"De Kongelige Juveler" ("The Royal Jewels") (2011) - DR Documentary

[Madame Royale]

"We don't count the karats, we count the centuries."

A fabulous quote, Tilla! I really enjoy Margrethe's cheeky character.

Did anyone else happen to notice what appeared to me as being a suite of gold with what looked like some sort of facial imprint? If I recall, it was a kind of demi parure and was shown during a Danish segment of the broadcast I believe.

Is this suite Danish, does it still exist and is it still in the possession of the DRF?

If anyone knows of it, then to learn something of it would be great. Thanks!

 

[cmbruno]

DR NU

Hello,this is the link to watch the first part of the documentary

Thank you very much for posting the link. I had a wonderful time watching it!

Those jewels are pure art and history and the most important ones belong to the people of those countries - The Kings and Queens are only the keepers.

Human beings haven't developed that much to express their love, devotion and joy in a non-concrete way. That is why there is art - music, architecture, sculpture, paintings and jewels! Throw the first stone the person that has inherited at least a pin from a loved one and doesn't cherish it!

Jewels are one of the many ways to connect to the past, remember better
times and reassure us of who we are, where we came from and what we are capable to achieve.

Let part 2 come. I am already drooling in expectance.

 

[Susanna Wynne]

This is a treat to watch! And, to those who think it may be unseemly during our tough economic times, be calmed! It is an historic document, and the jewels themselves serve to illustrate the historical events of the Scandinavian royal families since the time of Napoleon. The jewels are beautiful, of course, but they served diplomatic and social roles for the families and those who wore (and still wear) them.

 

[cmbruno]

I watched the documentary till the end and it seems the second part will be on Russian jewels and there was a preview wth Queen Elizabeth wearing Wladmir Tiara.

 

[agami.pearl]

Thanks

 

[Viv]

Did anyone else happen to notice what appeared to me as being a suite of gold with what looked like some sort of facial imprint? If I recall, it was a kind of demi parure and was shown during a Danish segment of the broadcast I believe. Is this suite Danish, does it still exist and is it still in the possession of the DRF?

Madame Royale, I think we caught a glimpse of the socalled lava parure - or demiparure - which was shown in connection with Swedish-born Queen Lovisa, who brought loads of jewellery with her when she married the Danish Crown Prince in 1869.
This parure has not been aired in public for ages! I think that the last owner was the late countess Ruth of Rosenborg.

viv

 

[Rascal]

Madame Royale, I think we caught a glimpse of the socalled lava parure - or demiparure - which was shown in connection with Swedish-born Queen Lovisa, who brought loads of jewellery with her when she married the Danish Crown Prince in 1869.
This parure has not been aired in public for ages! I think that the last owner was the late countess Ruth of Rosenborg.

viv

You are correct, Viv. I posted a screencap of the parure in its case on the Swedish Royal Jewels of the Past thread.

 

[Charlotte_Aster]

As QMargerthe said in the documentary, these jewels are meant to be worn, not to stay around as merely museum pieces. That is a great wear to honour and acknowledge history.
Also it's not like they are flaunting their jewelry, as CP Mary mentioned, it's a great way to learn about history of Scandinavia.
I think we should also remember that two most recent additions to the tiaras worn by DRF, were not purchases but simply loans. (CP Mary's Midnight Tiara and Princess Marie's new tiara)

 

[NGalitzine]

My impression has been that the Danish Royal Family are not especially wealthy in a personal sense, at least not when compared to other dynasties or even many non royal families in Europe. I don't see how a documentary about historic jewel collections is flaunting wealth since the discussion was about the jewels history and not their monetary value. Also some of the Danish pieces (the emeralds and some of the others) are part of the Crown Jewels and not the personal property of the family.

The jewels themselves are beautiful and it was interesting how some of them have travelled through Europes royal families. The dynasties obviously owe a lot to Empress Josephine and her Leuchtenberg descendents.

 

[UserDane]

I haven't been able to see the documentary about the jewels yet but am looking forward to it.
EIIR, you statement about not flaunting how rich has me confused. Do you know something about this programme that I don't? So, the royals involved had an actual say about this programme - about it's creation and even when it was to be aired?
If so, kudos to Margrethe and Silvia - didn't know they had it in them

 

[Muhler]

Now, I know next to nothing about jewellery, while some of you know a lot!
I realise of course that the narration was in Danish, and that may be a slight hindrance...
However, was there anything new for you experts out there, that you'd perhaps like to point to us, well, me?
Do you have questions in connection with a piece of jewellery that may have been lost in the narration? If so, we Danes will be glad to help.

This is for the Australians: Is it possible to see the progammes on SBS online? I can imagine that has English narration.

I learned for instance that a parue is a whole set of jewellery, however what's the difference between a tiara and a diadem? Isn't it the same thing?

 

[Viv]

My impression has been that the Danish Royal Family are not especially wealthy in a personal sense, at least not when compared to other dynasties or even many non royal families in Europe..

IMO that how it is! There are reasons to believe that their fortune is not among the greatest of royal families, IMO the financial maneoeuvres in connection with the divorce of Prince Joachim had probably not happened had it not been necessary!

The jewels themselves are beautiful and it was interesting how some of them have travelled through Europes royal families. The dynasties obviously owe a lot to Empress Josephine and her Leuchtenberg descendents.

We owe a lot to the Swedes in this respect! Two batches of jewellery came along to Denmark with two princesses! Unfortunately some of it is now out of the reach of main line family, but that's how it goes when it's part of an inheritance.

viv

 

[Charlotte_Aster]

Muhler: here's a good lexicon with pictures
The Royal Order of Sartorial Splendor: Royal Splendor 101: Tiara Terminology

 

[Tilia C.]

I learned for instance that a parue is a whole set of jewellery, however what's the difference between a tiara and a diadem? Isn't it the same thing?

This blog as a nice explanation about it: The Royal Order of Sartorial Splendor: Royal Splendor 101: Tiara Terminology
The words tiara and diadem are often mixed up, especially by an international mix of people with different native languages who are communicating in English. (like we do here). In English mostly the word tiara is used, and a diademe is something more pompous. In many other European languages the word diadem (in different spellings) is correct, while tiara is used for the papal crown.

Thanks for your offer of language explanation: Here's my first question.
When talking about the fringe tiara which Queen Alexandrine got from her family, they show a picture of her mother also wearing a fringe tiara. Are they saying that it is the same piece? Because to me, the outline and structure of the the tiara looks quit different from Alexandrine's.

 

[Tilia C.]

Muhler: here's a good lexicon with pictures
The Royal Order of Sartorial Splendor: Royal Splendor 101: Tiara Terminology

Hehe, you beat me!

And another language question:
When talking about the three part floral tiara which Queen Ingrid wore for the first time at Margrethe's wedding, did they say that it was a gift from Fredrik IX? This is interesting, because it was widely spread on the internet, that it was a gift or inheritance from an American person of Danish descent.

 

[Muhler]

Thanks, Tillia C & Charlotte Aster I've bookmarked your link. That will come in handy.

So a diademe was original a kind of crown for everyday use and also a symbol of rank: "Hey, look at the top of my head, I'm the royal around here".

I, (we) will be happy to help. However would you mind telling us about where in docu the two "blanks" are?
Because when you when say "fringe tiara" or "floral tiara" I go blank...

 

[Tilia C.]

However, was there anything new for you experts out there, that you'd perhaps like to point to us, well, me?

I think that most of the information was already known to the small group of jewelholics on the internet. But there were interesting bits and pieces, like Queen Silvia explaining about the sapphire tiara being light and comfortable to wear and easy to store. Or how she decided to wear the Brazilian tiara in Denmark. And Queen Margrethe explaining what the daisy brooch meant to her personally. Or CP Mary giving her reasoning for changing the ruby tiara.
I guess I forgot many interesting points, but I'll watch the show a couple of more times.

 

[Tilia C.]

Thanks, Tillia C & Charlotte Aster I've bookmarked your link. That will come in handy.

So a diademe was original a kind of crown for everyday use and also a symbol of rank: "Hey, look at the top of my head, I'm the royal around here".

I, (we) will be happy to help. However would you mind telling us about where in docu the two "blanks" are?
Because when you when say "fringe tiara" or "floral tiara" I go blank...

Sorry!
Blank 1, the "fringe blank" is around 31:00 minutes. (It's the sardine tin tiara, oh I would buy those sardines just for the tin.)
The "three part flora tiara blank" is nearly two minutes later.

 

[Muhler]

While looking for tins of sardines I stumbled across this site about tiaras and what not, a couple of them used by the DRF: TIARA | Smykkets Dronning | Dronningers Smykke

Okay Tillia S & Charlotte Aster, I'll have a look at it in a couple of hours. - Unless another Dane PM's me before 21.00, gotta watch the political magazine on TV2 News at 21.00.

 

[NGalitzine]

I have a question for you as well. I know the emeralds are part of the Crown Jewels but they then switched to talking about the diamond necklace and then the pearl and diamond parure. Are they part of the Crown Jewels as well or part of the Queen's private collection?

 

[Muhler]

Thanks for your offer of language explanation: Here's my first question.
When talking about the fringe tiara which Queen Alexandrine got from her family, they show a picture of her mother also wearing a fringe tiara. Are they saying that it is the same piece? Because to me, the outline and structure of the the tiara looks quit different from Alexandrine's.

(At 30-00).
Yes, that's the same tiara. Alexandrine's mother got the tiara from Tsar Alexander II.

(The tins can still be obtained. Don't know who sell them).

 

[Muhler]

Hehe, you beat me!

And another language question:
When talking about the three part floral tiara which Queen Ingrid wore for the first time at Margrethe's wedding, did they say that it was a gift from Fredrik IX? This is interesting, because it was widely spread on the internet, that it was a gift or inheritance from an American person of Danish descent.

It says clearly around 32:00 that the floral tiara was purchased by Frederik IX. That would have been in the mid 1960's, as Queen Ingrid wore it for the first time at QMII's wedding in 68, I believe it was.
There is no mentioning of who Frederik IX bought the tiara from.

 

[Muhler]

I have a question for you as well. I know the emeralds are part of the Crown Jewels but they then switched to talking about the diamond necklace and then the pearl and diamond parure. Are they part of the Crown Jewels as well or part of the Queen's private collection?

At 32.00
The four parures that are included in the Crown Jewels are shown here. First the two diamond-parures, then a parure with rubies and pearls and finally one with green emeralds.
The crown Jewels were founded, so to speak, in 1747 by Queen Sophie Magdalene, who testamentes here jewels to future queens.
The other tiaras, I believe must by privately owned.

 

[Archduchess Zelia]

I happen to think that the program was absolutely wonderful, Anna von Lowzow makes great documentaries about the Royal family, as far as I know she was also involved in my personal favourite royal documentary, A Royal Family.

But I honestly don't understand all the fuss in this thread, if you don't like the documentary/Mary's accent (which just by the way, is fine IMO) why not just stay out of the thread then? Or at least expect that people will disagree with you. It's sad that a thread for a perfectly fine documentary gets over-spammed with disagreements. Or that's just my opinion.

 

[Boris]

Just a few other details regarding the Swedish jewels, about which Queen Silvia spoke with genuine, strong interest and warmth:
- The Braganza tiara is indeed complicated to wear, not only heavy but also with a tendency to shift (all the more miraculous how perefectly placed it remained on Queen Silvia's head all through the very long CP wedding day);
- the pieces thought of as the Brazilian 'set' because they are the inheritance from Queen Josefina's sister Empress Amalia of Brazil are the Braganze tiara, the long diamond collet necklace with large stones, the irregularly shaped Brazilian Flower Brooch and the earrings with very large single pear-shaped stones which were actually 'loose' until Queen Silvia had them set as earrings in the late 1970s;
- the Napoleonic amethyst tiara which Queen Silvia had also made in the late 70s remains convertible and could be worn as a necklace again one day, but sits heavy and uncomfortable on the skin;
- the cameos of the cameo tiara have a luminous transparency when backlit;
- Princess Sibylla indeed still wore the necklace of the cameo parure with four strands of pearls instead of three; I guess in the accompanying book Bjarne might also repeat the information that Queen Silvia didn't know personally about when the alteration occurred and what happend to the remaining pearls, as she only knows the necklace as a three-row piece.

 

[RubyPrincess168]

OMG I DIE!!!! Loved this documentary! Loved that the Royals' interviews were in English (for the most part)! The rest you can get the gist of, but it would've been nice if it was all in english. Can't wait for part two!!!

Quote from Queen Margrethe: "We don't count the karats, we count the centuries."

My favorite quote from the show! I have the book about the Danish Jewels, but of course it's all in Danish so I can't really learn about the history of the pieces. But I think I'm going to write that quote inside the front cover.

It was very interesting to see all the older video footage of the various Danish Royals. I never followed the family closely until Mary joined. And the most surprising thing I learned was that Mary and Frederick have adjusted the ruby tiara to make it more complimentary to Mary's taste and head. I know she's played around with the earrings and the brooch, but I never noticed the difference in the tiara!

 

[Archduchess Zelia]

... but I never noticed the difference in the tiara!

Ah, me neither! Although I've followed that tiara carefully, so it actually quite shocked me that I didn't notice it had been changed. It's changed for the better though, from before and after pictures you can definitely see it's more comfortable now than before.

 

[Rascal]

Just a few other details regarding the Swedish jewels, about which Queen Silvia spoke with genuine, strong interest and warmth:
- The Braganza tiara is indeed complicated to wear, not only heavy but also with a tendency to shift (all the more miraculous how perefectly placed it remained on Queen Silvia's head all through the very long CP wedding day);
- the pieces thought of as the Brazilian 'set' because they are the inheritance from Queen Josefina's sister Empress Amalia of Brazil are the Braganze tiara, the long diamond collet necklace with large stones, the irregularly shaped Brazilian Flower Brooch and the earrings with very large single pear-shaped stones which were actually 'loose' until Queen Silvia had them set as earrings in the late 1970s;
- the Napoleonic amethyst tiara which Queen Silvia had also made in the late 70s remains convertible and could be worn as a necklace again one day, but sits heavy and uncomfortable on the skin;
- the cameos of the cameo tiara have a luminous transparency when backlit;
- Princess Sibylla indeed still wore the necklace of the cameo parure with four strands of pearls instead of three; I guess in the accompanying book Bjarne might also repeat the information that Queen Silvia didn't know personally about when the alteration occurred and what happend to the remaining pearls, as she only knows the necklace as a three-row piece.

Hi, Boris. Don't know if you'll have any information regarding my questions but here's a go:

The Braganza tiara - you mentioned that it shifts, as stated by Silvia in the documentary. I know that the pieces that sit further back on the head are actually removable as she wore the tiara without in them in her first official portrait as queen. Are any parts of the original tiara or the additions set "en tremblant" which would add to the movement when worn and moving about?

The very first picture of the earrings in the documentary included what looked like pieces to lengthen the earrings, making them a "drop" instead of a "pendant" as they are in their current setting. Is it possible that the large pendants or even the diamonds to which they are attached were originally the pendants at the end of the "drop" pieces that were pictured (the drops looked to be 4-5 smaller circular diamonds attached in a line and defiinitely had a setting for a earclasp attached at the top - it isn't likely that the pair included settings for pierced ears as they were not really in fashion at the time I believe)?

 

[cmbruno]

Am I dreaming or did I hear at the time of Princess Victoria marriage that the beautiful set of silver on the banquet table was inherited from Empress Amelie from Brazil as well? Did the video also state that? I don't speak Danish but I can almost swear I understood that.

It is a pity that the Brazilian parure has not stayed in Brazil. But it is fortunate that it is nowadays in the possesion of a half Brazilian Queen as beautiful as Silvia that carries it with so much aplomb.

 

[Tilia C.]

It says clearly around 32:00 that the floral tiara was purchased by Frederik IX. That would have been in the mid 1960's, as Queen Ingrid wore it for the first time at QMII's wedding in 68, I believe it was.
There is no mentioning of who Frederik IX bought the tiara from.

Thank you, Muhler, for your confirmation. I think that this is a case of information which was not known before this documentary.