We roll into the 1970s in our flashback countdown with
another state visit exchange from Queen Juliana of the Netherlands. In April 1972, the Dutch sovereign and her husband, Prince Bernhard, arrived in the United Kingdom to visit The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh.
Jaunty hats still reigned at this time - I wouldn't mind seeing this one dug out and handed over to the granddaughters, actually - and those of you that despair the few pairs of shoes Her Maj wears today will note the change here. I'm primarily noting the daytime appearance of the
Scroll Cambridge Emerald Brooch, the fancier of the Cambridge emerald brooches and the one usually used for on a sash for evening events.
A Windsor Castle state banquet headlined the trip. Naturally, Queen Juliana again emphasized her biggest jewel with a British connection, the
Stuart Tiara, the massive size of the tiara dwarfed only by the massive size of her hair.
QEII also made a repeat of her appearance at the state banquet Juliana hosted for her when she visited the Netherlands in 1958, wearing the
Grand Duchess Vladimir Tiara, the
Duchess of Gloucester's Pendant Earrings,
Queen Victoria's Golden Jubilee Necklace, her
Royal Family Orders, and the Order of the Netherlands Lion. She did swap in the
True Lover's Knot Brooch, which she also brought with her for that previous Dutch state visit. The Duke of Edinburgh is wearing the
"Windsor uniform", which dates in some form all the way back to 1779 and includes a tailcoat with distinctive red collar and cuffs. He's wearing knee breeches here, which allow him to wear the
actual Garter of the Order of the Garter at the knee, as men are intended to wear it.
Queen Juliana, highlighting her true blue Order of the Garter with the impressive
Dutch Sapphire Parure (including the
necklace which is now used as a tiara), hosted a return banquet at the Carpenter's Hall.
The Queen wore
Queen Alexandra's Kokoshnik Tiara and the
George VI Festoon Necklace, another combination she wore to her previous Dutch visit, but she's already knocking back the sparkle by using the smaller
Antique Girandole Earrings and
Dorset Bow Brooch this time around.
She led a large family contingent at the banquet, a sight far more common in those days, featuring The Duchess of Gloucester (Princess Alice) in her
Teck Turquoise Parure and Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother in the
Greville Tiara. The Queen Mother also wore another impressive piece from the Greville Bequest, the emerald and diamond necklace (a piece we have yet to cover). And Princess Margaret wore the
Lotus Flower Tiara and the diamond collet necklace she inherited from Queen Mary that was sold after her death.
Just as an example of Royal Family Orders in use to their full extent, here's Margaret with the family orders of the grandfather, father, and sister, and the Order of the Crown of India, which is on a bow like a RFO (the top bow here), all in addition to her Dutch sash. Princess Alexandra, behind her in the
Ogilvy Tiara, is also wearing the orders of The Queen and George VI. (And yes, this photo has clearly been mirrored, because all the orders are on the wrong side.)
1972 marked twenty years on the throne for The Queen. The countdown to the longest reigning monarch continues...
Photos: ANP Historical Archive, and via Getty Images as indicated
