Amidst the splendour of the gala dinner for King Carl XVI Gustaf’s Golden Jubilee in Stockholm on Friday evening, Queen Anne-Marie stole the show in a tiara with a magnificent royal history in Sweden, Denmark, Greece, and Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg.
Embed from Getty ImagesIn early 1905, Princess Margaret and Princess Patricia of Connaught joined their parents, Prince Arthur, Duke of Connaught and Strathearn, and Princess Louise Margaret, on a world tour.
Their uncle, King Edward VII, wanted the princesses to marry senior, titled royals—only kings or crown princes would do. While visiting Cairo, they met Prince Gustaf Adolf of Sweden. It was love at first sight for the Prince and Princess Margaret, and they became engaged in Egypt.
On 15 June, they were married at St George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle, and one of the wedding gifts Princess Margaret—who would henceforth be known as Princess Margreta—received was a glittering tiara from the last Khedive of Egypt, Abbas II.
The Khedive of Egypt tiara was commissioned for Princess Margreta by Cartier. It is a diamond scroll tiara with laurel wreaths and became one of her most used tiaras during her time as a royal of Sweden.
Embed from Getty ImagesPrince Gustaf Adolf and Princess Margreta became the Crown Prince Couple in 1907 and had five children. Among them were Princess Ingrid (future Queen of Denmark) and Prince Gustaf Adolf (the father of current King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden).
Sadly, Crown Princess Margreta passed away suddenly and unexpectedly in 1920, and the Khedive of Egypt tiara was inherited by her only daughter, Princess Ingrid.
On 15 March 1935, Princess Ingrid married Frederick, the Crown Prince of Denmark and Iceland, and brought the Khedive of Egypt tiara to the Danish court with her.
In turn, her three daughters, Queen Margrethe, Princess Benedikte, and Queen Anne-Marie, would all wear the tiara on their wedding days in 1967, 1968, and 1964, respectively. Three of Queen Ingrid’s granddaughters would also wear the tiara: Princess Alexandra and Princess Nathalie of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg and Princess Alexia of Greece and Denmark.
Queen Ingrid was known to loan out the Khedive of Egypt tiara to family, too. In 1958, Princess Margaretha of Sweden (Ingrid’s niece) wore it to her cousin Margrethe’s 18th birthday celebrations, and Ingrid also lent it to her cousin Princess Margaretha of Denmark.
When Queen Ingrid passed away in 2000, she left the Khedive of Egypt tiara to Queen Anne-Marie. Anne-Marie would alter the base so that it sits higher on the head.
The question lately has become one of provenance and whether Queen Anne-Marie will bequeath the Khedive of Egypt to one of her daughters or daughters-in-law or if it will be returned to the Danish Royal Family.
