queen. Very Grace- Kelly- esque.

 

[Marengo]

Isn't it the same tiara in all pictures? Although it is a nice one, some variation wouldn't hurt. Let's hope to see her with something different soon.

 

[Duc_et_Pair]

Tiaras Mathilde wore at royal weddings and celebrations:

Frederik and Mary: 1 2

Victoria and Daniel: 1

Albert and Charlene: 1

Guillaume and Stephanie: 1

Eh....

F&M: her only diadem.
V&D: her only diadem.
A&C: her only diadem.
G&S: her only diadem once more.

So your description should be: "The only diadem Mathilde ever wore as guest during royal weddings"....

Now she is Queen, she has -hurra!- two diadems at her disposal:
- her eternal diadem, which was a gift from the Belgian aristocracy
- the Nine Provinces Diadem (she has only worn the base so far)

We have to wait what comes from the late Queen Fabiola's inheritance, as her whole estate is given to charities, it remains a mystery so far what will happen / has happened with her jewels.

 

[Marengo]

I doubt very much that this includes the whole estate. I am quite sure that items of Baudouin would have been important for Fabiola to preserve for history and therefore I doubt that she would allow such things to end up at an auction. Hopefully the same applies for the most important jewels.

Some Belgian royalty journalists have expressed the same doubt, among them Marlene de Wouters d'Oplinter. Let's hope there will be clarity soon and that we will see the Belgian queen with the late Queen Fabiola's tiaras and perhaps with all those jewels of the princess de Rethy , that some think are still around.