Sweden

Blood is thicker than water! A look at how King Carl XVI Gustaf's parents shaped his reign

King Carl XVI Gustaf is about to celebrate his Golden Jubilee. And after 50 years of reign, many Swedish citizens barely remember a life without the current King on the throne.  His reign has another peculiarity: Carl Gustaf inherited the throne directly from his grandfather at 27. His father, Prince Gustaf Adolf, never had a chance of even becoming Crown Prince, passing away in an aeroplane…
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Sweden

The steel of Sweden: the unusual tiaras that sparkle in the Bernadotte collection

The Swedish Royal Family has a knack for jewellery, and that’s especially true of their steel tiaras. There are two steel cut tiaras in their vault: the Steel Cut Tiara and the Steel Cut Bandeau. The Cut Steel Tiara dates back to Queen Hortense of Holland’s time—she was the granddaughter of Empress Joséphine—and lived as queen consort between 1806 and 1810. The steel tiara is…
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Norway

An ultra modern tiara for a very modern queen

One of Queen Sonja’s most modern and unique tiaras was a gift from her husband on her 60th birthday. In 1997, Queen Sonja was presented with the Modern Gold Tiara, crafted by Millie Behrens. The tiara features golden strips of metal set with diamonds in the spacing and…
Luxembourg

The sparkling citrine in Luxembourg's royal collection

The stones at the heart of this Luxembourg tiara have long been a mystery to royal watchers: are they topazes or are they citrines? The Grand Ducal Household has never officially declared which gemstones are used in the tiara, so nearly every article about it calls it the Citrine (or Topaz) and Pearl Bandeau. The tiara is made up of oval citrines—or topazes—set on a yellow gold band and…
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Denmark

The golden tiara that marked a Ruby Jubilee

Queen Margrethe received a special tiara to mark her Ruby Jubilee in 2012, a golden gift from the people of Greenland. The Naasut Tiara (Naasut is the Greenlandic word for ‘flowers’) is created of golden floral elements with diamonds featured as well. Queen…
BelgiumLuxembourgSpain

King Philippe and Queen Sofia lead tributes on anniversary of beloved king's death

On the 30th anniversary of his death, many European Royals reunited in Motril, Spain, to celebrate the life and legacy of King Baudouin of the Belgians.  On Monday, 31st July, the Andalusian city welcomed King Philippe of the Belgians, nephew to King Baudouin and eventual successor to his throne. King Philippe was accompanied by his younger daughter, Princess Eleonore. Casa de S.M. el…
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