Danish Ruby Jubilee - Gala Banquet: HRH Crown Princess Pavlos of Greece
Brace yourselves, hatters: this is the jaw-dropper of the evening!
This tiara, Queen Sophia's Diamond Tiara, has not been seen in four decades. Say it with me: four decades. It was last worn by Queen Friedrike, mother of the former King Constantine of Greece and Queen Sofia of Spain, in the 1960s. Most royal watchers believed that Friedrike sold the tiara at auction in the 1970s after the Greek monarchy was deposed, but apparently not! (Though I've seen some speculation that it was indeed sold and repurchased by M-C's father; there's no concrete evidence to support that theory, however.) Queen Anne-Marie has never worn the tiara in public, so it makes its brilliant reappearance on Marie-Chantal.
The tiara itself is pure Victorian decadence; its first wearer was Sophie of Prussia, granddaughter of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert. It's a massive, massive piece -- almost too big in this form for Marie-Chantal to wear, it seems. But I'm so beyond over the moon about its reappearance that I don't care about the fit or the hairstyle or anything else -- it's a royal heirloom tiara back from oblivion, everybody! Hooray!
PHOTO CREDITS: Chris Jackson/Getty Images
Thank you Ella! I knew you'd have the dish on this particular little piece of phantasm -- and it's every bit as delish as I expected!
It's huge -- but it doesn's seem weighty, it's intricate --but it doesnt seem overly fussy.....
it would overwhelm many a Princess ....and I can't see for instance the Duchess of Cambridge making it work (Camilla -- another story)....
but, somehow...
Marie-Chantal is just imperious enough to pull it off.
Aside from the reappearance of those ghastly earrings again!
GASP! Oh the history is delicioouus!!! Thank you for the details!!!
I think she wins the "tiara sweepstakes" for the evening. This is just stunning and it is wonderful to see the tiara brought and and dusted off. Always nice to see the tiara new to this site! Love it.
Hallelujah! Not only did my jaw drop, but my teeth fell out on the floor! This is just spectacular. Makes the eyes water just looking at it. And the HISTORY surrounding this piece is marvelous. Thanks for posting it.
I do have one question: seems like a fabric headband is resting under the tiara. My own tiara (giggle) doesn't have anything like that so I haven't a clue. Is that part of the piece? or is it something extra that M-C is wearing because it doesn't quite fit? I'm not put off by the look of the fabric, I just don't know...
Oohhhhhh wow. THis is a major piece of tiara. I can't quite decided if it is too big for MC or if she has just the right level of grandeur to get away with it.
Regardless, what an amazing tiara, it is stunning. She does wear it very well, a simple dress to showcase it. And where has it been all this time?! My mind did wander over the theory that it had been bought by her Pa, but that would be a bit tasteless on her part, rather rubbing the noses of her in-laws in it no? I reckon Anne-Marie just doesn't like wearing it, and thought it was time it got dusted off.
Rgardless, this is the tiara news of he night. A-maze-ing.
I'm drooling here...this tiara is fantastic!
Love, love, love.
OMG, I can't imagine anyone not wearing that tiara because they dislike it, but that's just me. Everyone's already said their superlatives about this gem, so now that the diamond dust has settled a bit, I'll say that I think MC has to start playing around with this tiara. While her hair was lovely, she needs a better style to bury the base and allow it to sit lower on her head. Since the tiara opens, she needs to either close it up more since it is large on her or - dare I say this - make alterations to it as Mary did to hers. She might get some extra diamonds out of this to make stunning earrings to match the tiara. Either way, she needs a better pair instead of the doorknockers she wore; I didn't think they suited the tiara at all. But either way, a stunning debut after a 40-year absence; no wonder she's grinning from ear to ear!
Could Irene have had it all these years, and now passed it back to Constantine? That still doesn't explain why Anne Marie didn't wear it-I'm sorry, but If I am Anne Marie, Chantal does not get first dibs on this. Maybe Irene gave it to Pavlos....
This is an exquisite piece-but it needs bigger hair behind it. I agree that Catherine could not carry it off yet-but Camilla could rock it-it has about the same mass as the Boucheron, after all, but this has such gorgeous lines.
The earrings are too modern and too sticky-outy. Diamond studs, maybe with pearshaped drops, would have been perfect.
BCGirl: sometimes tiara bases can be wrapped in velvet close to the hair color of the wearer so that the base blends in and the tiara seems to float on the wearer's head. The fabric might also cushion a heavy tiara a little bit-I don't know, seeing as my own tiaras are all lighter than air...
BCGirl:
here are some pics of tiaras with the fabric-wrapped base:
http://royalexhibitions.co.uk/queens-jewels/queens-tiaras/
cece18 - Thanks for the info. Now I see how, why and what for.
I think Marie-Chantal can definitely pull off this stunning crown (too big to be a tiara in my opinion). She looks absolutely beautiful and I hope she brings this piece out again.
I am gobsmacked at the sight of this! She can pull it off and she should at important affairs. That Miller sister did well.
http://members.fortunecity.com/verenad/Greece.html - i think it may have been owned by princess irene - but if i was her i would have given it to Queen Sofia's branch of the family - Sofia can rock huge tiaras
There's no way this stunning tiara was sitting around the royal attic for forty years without SOMEONE wearing it. I think M-C's father re-purchased it.
Maybe she wore it instead of rubys since it hasn't been seen for 40 years and Daisy is marking 40 years on the throne.
Texie, I have to agree....if it had been in family possession all along, then at least once in 40 (fourty !) years -- someone would have worn it at some event....borderline criminal not to.
One wonders, perhaps, if Mr Miller wasn't signalled (or coaxed) to repurchase it for the family....either directly or indirectly. It wouldnt have been an insult to the royal family --if-- the family had given a nod to it happening.... and that would then make sense why M-C is the first to appear in it.
I dare say (and shudder at the thought), that had the tiara been in the family the entire time, (and even more likely if it had been in the possession of the stylish and modern Irene) it could easily have been doomed to be remade, or broken up for components and gems, especially in the 70s....when it would have seemed very musty and outre.
Perhaps it was good fortune if the piece did go away from the family and has now returned.
Any other thoughts - theories?
I'm going along with the theory that the Millers purchased this tiara, hence its appearance on M-C's head. I also can't see it not worn for all those decades if it weren't in the family. What a sin if that were the case! At least it's back in the GRF family now.
Hello everyone,
I'm new to mad hattery and I wanted to comment on how wonderful it is to see this tiare back in the Greek royal family as I thought it was sold by Queen Frederike and lost forever. I love the detail of this tiara, Marie-Chantal must be a very happy woman right about now.
With regard to who purchased it, I agree that it is most likely Robert Miller who did so but I would not rule out Crown Prince Pavlos as he owns and runs a hedge-fund so he could afford to pony up for this exercise in beauty.
Welcome LadyB, If I may,on behalf of the mad hatterites and hatterettes -- pleased to have you join us with your knowledge and thoughts!