Hofdame Bits and Bobs
Spain · Sweden

Hofdame Bits and Bobs

The Handbag

Just a reminder that we will be off Thursday, Friday, and Monday for a little rest cure! We’ve left you with some Bits to tide yourselves over.

Getty

The last ten days of mourning for Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth, are thoroughly documented at Getty. See here.

Spain

Queen Letizia is the Honorary President of the Spanish Association Against Cancer. The Association celebrated their 50th anniversary and Letizia and Felipe celebrated with them. The Queen was appropriately sparkly in her Nina Ricci (Queen Maxima owns the same dress!).

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Sweden

Let’s catch up with the Crown Princess of Sweden. She recently attended a concert in Stockholm in memory of King Charles XV. She wore a new light grey belted jacket with a full skirt. Her white top is by Hunkydory.

She also attended 2022 Brain Day, and event focused on conditions – both positive and negative – that affect the human brain. She wore a dark blue By Malina dress and her Saint Laurent shoes.

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The Princess took a tour of the Fritidsbanken, a very cool initiative which allows people to borrow sports and leisure equipment for various activities. The Princess looked sporty herself with a short Chanel-inspired jacket (shades of her mother) over a crisp white blouse and jeans.

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Brooch Round Up

During the funeral of HerMajesty, the Queen, we saw several brooches that were both beautiful and that contain sentimental and historic meaning.

The Countess of Wessex wore her Black Diamond Strawberry brooch, made of black and silver diamonds in strawberry form. She previously wore it at Ascot in 2014, which she attended with the Queen. Strawberries were said to be a favorite of Her Majesty, so there may be double the sentimental value in the choice.

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Queen Camilla wore Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee brooch (H/T to our Baguette Wendy). Camilla has had this in her possession since at least 2007. This was a gift to Queen Victoria from four of her grandchildren, and was believed to be in the Queen Mother’s possession for many years. The brooch symbolizes a strong family connection through generations.

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Princess Charlotte wore a small horseshoe brooch said to be a gift from her great-grandmother. The pin was in the collection of the Queen Mother (H/T to Iselen and to Franck of Royal Jewels. See the comments for a photo of the QM wearing the brooch.)

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Lady Sarah Chatto wore Princess Margaret’s floral brooches, which she also wore to her mother’s funeral. She also wore them on a another, happier, sentimental occasion, when she fashioned them into a tiara on her wedding day.

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Sarah Ferguson wore a silver swallow pin. Swallows are said to be given to loved ones to wish a safe journey home.

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Queen Mathilde wore a diamond butterfly brooch, which appears to be new and does not have a direct connection to the late Queen. However, in many cultures, the butterfly is both a metaphor and symbol of rebirth and resurrection, and a manifestation of the spirit and soul over the physical body.

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For the reception the evening before the funeral, Queen Mathilde wore another new-to-us bow brooch. Since Queen Elizabeth herself owned four bow brooches (that we are aware of), it seems it was a nod from one Queen to another.

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Princess Beatrix wore a new-to-the public Lotus Brooch. The lotus flower returns to the water every evening, and reblooms during the day. It is a symbol of strength, resilience, and rebirth.

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Queen Margrethe wore the Connaught Pearl Brooch to the reception the evening before the funeral. The Connaught brooch originated with Louise Margaret, the Duchess of Connaught and Daisy’s great-grandmother. Louise Margaret was married to Prince Arthur, son of Queen Victoria, in St. George’s Chapel. It symbolizes the family connection between the two monarchies. And for a day, Daisy brought the brooch home.

Queen Maxima’s pearl brooch originally from Queen Sophie, the first wife of King William III. Although there is no direct connection to Queen Elizabeth, I like to think the pearls are a nod to the late Queen’s penchant for that gem.

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Queen Sofia wore a pearl brooch that belonged to Infanta Isabel of Bourbon (King Alfonso XIII’s aunt). Isabel left it to Alfonso, who at the time was already separated from Queen Ena. He gave the brooch to the Countess of Barcelona, who gave it to Queen Sofia as a wedding present. Queen Sofia wore this brooch to the Queen Mother’s funeral in 2002, and in a nice symmetry has worn it again to honor Queen Elizabeth.

Sheikha Amna bint Mohammed Al Thani of Qatar (on the far right) was believed to be wearing one of Princess Marina’s bow brooches that had been sold at auction after her death. Another brooch came home to Windsor.

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Tiaras in the Wild

Hereditary Prince Georg Alexander of Mecklenburg and Hande Macit married in the Neustrelitz town church in Mecklenburgische Seenplatte. The bride wore what appeared to be a new tiara from Tiffany.

The civil service was held last June.

Oddments

After the last two weeks, I thought you might be interested in this.

Baguette Tip

Also, if there are any Baguettes, Hofdudes, or Hofdames interested in learning a bit more about jewelry in general, our Baguette DebK has been attending the “Lunchtime with a Curator” series online through the Smithsonian Associates.  The next two lectures may be of interest to fellow Baguettes and Hofdudes.

  • 10/3- French crown jewels in America
  • 10/17 – 19th century revivalist jewelers

Lectures are on Zoom and available to members and non-members for a fee.

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