The Duchess of Cornwall at The Prince of Wales' 70th Birthday Concert

October 25: The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall attended a gala concert in the Throne Room at Buckingham Palace to mark The Prince's 70th birthday and to recognize his commitment to, and patronage of, the arts.

Clarence House

Mega diamond alert! I had hoped to see the Greville Festoon Necklace at the Dutch State Banquet - because let's face it, you knew Queen Máxima was going to go big or go home, and this necklace would have fit right in - but The Duchess had other plans for it.

She wore all five glorious diamond strands to Prince Charles' birthday gala concert, with a fabulously flattering velvet dress. This is just the third time we've seen the necklace used by Camilla. It's fascinating to me that she has, thus far, only used all five strands (it's a smaller three strand necklace and a longer two strand necklace). I'm still hoping she'll start using the three strand option with the Greville Tiara.

Embed from Getty Images

She paired it with the earrings from her Pear Drop Diamond Demi-Parure for one serious sparkling appearance.

The Greville Festoon Necklace

The Greville Festoon Necklace
(In the center, one of The Queen Mother's Ruby and Diamond Floral Clips)

The Greville Festoon Necklace is one of the most impressive pieces from the Greville bequest, the collection of jewelry left to Queen Elizabeth (the future Queen Mother) in 1942 by the Hon. Mrs. Ronald Greville. The Cartier design has five rows of diamonds set in platinum, each row containing plaques of diamonds centered by large brilliants and separated by groups of two brilliants.

Queen Elizabeth in 1950, wearing all five strands for a Dutch state visit  
(she also wears the Greville Tiara in its previous design)

The necklace is really two pieces that can be worn separately or as one. The longer necklace has two strands and was made first; the shorter necklace has three strands and came later. Hugh Roberts notes in The Queen's Diamonds that the first version of the necklace with two strands had a slightly different design and was made for Mrs. Greville in 1929 using her own stones. Cartier later altered their initial creation to its current design and added the shorter necklace of three strands to sit inside, again using stones already in the Greville collection.

View image | gettyimages.com

The Queen Mother wearing the three strand necklace on her 100th birthday

All five strands worn together make a staggeringly opulent impression. Whether acknowledging that over the top effect or simply bowing to personal preference and the practical difficulties of using such a large piece, Queen Elizabeth did not often wear all five strands, usually saving it for special occasions. She did wear the three strand version alone, especially in her later years. She used the necklace until she passed away in 2002, at which time it passed to The Queen.

View image | gettyimages.com

The Duchess of Cornwall wearing the necklace for the first time, 2007

Along with a large portion of her late mother's collection, The Queen has loaned the Greville Festoon Necklace to The Duchess of Cornwall. She debuted it with all five strands blazing at The Queen's banquet for the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in 2007. She has worn it only three times in public, on all occasions wearing all five strands. On two of those occasions, she paired it with the Greville Tiara. The Greville Tiara (from the same bequest, clearly) is a perfect match for this necklace, and I am hoping that we will see The Duchess begin to use the three strand version of the Festoon Necklace with it in the future.

Appearances (before 2002, on The Queen Mother; after 2007, on The Duchess of Cornwall):
25 October 2018: The Prince of Wales' 70th Birthday Concert
18 June 2015: The Duke of Wellington's Waterloo Banquet
2007: CHOGM Dinner
1960: State Visit from France   

Photos: Menkes/Royal Household, British Pathé video, via Getty Images

The Duchess of Cornwall at the Waterloo Banquet

Another tiara event that I wasn't expecting for The Duchess of Cornwall (her husband tagged along, too) and I am in seventh heaven! Another special Camilla event post is called for:

The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall attended The Duke of Wellington's Waterloo Banquet at Apsley House, London, as part of the events marking the bicentenary of the Battle of Waterloo. 

View image | gettyimages.com

Get a load of the diamond power on display here! This is only the second time that Camilla has worn the Greville Festoon Necklace (which is actually two necklaces, a two strand and a three strand) and it remains as spectacular as ever. A favorite of Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother, this necklace is my very favorite selection to see paired with the Greville Tiara. The fact that she can pull this much off is basically every reason I decided to cover Camilla on this blog in a nutshell, in case you were wondering.

View image | gettyimages.com

Greville Tiara 

Diamond Pear Drop Demi-Parure Earrings 

Greville Festoon Necklace 

Diamond Bracelet (said to have belonged to The Queen Mother)
Engagement and Wedding Rings

View image | gettyimages.com

Charles is in his mess dress uniform, so he also has worn his orders and medals (including the Order of the Garter sash). His wife is sans orders for the evening, which fits in with the rest of the dress code.

View image | gettyimages.com

Let's have one last moment of appreciation for The Duchess of Wellington, shall we? In addition to her wonderful necklace and earrings, she's wearing a hefty circlet tiara that is an heirloom of the Wellington family. Antonia, who was born a Princess of Prussia, also wore the diadem on her wedding day.

Click here for a gallery of their arrival.

Photos: John Phillips via Getty Images