Princess Elisabeth, Duchess of Brabant Jewels

[muriel]

Originally Posted by An Ard Ri

Yes my thoughts too, I really hope its not a loan and its recently acquired for the duchess.

I hope that it is indeed owned by the BRF, and has not been borrowed.

[Mbruno]

Originally Posted by JGio

All mothers except for Maxima, who has literally outshone anyone in the room. I would have gone low key for an 18th birthday, given the many options she had.

Anyway Elisabeth’s new tiara looks so much like another famous one, gotta find it!!
So good to see new additions, but it may also means that two other tiaras are permanently gone.

It resembles Princess Margaret's Poltimore tiara in its smaller version.

[Moonmaiden23]

Very close but not quite. I always felt like I needed sunglasses to look at photos of the mighty Poltimore.

Heaven knows what it was like seeing it in person!

[Marc23]

The design looks a bit like tiara of Countess Alexandra of Fredericksborg...

[duke of poliganc]

The new tiara just looks like a taller version of Princess Anne, The Princess Royal diamond festoon tiara!

[An Ard Ri]

Originally Posted by maria-olivia

I first taught it was a loan from de Princes de Mérode , but its looks like but not the same.

I really hope its not a loan as that wouldn't look good for the Belgian RF.

[Marengo]

Originally Posted by JGio

All mothers except for Maxima, who has literally outshone anyone in the room. I would have gone low key for an 18th birthday, given the many options she had.

Anyway Elisabeth’s new tiara looks so much like another famous one, gotta find it!!
So good to see new additions, but it may also means that two other tiaras are permanently gone.

It is not as if the Belgian queen has a lot of choice of other tiaras. The only one that is bigger than Elisabeths tiara is the full setting of the 9 provinces. The diamonds of the Wolfers will probably be vastly superior to those in Elisabeths tiara though.

But... what a great surprise to see a completely new and substantial tiara. I expected something more modest so this is a great treat.

[JGio]

Originally Posted by Marengo

It is not as if the Belgian queen as a lot of choice of other tiaras. The only one that is bigger than Elisabeths tiara is the full setting of the 9 provinces. The diamonds of the Wolfers will probably be vastly superior to those in Elisabeths tiara.



But... what a great surprise to see a completely new and substantial tiara. I expected something more modest so this is a great treat.

In fact I meant that Maxima looks too much, not Mathilde too little!

Anyway Elisabeth’s tiara base looks very closed, not open, so the placement is a bit meh, looks like it’s falling off. I wish it was wider.

[Mbruno]

Originally Posted by Marengo

It is not as if the Belgian queen as a lot of choice of other tiaras. The only one that is bigger than Elisabeths tiara is the full setting of the 9 provinces. The diamonds of the Wolfers will probably be vastly superior to those in Elisabeths tiara.

But... what a great surprise to see a completely new and substantial tiara. I expected something more modest so this is a great treat.

Exactly. The Wolfers is small, but is packed with high quality diamonds. I suppose Mathilde could have worn the base of the Nine Provinces. but I doubt she feels the need to outshine or match other queens. That would be nouveau riche or middle-class behavior.

[sophie25]

Originally Posted by JGio

In fact I meant that Maxima looks too much, not Mathilde too little!

Anyway Elisabeth’s tiara base looks very closed, not open, so the placement is a bit meh, looks like it’s falling off. I wish it was wider.

I agree I don't think any tiara looks good when the frame is too closed and rounded, a more open, halo shaped frame always looks so much better. I think Elizabeth's tiara would be stunning on a more open frame just as Sophia of Sweden's wedding tiara didn't look good on her wedding day but is lovely now.

[Tatiana Maria]

Originally Posted by Moonmaiden23

Ok. I have been going nuts online trying to find out the origin of Lisa's gorgeous tiara and I have come up empty.

Gonna need some super sleuth here at TRH figure this one out ASAP before I become obsessed! Please!

Is it possible that it was the present given to Princess Elisabeth by the Belgian nobility association (Association de la Noblesse du Royaume de Belgique) for her coming of age in 2019? I don't think the details of the gift were released at the time, though it must have been a pricey one as 800 members reportedly made a financial contribution to the gift fund.


I see there is an ongoing discussion on this forum about Belgian royal tiaras leaving the main line. For how long have the family's current tiaras been held by the main line?

[JR76]

Originally Posted by Tatiana Maria

Is it possible that it was the present given to Princess Elisabeth by the Belgian nobility association (Association de la Noblesse du Royaume de Belgique) for her coming of age in 2019? I don't think the details of the gift were released at the time, though it must have been a pricey one as 800 members reportedly made a financial contribution to the gift fund.





I see there is an ongoing discussion on this forum about Belgian royal tiaras leaving the main line. For how long have the family's current tiaras been held by the main line?

Elisabeth's gift from the nobility was a necklace. I've read an usually credible account on social media say that it can't be the converted necklace we see today.

1926 The Nine provinces tiara was a wedding gift to Queen Astrid from the people of Belgium.
1920s Queen Elisabeth's diamond bandeau
1960 The Wolfers tiara was a wedding gift to Queen Fabiola from the brokers and jewelers of the diamond industry in Antwerp
1999 Queen Mathilde's laurel wreath tiara was a wedding gift from the Belgian nobility

[CyrilVladisla]

I believe that Princess Elisabeth's tiara is brand new. Perhaps it had been purchased at an auction and the information is being kept strictly private.

[JGio]

I’m under the impression it’s a loan. With Mathilde with a new never-seen-before necklace, and this substantial tiara, King Philippe must have paid a fortune. And given past loans, I can’t see the BRF cashing out so much for Elisabeth, who had all Mathilde’s smaller tiaras to choose from.

I really hope the tiara its here to stay! The BRF deserves serious pieces, and honestly I’m a bit disappointed she didn’t wear the Belgian Nobility necklace or a simple brooch from Paola.

[Mbruno]

Originally Posted by JGio

I’m under the impression it’s a loan. With Mathilde with a new never-seen-before necklace, and this substantial tiara, King Philippe must have paid a fortune. And given past loans, I can’t see the BRF cashing out so much for Elisabeth, who had all Mathilde’s smaller tiaras to choose from.

I really hope the tiara its here to stay! The BRF deserves serious pieces, and honestly I’m a bit disappointed she didn’t wear the Belgian Nobility necklace or a simple brooch from Paola.

Queen Mathilde only requires one additional serious tiara for her current needs. The ideal solution, as Duc et Pair said, would be to buy back Queen Elisabeth's Cartier diamond tiara, but I don't think that is a realistic possibility.



I don't think royals should wear borrowed jewelry like Hollywood movie stars although Mathilde, Mary and Marie do it or have done it in the past.

[W.Y.CII]

I don't think it's a loan because they don't have to. Yes the Belgians don't have many tiaras but it's still enough for Mathilde and Elisabeth wear one respectively at the same time.

[Stefan]

Originally Posted by JGio

I’m under the impression it’s a loan. With Mathilde with a new never-seen-before necklace, and this substantial tiara, King Philippe must have paid a fortune. And given past loans, I can’t see the BRF cashing out so much for Elisabeth, who had all Mathilde’s smaller tiaras to choose from.

I really hope the tiara its here to stay! The BRF deserves serious pieces, and honestly I’m a bit disappointed she didn’t wear the Belgian Nobility necklace or a simple brooch from Paola.

But if it is loaned that will not solve the Issue which tiara will Elisabeth in future when she starts to attend State Banquets and takes part in more royal gatherings abroad.
Perhaps it is not possible to wear the necklace from the belgian nobility association as tiara for whatever reason.

[JGio]

I’m not here to bring a solution to the problem. I just said that IMHO it can be a loan, as Mathilde has sadly done several times.

[Mbruno]

Originally Posted by JGio

I’m not here to bring a solution to the problem. I just said that IMHO it can be a loan, as Mathilde has sadly done several times.

One thing that makes me hopeful that it is not a loan is that the tiara is not a modern piece of jewelry like CP Mary's Midnight Tiara for example. It looks like an antique (maybe 19th century?), which makes it more likely that it was bought in an auction sale.



I wonder what the expert members here think.

[BriarRose]

My gut says it's likely a loan, but my hope is that it's both not a loan, and convertible to a necklace.

If it is a loan, I would be disappointed, because there were enough tiaras for this event. The BRF may be tiara poor compared to some of the royal families, but it certainly has enough tiaras to outfit two members at a time. I personally would always prefer a historic piece, if possible.

I imagine there are quite a few royal watchers thumbing through old online auction catalogs this weekend, trying to decipher the tiara's origin. It does not look modern, so the most likely place to find its provenance is likely through auction catalogs. The other possibility is that it is a private loan from a member of the nobility- that would be harder to locate.