Diana, Princess of Wales Jewellery 1: November 2002-September 2007

[Elspeth]

I suppose the notion that the Queen went over to Kensington Palace to pay her respects to her newly deceased sister would be too boring to consider.

 

[maryshawn]

Jewelry

I suppose you are right Elsbeth. However, as we have seen w/Mr. Burrell there are people close to the monarchs who know where things are and might be tempted to report them "missing." I went to my grandmother's house within hours of her death to pay my respects and her sister had already absconded with her best jewelry and silver. My grandpa was too upset to notice but a ring promised my eldest cousin was "missing." My other grandmother suffered the same fate. She died and by the time my mother got there, her niece was wearing her diamond ring promised to my mother......People get greedy so if the Queen is as smart as I think she is, she realizes this and in addition to paying respects, she was savvy to make sure Princess Margaret's jewels were secured for her family.

 

[maryshawn]

The night she died she was wearing a jaeger lecoultre worth about $200K--ironically, the original was created for the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II. It is the smallest, most delicate watch ever made.

 

[Elizajane]

Earrings and watch ~ Charles' concern after Diana's death.

When Charles arrived to pick up his ex-wife's body, he was very aggitated about the fact only one of her favorite gold earrings had been found. The other was later found in the car. He also wanted her watch, a Jaeger lecouTRFe. What earrings were they? Did they have some sentimental value--and the watch, same question. Does anyone know?

**************************************

I read that Charles was upset about the missing earring because he stated that Diana would be upset IF she was seen with just one earring on. I think the earrings really had no significance of value ~ I believe he was only thinking of "how fastidious" she was in her "dressing habits". I read that the missing earring was finally found ~ "lodged" in the dash board ... sooo, she must have had more of a traumatic jolt in that car than we've ever been told.

As far as the watch is concerned, that watch may have come from "somewhere else" and/or from "someONE else" rather than from Charles. I noticed a little while before the separation in 1992, that she started wearing all kinds of watches other than the one Charles gave her during the engagement period. (I think that even one of them was her "old watch" which she had before Charles gave her that gold watch.) As far as I know, that watch could have been given to her by Dodi, or Hasnet Kahn, etc., or she may have just bought new watches from time to time.

To be a little bit on the Queen's side, I think it's only correct that she be concerned about "royal jewels" staying within the "royal family". This makes me think about the "emerald stealing scandel" at Fort Belvadere in regard to the Duchess of Windsor, (Wallis Simpson), where "David" was living at the time .. or were they just visiting there at that time? Does anyone know if that's ever been resolved?

 

[Elspeth]

If you're referring to the emeralds which Edward VIII gave Mrs Simpson, which were rumoured to be Queen Alexandra's emeralds which she'd left to him, that apparently isn't the case. The emeralds were left to Princess Victoria and were sold when she died (shortly before George V died), and Edward VIII bought them then.

If you're referring to the episode where the Duchess had a number of pieces of jewellery stolen when she was staying at Ednam Lodge, I don't think those emeralds were among the stolen pieces. I believe a burglar confessed some time later to having stolen them, which should have put paid to rumours that the royal family was involved or that the Duke had arranged a fake theft for insurance purposes, but of course it didn't put paid to them because people like conspiracies and scandals.

 

[Julian]

What about the choker/headband segment of the Cambridge Emeralds that were given to Diana? That and also the teardrop tiara that was a gift from the Queen, but only for the length of her life, might certainly have been items the Queen would have wondered about the whereabouts of. I'm not sure if there were other items that were considered either state or Windsor entailed items of jewelry, if so however the Queen would understandably have inquired about once Diana was gone.

As to the story about the earring and the watch and Prince C. being anxious about those, I've never seen anything that backs that up. It sounds like another P.R. puff piece made to bolster his whole image as the sorrowing ex.

 

[maryshawn]

The weirdest thing was how Dodi's father acted. Within 2 hours of her death, everything, he said, of hers at Dodi's was packed up and sent to England. So, jewelry, clothing, purses, books.....all packed off ASAP. He could've just sent them home w/the Princess and that way she might not have had to wear a borrowed outfit. I don't know WHAT to make of that man.

 

[micas]

I found 2 wonderful pics; 1 is from a tiara that belong to the Spencer tiara , the other is from a neckless and earrings that probably Diana wear.

What i ask is: some now what this tiara belong to Diana, because the pic sugest that and the second some1 have a pic of Diana wear this earrings and neckless?

 

[Duchess Sophie]

I guess the tiara is not owned by the Spencer family, but that the tiara is inspired by the Spencer family weapon. If my memory the Spencer family weapon contains a feather-thing like what you see in the tiara.

I have no clue about the necklace and earrings

 

[Katie Bee]

On the first page of this thread there are 3 different tiaras pictured. I was wondering if anyone could tell what the names of each were? I know two of their names but I do not know which names belong to which picture. I'd appreciate it greatly!
Thank you!

Katie

 

[reynard]

On the first page of this thread there are 3 different tiaras pictured. I was wondering if anyone could tell what the names of each were? I know two of their names but I do not know which names belong to which picture. I'd appreciate it greatly!
Thank you!

Katie

The first tiara is the Spencer tiara. It belongs to Diana's family who let her borrow it while she was Princess of Wales. She wore it on her wedding day.

The second tiara is the Cambridge lover's knot tiara. It originally belonged to Queen Mary who had it made to look like a tiara that belonged to her side of the family, the Cambridges. The Queen received it as a wedding present and she in turn gave it to diana as a wedding present.

The third piece is a headband that Diana had made out of a diamond watch. She replaced the watch face with a sapphire and had it mounted on a velvet band.

 

[Boris]

To Mary Shawn:

Sorry, I don't know where to locate the replica of the gold, pearl and diamond heart necklace, but I wanted to tell you that it's a myth that Prince Charles bought it for her.

His present to his wife on the occasion of Prince William's birth was a simple gold medaillon (locket) inscribed with the name 'William' in Charles' handwriting.

Princess Diana bought the heart necklace for herself, with money left from the inheritance of her maternal great-grandmother. A fact that I always found to be rather sad - a 21-year old married woman going out & getting herself a necklace with a heart...

As far as the Spencer tiara is concerned, according to Paul Burrell Diana's brother Earl Spencer simply demanded it back around 1995 - I don't think there is any reason not to believe Burrell on this account. It seems that Diana had a hard time parting with it, and it aggrevated the rift bewtween her and her brother.

 

[reynard]

Diana, Princess of Wales, Jewellery, Part 2

http://www.theroyalforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=30

The Princess Diana thread was getting rather long, so let's post any new Diana pictures or questions here. Above is a link to the old thread.

 

[Fashionista100]

I know someone asked if William and Harry would get her jewels. They each had the option of choosing something of Diana's when she died. Harry choose her engagement ring, William her Patek watch. The Spencer tiara is property of the Spencer family and was loaned to Princess Diana. William or Harry's wives will not wear it as they are not Spencers. The children of the Earl will wear it. I think most of her other jewels went back to the crown, I'm sure her sisters took some as they have come off very greedy in newsreports. But the Queen retains the most important pieces. I am not sure if William or Harry's wives would want to wear anything that was Diana's just because the connection to her is so strong. They would want their own things. Plus the Queen has many jewels which we have never seen so I'm sure they will get something else.

 

[Reina]

I agree that they would not want some of Diana's jewelry cuz of the strong connection and this is esp. true of the lover's knot tiara.

 

[reynard]

I agree that they would not want some of Diana's jewelry cuz of the strong connection and this is esp. true of the lover's knot tiara.

I don't know, I think William's wife should get the Lover's Knot tiara

 

[maryshawn]

Ah ha! So it is a patek! Thank you...I just stumbled across this and have been asking what kind of watch that was for years. He also chose her cartier tank--not the later francaise but the plain one given to her by her father. You'll see it in photos as late as her trip to Angola.

I know someone asked if William and Harry would get her jewels. They each had the option of choosing something of Diana's when she died. Harry choose her engagement ring, William her Patek watch. The Spencer tiara is property of the Spencer family and was loaned to Princess Diana. William or Harry's wives will not wear it as they are not Spencers. The children of the Earl will wear it. I think most of her other jewels went back to the crown, I'm sure her sisters took some as they have come off very greedy in newsreports. But the Queen retains the most important pieces. I am not sure if William or Harry's wives would want to wear anything that was Diana's just because the connection to her is so strong. They would want their own things. Plus the Queen has many jewels which we have never seen so I'm sure they will get something else.

 

[Princess Sparkles]

When Diana died, she left a will. I'm not sure what she bequeathed her sisters in the will - it could be that she left them jewellery. It seems harsh to assume that her sisters took stuff because they're greedy.

As for the Spencer tiara - it's currently with the Spencer family. It was worn at both of Earl Spencer's weddings. Although, I'm not sure if Lady Jane or Lady Sarah wore it. I read somewhere that Diana claimed that Charles Spencer asked for it back and that she was upset about that. To be fair though, it was the family tiara and one that would generally be worn by the wife of the Earl and/or his heir.

As far as her jewellery goes - only a few things were given to her *permanently* by the Queen. I imagine that most of it was loaned to her for life and had to be returned to the collection. Of course, the jewellery she received as gifts from others for the wedding (e.g. she got a lot of stuff from the Saudi royals) was her to keep as was the stuff she received as gifts over the course of the marriage.

 

[Elspeth]

When Diana died, she left a will. I'm not sure what she bequeathed her sisters in the will - it could be that she left them jewellery. It seems harsh to assume that her sisters took stuff because they're greedy.

As for the Spencer tiara - it's currently with the Spencer family. It was worn at both of Earl Spencer's weddings. Although, I'm not sure if Lady Jane or Lady Sarah wore it.

I'm pretty sure they both did; I've seen photos of both of them in their wedding clothes, and it looked like the same tiara both times.

 

[Shalu]

What kind of Patek watch did Princess Diana have?

 

[Josefine]

what jewllery did she keep after her divorce

 

[branchg]

what jewllery did she keep after her divorce

Diana had a fortune in personal jewels ($40 million by some estimates) mostly gifts which were given to her over the years from Middle Eastern monarchs (Saudis, Kuwait, UAE, Qatar) and the Sultan of Brunei. Many of these pieces, in the royal tradition, were not completely to her liking and were later reset in new pieces. All of these jewels were left to Princes William and Harry.

The Spencer tiara, which was a loan from the Earl Spencer, was returned to him at his request after her separation from Prince Charles. Diana also had a few pearl and diamond pieces and some earrings which were returned to the Spencers after her death.

The rest of her jewels, mostly gifts from Her Majesty, Prince Charles, and the Queen Mother, were returned to the Queen. As part of her divorce settlement, Diana was permitted to keep all royal jewels for her lifetime, with the proviso they could never be lent or sold. The agreement also stated these jewels would be given to Prince William for his future wife after her death.

 

[tiaraprin]

Here is Diana in the "Swan Lake Necklace" shortly before her death.

Photo from http://www.bemine.com/tributes/princess.htm

 

[tiaraprin]

Can anyone tell me where this amethyst demi-parure came from?
People have told me it is sapphires from the saudi wedding gift, but it looks like amethysts to me.

Picture courtesy of Getty Images

 

[wymanda]

I always thought that amethyst necklace might have been fake but, then again, it might have come from the jewels of Queen Alexandra who had quite a fondness for the stone.
Interestingly, the Spencers have a third tiara that is made from tortoiseshell with amethyst accents. When I saw the picture of it in Munns book I thought how well it would have gone with this necklace.

 

[tiaraprin]

Queen Alexandra often wore the jewels of semi-mourning long after the death of her son, The Duke of Clarance and Avondale. Amethyst is among those choices.

 

[branchg]

The parure utilized sapphires reset from a bracelet from the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia with black Tahitian pearls.

 

[tiaraprin]

The parure utilized sapphires reset from a bracelet from the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia with black Tahitian pearls.

That is sapphires with Tahitian Pearls?

 

[Squidgy]

That is sapphires with Tahitian Pearls?

No, it is not sapphires, but is, as you suspected, amethyst. At least, according to Debrett's Illustrated Fashion Guide : the Princess of Wales. This seems to make sense because the only times Diana wore the necklace was with purple gowns. Like you Tiaraprin, I have always wondered where the necklace came from and unfortunately, Debrett's does not indicate this.

Photos: Tim Graham (left); Jayne Fincher (centre, right)

 

[tiaraprin]

No, it is not sapphires, but is, as you suspected, amethyst. At least, according to Debrett's Illustrated Fashion Guide : the Princess of Wales. This seems to make sense because the only times Diana wore the necklace was with purple gowns. Like you Tiaraprin, I have always wondered where the necklace came from and unfortunately, Debrett's does not indicate this.

Photos: Tim Graham (left); Jayne Fincher (centre, right)

We need an expert on these matters, perhaps a moderator might know the answer!!

Thank you for confirming it is Amethysts, which is what I thought all along!