Monday 10 October 2016

Silvia's State Dinner Sparklers in Germany


The first of a double diamond diadem whammy for Silvia of Sweden in Germany


A State Visit means a State Dinner which usually means a tiara. But who else could give us a double dose of diamonds on an official visit other than Queen Silvia of Sweden? There's no one else does diamonds quite like this consort and on a trip back to the land of her birth she gave us not one but two tiaras in the space of twenty four hours. Here are Silvia's State Dinner Sparklers from Germany.




For the official State Dinner at the Schloss Bellevue, hosted in honour of the King and Queen of Sweden by German President Joachim Gaucke and his wife, Daniela Schadt, Silvia chose the Connaught tiara.



This all diamond affair made its way into the Swedish royal jewellery box back in 1905. Like many royal tiaras worn today, it was a wedding gift - the recipient was Princess Margaret, bride of Crown Prince Gustaf Adolf, who was presented with the sparkler by her parents, the Duke and Duchess of Connaught. This is a very Edwardian tiara, featuring five wreaths of leaves each with a drop of a diamond danging in its centre.



The Connaught tiara was the first worn by Silvia who donned this diadem at the dinner the night before her wedding in 1976. Forty years after becoming Sweden's queen. Silvia wore it for the State Dinner in Germany with a  dress about a pink as they come. She looked stunning.



Day two of the State Visit saw Carl Gustaf and Silvia host a return dinner in honour of their hosts. The royal couple used the Charlottenburg Castle on the outskirts of Berlin for the evening and Silvia sparkled again, this time wearing the Baden fringe tiara.


It's another 100% diamond effort and another wedding gift. It was wrapped up in shiny paper and bows and handed over to Victoria of Baden in 1881 by her parents when she married Crown Prince Gustaf of Sweden. As you'd expect from its name, it's a fringe style tiara with almost fifty sharp spikes made up of diamonds graduating in size until they reach the centre of the diadem.


Two tiaras, belonging to two famous Swedish royals, and worn by the country's longest reigning queen consort for a State Visit to her homeland in the year she marks forty years on the throne. Silvia really is sparkling.


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