I can’t believe it’s the end of the year, but it is, and we are slowly building up to the annual New Year’s levees held in Denmark. You know you’ll see the ruby parure on Mary, so the question remains, “How will she style it this time?” Excuse my far-fetched fantasies, but I sometimes wonder if Prince Frederik did not search the world over for a bride who could wear the Danish Ruby Parure in the imaginative way of his grandmother Ingrid. If so, he certainly found it in Mary.
For a refresher on the parure itself, head back over to Order of Splendor for the best lowdown. There was a lot I had forgotten about – how the tiara was slowly built from “pieces of jewels”, how many pieces it comprises (lots), and that it originally made its way to Denmark, in part, because the colors reflected the flag. It’s a worthy and historic set of jewels that Mary has set about making her own, and that we are now going to weigh in on ourselves. Let us know which iteration you find the most attractive.
Choices
New Year’s Banquet, 2017 – Mary went full splendor and wore the tiara, earrings with three drops, and the brooch – with pendant – at her neckline.
New Year’s Banquet, 2012 – Mary sports the tiara, the earrings with one drop, and the necklace without the pendants.
Queen Margrethe’s 70th birthday, April 2010 – The princess donned the tiara, the pearl drop version of the earrings,bracelet and the brooch pinned at her bodice.
Pre-wedding opera, 2004. Then Mary Donaldson debuted the “full monty”, displaying the tiara (in its old configuration), the necklace with pendants, and the earring in their full three drop glory. It was an unusual hair-down tiara appearance for her.
New Year’s Banquet, 2014 – Mary went old, old school, and wore the tiara, the earrings with no drops, and pinned the brooch – sans pendant – to a velvet neck band.
Queen Margrethes 40th Year Anniversary, 2012 – Mary wore the tiara, the necklace with pendants, and the earrings with one drop. Bonus hair ornament and ring action, too!
Scanned from “Majesty” 
Marie and Joachim’s wedding, 2008 – Mary toned it down and wore the tiara with the earrings in their smallest version.
Whew. We haven’t even covered the varied uses of the brooch worn as a hair ornament, but I think we’d better vote before we are all exhausted.
