09 June 2015

Gurkha 200 Pageant

The Queen attended a pageant to mark 200 years of Gurkha service to the Crown at Royal Hospital Chelsea, London.
I was surprised that we didn't see anything more formal in the jewel department, given that some of the men were in black tie, but her silver and white Angela Kelly outfit did have a bit of interest on the sleeves and hem to fancy it up.
To this, she added her Pearl Triangle Brooch, which we haven't seen in over a year.


Is that The Sultan of Brunei up there, you ask? Why yes it is, my eagle-eyed friend.
And here he is resisting the urge to back away slowly as The Duke of Edinburgh examines a Kukri, a traditional Gurkha weapon.

Also present were The Prince of Wales and Prince Harry. They both have added ties to the Gurkhas: Charles is Colonel-in-Chief of the Royal Gurkha Rifles and a patron of the Gurkha Welfare Trust, which organized the event, and Harry lived with a Gurkha battalion while serving in Afghanistan.

Photos:via Getty Images
Posted by at
Labels: , , ,

08 June 2015

Flashback: German State Visits in the 1970s

There were two state visits between the Federal Republic of Germany (West Germany) and the United Kingdom in the 1970s. This flashback will focus on the tiara aspects of those two visits, because we have our priorities straight.

In October 1972, President Heinemann came to the U.K. for a state visit that featured a state banquet at Windsor Castle. With some peekaboo embellished panels on her skirt, The Queen welcomed her guest in pearls and diamonds:
Jewel Tally:
Grand Duchess Vladimir Tiara with Pearls
Duchess of Gloucester's Pendant Earrings
Queen Victoria's Golden Jubilee Necklace
Kensington Bow Brooch
As with other appearances here, she also wears the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany and her Royal Family Orders, plus a diamond evening watch.


In May 1978, The Queen paid another state visit to Germany, and like her visit thirteen years earlier, this one was packed with tiaras. Four tiara evenings, starting with one that echoed her pearl and diamond suite from the incoming visit above:

A blue dress was accompanied by some of her early presents of serious diamonds:

Peach and gold and more diamonds:

And lastly, there was yellow with a mix of pearls and diamonds:
An extra plane just for the jewels? No problem!

Photos: via Getty Images
Posted by at
Labels:

06 June 2015

Epsom Derby

The Queen, accompanied by other members of the Royal Family, attended Investec Derby Day at Epsom Downs Racecourse.
For the traditional kick off to the busiest month in her year, The Queen opted for an old brooch standby, the Frosted Sunflower. Surprisingly for a brooch that usually tops the favorites list at the end of the year, this is only its second outing in 2015. And to tell you the truth, I haven't missed it one bit.
She also transferred it to her dress after taking off her coat...not that the brooch is what you're looking at in this photo.



Accompanying Her Maj and The Duke of Edinburgh for the day:

If you had any doubts that Princess Michael is coordinating her eye patch to her outfits, well, here you go. She's doing quite a job of accessorizing to distract from her surgery recovery, though. That is one impressive jabot pin!

After my own heart with her purple purse and sporting an interesting set of blue jewels, Princess Alexandra of Kent came along for the ride too.

UPDATE: Princess Haya was present with the Dubai racing crew and Sheikh Mohammed.

I usually like her racing style...but this just makes me hope she's saving the best for Ascot.

Photos:via Getty Images as indicated
Posted by at
Labels: , , , , ,

04 June 2015

Women's Institute Centenary Meeting and Prince Harry, KCVO

The Queen opened the Annual Meeting of the Women's Institute in its centenary year at Royal Albert Hall, London. The Princess Royal and The Countess of Wessex were also present.
This WI centenary business is producing some good events so far. First, it gives us a garden party attended by the royal version of the Fantastic Four, and now, Her Maj joins in with her daughter and daughter-in-law for a bit of fun.
The Queen is President of the Sandringham branch of the Women's Institute, and pays them a visit during her annual holiday break. She has a Women's Institute Badge that she often wears to that meeting, but today she went with the Cambridge Pearl Pendant Brooch. A gorgeous match for her Rachel Trevor-Morgan hat and Stewart Parvin coat, no?
Video: Highlights, with a bit of cake cutting fun at the end



The Queen was also scheduled to attend a garden party today alongside The Countess of Wessex, according to her calendar the last time I checked it, but it appears that she did not attend after all. She did do one more important thing today:

Prince Harry has now been appointed a Knight Commander of the Royal Victorian Order, and was received in a private audience by The Queen today. (No photos are available.)
My psychic powers are strong this week! Just yesterday, I posted about the insignia of the Royal Victorian Order. While my post concentrated on the insignia as worn by a Knight or Dame Grand Cross (The Duchess of Cornwall's rank), Prince Harry has been made a Knight Commander, which is one rank below. Instead of wearing his Badge on a sash, it will be worn on a ribbon around the neck, and the Star is slightly different. Here is the insignia presented to him: 
I assume that after some years have passed, he will be made a Knight Grand Cross, as happened with his uncles Prince Andrew and Prince Edward. While some have been waiting for Harry to get the Order of the Garter (doubtful until Charles takes the throne, if you ask me), this is the one I've been waiting for him to receive. It's a great way to recognize the good works he's done so far!

Photos: via Getty Images, Women's Institute video, Twitter
Posted by at
Labels: , , ,

03 June 2015

The Riband, Badge, and Star of the Royal Victorian Order

The Queen is Sovereign of the Royal Victorian Order, a dynastic order of knighthood established by Queen Victoria in 1896 which recognizes distinguished personal service to the sovereign. This is The Queen's personal gift, and not one for which she must consult with her ministers. Among those honored with the Royal Victorian Order in varying grades are loyal members of the royal household, members of the royal family, and members of foreign royal families.

This entry focuses on the insignia of the Order worn by The Duchess of Cornwall (and shortly by The Duchess of Cambridge); other forms and grades exist.


The Riband, or sash, is blue with a band of red/white/red on either side, and it is worn across the body from the right shoulder to the left hip. At the hip hangs the badge, a white enamel Maltese cross edged in gold with a gold back. The center of the cross features the Royal Cypher of Queen Victoria in a ring of blue. The order of the motto, VICTORIA, is written on the ring and the medallion is topped by a Tudor crown. The Star has the same white cross and medallion at the center of a metal eight point star.

The Countess of Wessex wears the Order

Current working members of the royal family that hold the rank of Knight or Dame Grand Cross (the highest rank, and the one entitled to wear the Riband and other insignia as described here for state occasions) include:
  • The Duke of Kent (appointed 1960) 
  • Princess Alexandra (1960) 
  • The Princess Royal (1974; appointed Grand Master in 2007) 
  • The Duke of Gloucester (1974) 
  • The Duchess of Kent (1977) 
  • The Duchess of Gloucester (1989) 
  • Prince Michael of Kent (2003) 
  • The Countess of Wessex (2010) 
  • The Duke of York (2011)
  • The Earl of Wessex (2011) 
  • The Duchess of Cornwall (2012) 
  • The Duchess of Cambridge (2019)
For many, it is among the first such honors they receive from The Queen, while others are appointed after receiving honors of higher precedence. The names in bold above can currently be spotted wearing the Riband and Badge at most state occasions; others that have higher honors may wear some or none of the insignia at any given time.

The Duchess of Cornwall wearing the Riband with the Badge at her hip (turned backwards - hazard of moving around, I expect) and the Star at her waist

The Duchess of Cornwall was appointed a Dame Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order on April 9, 2012, her seventh wedding anniversary. She currently wears the Riband, Badge, and Star on occasions such as state banquets and the State Opening of Parliament. Following her appointment, we first saw her use the insignia during the state visit from Kuwait in November 2012.

The Duchess of Cambridge was appointed a Dame Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order on April 29, 2019, her eighth wedding anniversary.

There is also a Collar and Mantle for the Royal Victorian Order, but it is not regularly seen in use. The service for the Royal Victorian Order is held privately.

Appearances (on The Duchess of Cornwall only):
14 October 2019: State Opening of Parliament
23 October 2018: State Visit from The Netherlands, State Banquet 
5 December 2017: Diplomatic Reception
12 July 2017: State Visit from Spain, State Banquet
8 December 2016: Diplomatic Reception 
1 November 2016: State Visit from Colombia, State Banquet
18 May 2016: State Opening of Parliament
2 June 2015: Royal Academy of Arts Dinner
27 May 2015: State Opening of Parliament 
3 March 2015: State Visit from Mexico, State Banquet 
4 June 2014: State Opening of Parliament
8 April 2014: State Visit from Ireland
8 May 2013: State Opening of Parliament
30 April 2013: Inauguration of King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands
27 November 2012: State Visit from Kuwait


Photos: Nicholas Jackson/Wikimedia Commons/Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported, Frankie Fouganthin/Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported, WPA Pool via Getty Images
Posted by at
Labels: , , ,

02 June 2015

The Duchess of Cornwall at the Royal Academy of Arts Dinner

A rare non-Queen event post today, but such things are called for in the event of an emergency Tiara Watch.

The Duchess of Cornwall attended the Royal Academy of Arts Annual Dinner at the Royal Academy of Arts, Burlington House, London.
For more: Zimbio gallery.
Sneaky tiaras are the best kind of tiaras. I was not expecting Camilla to wear a diadem to this event, but she sparkled it up nevertheless, bless her. She repeated a gown she has worn to the State Opening of Parliament and echoed her usual approach for that event in everything except the tiara, wearing her Everyday Pearl Pendant Earrings and her Four Strand Pearl Choker with Large Diamond Clasp.
With Howard Jacobson
Other standard accessories included her favorite diamond bracelet, often said to have belonged to Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother, plus the insignia of the Royal Victorian Order (Riband, Star, and Badge) and the Royal Family Order of Queen Elizabeth II. Her sash appears to be anchored at the shoulder by the same diamond brooch we saw her debut at this year's State Opening of Parliament.
For her tiara, she went with the same approach she's used for the annual Diplomatic Reception in the past, wearing her family's own tiara. The Cubitt-Shand Tiara is an asymmetrical diamond floral design said to have belonged to Sonia Keppel Cubitt, Camilla's maternal grandmother. Camilla wore the diadem to her first wedding, and her daughter Laura also wore it for her wedding. Since marrying Charles, we've only seen it in glimpses from that Diplomatic Reception, and it is unclear whether the tiara (a private jewel) is owned by The Duchess or if she borrows it from a family member. It's a smaller option than her usual tiara, the Greville Tiara, which makes it a nice choice for the more private diplomatic event and also for an event like this dinner.
With Dame Joan Collins, at peak fabulous
This was apparently a white tie dinner - though of course it drew a mix of outfits from the guests because that's how things go - and with such a dress code, orders and tiaras (if you've got one) can be appropriate. Doubly appropriate when one is the official guest of honor, as Camilla was this evening. But tiaras at events where The Queen is not present and at events outside of the usual state occasions have become increasingly rare. Basically nonexistent, as a matter of fact. Camilla wore one to the dinner at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Sri Lanka in 2013, but that was an occasion at which she and Charles were directly substituting for The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh. That made this a surprising occasion, but needless to say, one I was thrilled to see. Consider my day made! 

P.S. The Duchess of Cornwall had a busy day today. Stay tuned to the other blog tomorrow for more on the garden party she attended earlier in the day! 

Photos: Stuart C. Wilson via Getty Images
Posted by at
Labels: , , , ,

01 June 2015

Flashback: State Visit to Germany, 1965

As we get ready for this year's state visit to Germany for The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh, we're flashing back to a few previous German/British state visits. We've covered the 1958 German visit to the U.K.; today, we have the accompanying return visit. The Queen and Duke traveled to the Federal Republic of Germany (West Germany) in May of 1965, the first time a British head of state had done so since before the two world wars.

We're stepping deep into a far more adventurous period of millinery for Her Majesty here, by the way. And if you love a bit of ridiculous retro headgear (and who doesn't love that?!), I have just a few glorious examples for you:
This newsboy-style topper with an added bow on top works perfectly for the category of "looking cool on a boat in your shades", wouldn't you say?
This pile of spaghetti was bright yellow and apparently donut-style, sans crown, as you can see below, and yet still I find it preferable to the unflattering upturned brim on the right:
Anyway, on to the brooches: the Dorset Bow was big on this trip, and on the left there, we have the Modern Ruby Brooch. The newsboy-style cap with bow at the beginning was accompanied by the complete Teck Corsage Brooch, which has now become such a rare sight.

Speaking of things that are rare sights now, this trip included no fewer than three tiara events.
A suite of pearls and diamonds took care of one of those events (above and far right below), with the Grand Duchess Vladimir Tiara in its pearl version, the Duchess of Gloucester's Pendant Earrings, Queen Victoria's Golden Jubilee Necklace, the Kensington Bow Brooch, and a diamond evening watch. The Queen is wearing the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany.
For another gala event (far left above), Her Maj put on the full sparkle with Queen Alexandra's Kokoshnik Tiara, a smaller pair of diamond earrings, the George VI Festoon Necklace, the True Lover's Knot Brooch, and Queen Victoria's Diamond Bracelet. And for another gala event (center above), she selected the True Lover's Knot Brooch again and paired it with her George VI and Modern Sapphire Set (tiara, earrings, necklace, bracelet). The tiara and bracelet were fresh adds to her collection at this time.
Video, including more millinery madness and two of the three tiara events shown here

The upcoming visit won't be anything near a three tiara affair, but there is one state banquet on the agenda with promises for some sparkle.

Photos: via Getty Images as indicated, Young, British Pathe video
Posted by at
Labels:
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)