German and Austrian Royal and Noble Jewels 2: 2022 -

[CyrilVladisla]

Empress Zita of Austria's Jewellery

 

[Masilebo]

Hello everyone,

I would please like to know which jewelry (especially tiaras) is currently in the possession of Archduke Karl von Habsburg and his family.

Thank you.

 

[maria-olivia]

I never understood how Emperor Carl and Empress Zita had no money help when they lived in Madeira.
The Emperor had a cold but waited because of money need and it became a pneumonia, and he passed away;
For the jewels , We saw twice the Habsbourg tiara for Archduchess Regina at her Wedding day and at the pre Wedding of Archduke Robert ( did not know but saw on Royal Watcher)
This tiara was never seen again. For the Weddings of Empress Zita Sons, the brides wore family jewels. Archduchess Elisabeth who married a Prince of Liechtenstein wore the Bourbon Parme tiara, and her Sister the only bandeau and pearl tiara which remains in the family now.
Past Archduchess Francesca wore for her Wedding this pearl and tiara bandeau and owns a bandeau with emeralds she wore often.
Empress Zita wore only a black tiara and no diamonds but a pearl necklace . The tiara consisted in black stones? The most important for her was her Sash and her plate of Great Mistress of the Starry Cross.

 

[Marengo]

Weren't much of the jewels stolen somewhere after WWI?

I imagine the Empress may not have had all that many jewels. Her husband succeeded during the war, so there were other financial priorities. The jewels of Empress Elisabeth would for the most part be inherited by her daughters. Karl was the son of the second son of the third son, his mother was still alive.... Zita was one of 24 children, so I imagine they did not inherit all that much to begin with.

 

[Hans-Rickard]

Hello everyone,

I would please like to know which jewelry (especially tiaras) is currently in the possession of Archduke Karl von Habsburg and his family.

Thank you.

It’s hard to know as they never attends any tiara-events… AD Eleonore didn’t wear a tiara to her wedding.. AD Gloria and AD Ferdinand-Zvonimir are both unmarried…

Franceska often wore her diamond and emerald bandeau wich was said to have been a necklace originating from Emperor Franz Josef, but i don’t think that has ever been proven… And i belive that is Franceska’s property..’Not Karl’s.

I don’t think there is much left to them from the days of the imperial court… Zita wasn’t Empress for very long and she had 23 siblings, of wich 20 reached adulthood…

Emperor Karl only became heir to the throne in 1914 after various tragedies and misfortune’s placed him first in line…. And Austria had been without an Empress since 1898… The jewels from Empress Elisabeth likely passed through her own descendants

 

[Masilebo]

It’s hard to know as they never attends any tiara-events… AD Eleonore didn’t wear a tiara to her wedding.. AD Gloria and AD Ferdinand-Zvonimir are both unmarried…

Franceska often wore her diamond and emerald bandeau wich was said to have been a necklace originating from Emperor Franz Josef, but i don’t think that has ever been proven… And i belive that is Franceska’s property..’Not Karl’s.

I don’t think there is much left to them from the days of the imperial court… Zita wasn’t Empress for very long and she had 23 siblings, of wich 20 reached adulthood…

Emperor Karl only became heir to the throne in 1914 after various tragedies and misfortune’s placed him first in line…. And Austria had been without an Empress since 1898… The jewels from Empress Elisabeth passed through her own descendants

Thank you so much.

Weren't much of the jewels stolen somewhere after WWI?

I imagine the Empress may not have had all that many jewels. Her husband succeeded during the war, so there were other financial priorities. The jewels of Empress Elisabeth would for the most part be inherited by her daughters. Karl was the son of the second son of the third son, his mother was still alive.... Zita was one of 24 children, so I imagine they did not inherit all that much to begin with.

That is so unfortunate Thank you for the reply.

 

[Stefan]

It’s hard to know as they never attends any tiara-events… AD Eleonore didn’t wear a tiara to her wedding.. AD Gloria and AD Ferdinand-Zvonimir are both unmarried…

Franceska often wore her diamond and emerald bandeau wich was said to have been a necklace originating from Emperor Franz Josef, but i don’t think that has ever been proven… And i belive that is Franceska’s property..’Not Karl’s.

I don’t think there is much left to them from the days of the imperial court… Zita wasn’t Empress for very long and she had 23 siblings, of wich 20 reached adulthood…

Emperor Karl only became heir to the throne in 1914 after various tragedies and misfortune’s placed him first in line…. And Austria had been without an Empress since 1898… The jewels from Empress Elisabeth passed through her own descendants

I think they stll have the diamond and pearl bandeau. It was worn by Francesca at the danish Wedding in 2004. The diamond and emerald bandeau comes from Empress Auguste Victoria. It was inherited by her daughter Viktoria Luise and worn by her daugther-in -law Sophie in the 1960's. At some point it was then sold.

 

[maria-olivia]

We never see Archduke Karl at Royal Events but well his Brother Georg . His wife Archiduchess Elika never wore a tiara ?

 

[Stefan]

We never see Archduke Karl at Royal Events but well his Brother Georg . His wife Archiduchess Elika never wore a tiara ?

The only time shore wore one was at her Wedding when sore a small bandeau from the Oldenburg Family.
Archduke Karl and his second wife attended fro example the last Wedding of the Fürst zu Schaumburg-Lippe. Pity that there are no pics from them at the Ball because the ladies wore tiaras for it.

 

[The Royal Watcher]

Unlike most of their cousins, the main Habsburg line has relatively few jewels, mainly due to the majority of their jewels having been sold or stolen by their advisors soon after the First World War.

I have relayed the story of how the jewels were stolen in my articles on the Habsburg Crown Pearls and the Habsburg Ruby Parure.

​

Empress Zita’s Diamond Tiara, a Wedding Gift from Emperor Franz Joseph, hasn’t been seen since the Wedding Ball of Archduke Robert of Austria and Princess Margherita of Savoy-Aosta in 1953, when it was worn by Archduchess Regina. It was likely sold in the 1950s.

​

The historic Habsburg Crown last worn by Empress Zita was dramatically stolen and vandalised by an advisor of the Emperor, with two massive Pearls later acquired by actress Gina Lollobrigida, fetching £1.6m at auction a few years ago.

​

In her widowhood, Empress Zita wore a Jet Tiara for her children’s weddings, but that hasn’t been seen since the 1950s either.


The main jewel still with the Habsburgs is the Pearl and Diamond Bandeau which was possibly inherited by Archduchess Regina from the Saxe-Meiningen Family. It was last worn by Archduchess Francesca at Wedding Gala of Crown Prince Frederik of Denmark in 2004.

​

The Hanover Emerald Laurel Wreath Tiara was likely bought by bought by Baron von Thyssen-Bornemisza for Archduchess Francesca, and she has worn it for the Wedding of Crown Prince Frederik of Denmark in 2004 and also as a Necklace.


Archduchess Eilika did wear a Pearl Bandeau from her own family for her wedding, but her primary jewel appears to be a massive Aquamarine Pendant which she’s worn at some of the biggest Gala Occasions, most recently the Wedding Ball of Prince Ludwig of Bavaria in 2023.

 

[maria-olivia]

Empress Zita wore the Starry Cross with diamonds . Did the following Grand Mistresses of the Order were it?

 

[Masilebo]

Royal Watcher , you are one of the Best ! Great Thanks for your Posts

She truly is.

 

[MarcBgd]

Schleswig-Holstein Bow tiara:

Wedding of Prince Constantin von Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg and Countess Sophia von der Schulenburg - The Royal Watcher

Royal Guests and Relatives gathered from around Europe to celebrate the Wedding of Prince Constantin von Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg and Countess Sophia von der Schulenburg at the Església de Sant Bartolomeu in Mallorca on June 1st. Prince Constantin von...

royalwatcherblog.com

 

[The Royal Watcher]

The Bavarian Ruby Tiara

Bavarian Ruby Tiara

Today marks the 70th Anniversary of the Death of Crown Princess Antonia of Bavaria, who passed away on this day in 1954! The Luxembourg Princess who married the last Bavarian Crown Prince and was i…

royalwatcherblog.com

The Hesse Aquamarine Tiara

Hesse Aquamarine Tiara

Happy Birthday to Princess Dorothea of Hesse, Princess of Windish-Grätz, who turns 90 today! The daughter of Prince Christoph of Hesse and Princess Sophie of Greece and Hanover who married Prince F…

royalwatcherblog.com

 

[Stefan]

Duchess Katharina of Oldenburg wore a circle bandeau at her Wedding to Count Clemens Moy de Sons. To me it looks like a necklace/choker who was placed on a tiara frame Lots of luck for Katharina & Clemens

 

[Marengo]

It does indeed! Do you know if the Oldenburg family still has some other tiaras or has everything been sold already?

The Bavarian Ruby Tiara

Bavarian Ruby Tiara

Today marks the 70th Anniversary of the Death of Crown Princess Antonia of Bavaria, who passed away on this day in 1954! The Luxembourg Princess who married the last Bavarian Crown Prince and was i…

royalwatcherblog.com

Is it known which stones are spinels and which ones are rubies? The big square red stone seems to large for a ruby perhaps?

 

[Stefan]

It does indeed! Do you know if the Oldenburg family still has some other tiaras or has everything been sold already?

They have still a star tiara which was worn by Duchess Katharina's mother a few times. And there should also be the diamond bandeau which was worn by Duchess Eilka at her Wedding

 

[The Royal Watcher]

It does indeed! Do you know if the Oldenburg family still has some other tiaras or has everything been sold already?


Is it known which stones are spinels and which ones are rubies? The big square red stone seems to large for a ruby perhaps?

Yes, as Stefan said, they have a striking Diamond Star Tiara.

Oldenburg Star Tiara - The Royal Watcher

Happy Birthday to the Duchess of Oldenburg, who turns 60 today! Born Countess Caroline zu Rantzau, she married the Duke of Oldenburg, Head of the House of Oldenburg, in 1987. The couple have four children and reside at Güldenstein Manor and at Schloss Rastede. To mark the day, we are featuring...

royalwatcherblog.com

I have never seen a full breakdown of which stones are rubies or spinels but I would assume that the larger two stones are spinels because they are is too large to be rubies.

 

[Marengo]

Thanks! It is the largest star tiara around perhaps? Since the one of the Hesse-Kassel family has disappeared.

Odd that the tiara did not go to Elisabeth-Anna's only surviving child, Dss Sophie Charlotte, who married Prince Eitel Friedrich of Prussia, son of the Emperor and Empress.

Instead it went to the wife of SC's halfbrother, Helena of Waldeck-Pyrmont. HGD Nikolaus did not descend from the original owner of the tiara. It makes it perhaps likely the tiara was also used by the second wife of GD Friedrich August, GDss Elisabeth, née Dss of Mecklenburg-Schwerin and was passed on from her to her daughter-in-law.

 

[MarcBgd]

And there should also be the diamond bandeau which was worn by Duchess Eilka at her Wedding

I think Duchess Beatrix von Oldenburg wore it also at her wedding to Sven von Storch:

(S+) Gaben für die Familie

Beatrix von Storch, AfD-Vizechefin, propagiert die Rückkehr von Anstand und Ordnung. Die gemeinnützigen Vereine der gebürtigen Herzogin dienen auch eigennützigen Zielen.

www.spiegel.de

 

[Stefan]

I think Duchess Beatrix von Oldenburg wore it also at her wedding to Sven von Storch:

(S+) Gaben für die Familie

Beatrix von Storch, AfD-Vizechefin, propagiert die Rückkehr von Anstand und Ordnung. Die gemeinnützigen Vereine der gebürtigen Herzogin dienen auch eigennützigen Zielen.

www.spiegel.de

And probably also Duchess Tatiana

 

[The Royal Watcher]

It appears Duchess Tatjana wore the Star Tiara for her Wedding to Count Axel de Chavagnac

When Duchess Katharina of Oldenburg, the only daughter of the Duke and Duchess of Oldenburg, married Count Clemens Moy de Sons in Rastede last month, the bride wore a striking Diamond Loop Tiara which is likely another family heirloom, though the Duchess no doubt wore the Star Tiara for the Ball held that evening.

 

[Stefan]

Antonia Lütz wore a diamond tiara at her Wedding to Archduke Pal of Austria which was also worn by the groom's grandmother Princess and Duchess Anna Eugenie of Arenberg at her Wedding to Archduke Felix. It was also worn by one of his Poschinger cousins at her Wedding Day.

 

[Tilia C.]

Thank you for sharing your photos, Stefan! It is lovely to see this tiara worn again by another bride int the family.

 

[The Royal Watcher]

The Hesse Ears of Wheat Tiara was the only Tiara of six returned to the Royal Family among the Jewels which were stolen by American Soldiers after the Second World War.

Hesse Ears of Wheat Tiara

The heirloom Hesse Ears of Wheat Tiara was a wedding gift to Princess Mafalda of Savoy, Landgravine of Hesse, who died in a Concentration Camp #OnThisDay 80 years ago, before the Hesse Jewels was stolen by American Soldiers after WWII

royalwatcherblog.com

 

[The Royal Watcher]

Archduchess Marie Valerie’s Köchert Tiara​

Archduchess Marie Valerie’s Köchert Tiara

The magnificent Köchert Pearl and Diamond Tiara of Archduchess Marie Valerie of Austria (who passed away #OnThisDay 100 years ago) remained with her descendants for almost a century before being sold at Christie’s in 2005

royalwatcherblog.com

 

[The Royal Watcher]

Bismarck Tiara​

Bismarck Tiara

The Swedish Socialite who married the Head of the House of Bismarck, Ann-Mari, Princess of Bismarck (who passed away #OnThisDay 25 years ago), wore the magnificent Bismarck Tiara over decades of Royal and Noble Occasions

royalwatcherblog.com

 

[Toledo]

This is a channel with topics that relates to royal and imperial jewels from the past and includes documentation on pieces that have disappeared from records or dismantled into other pieces in the royal collections.

The Crown Jewels of the Holy Roman Empire

The Holy Roman Empire Crown

Jewlery of Habsburg Dynasty. Most Famous & Iconic Pieces

 

[duke of poliganc]

Does the Prince Franz Wilhelm of Prussia line have jewelry to pass on?
The other Branches of the family appear to still have a considerable collection but I don’t think think we ever saw major jewelry worn by his mother Princess Henriette of Schönaich-Carolath or by Grand Duchess Maria Vladimirovna of Russia when they were still married!

 

[Toledo]

From what I read throughout the years, and without looking it up right now, a large number of jewels the deposed royals were able to take with them ended up being sold and many left behind stolen. I doubt any historical treasures were kept intact with so much chaos in Europe after the WWI and WWII aftermath.
I think nowadays, on specific occasions, modern royals with no access to the family jewels rent or borrow items like tiaras for special events.