above is a collection of jewels/brooches once owned by HRH the Princess
Louise, Princess Royal.
The tiara is composed of a diamond flower spray and forget-me-not brooches,
the centre a daisy diamond brooch, flanked on each side by graduated
diamonds. The sprays and brooches were wedding gifts to Princess Louise,
from:
- Mr Farquhar (Lord Fife’s best man) gave: “a beautiful diamond
spray (divisible into three brooches, in a design of forget-me-nots
and leaves the blossoms being of the very largest size to which the
flower ever grows)”
and various members of the Sassoon family (from Sir Albert Sassoon,
Mr. and Mrs. Albert Sassoon and Mr. and Mrs. Reuben Sassoon) gave:
exquisite diamond spray of forget-me-nots and leaves.
The spray brooches are worne as bandeau and later sold. The diamond bandeau was lent for the TV series “Downton Abbey”, a jewel with real royal history.
The large bracelet of diamonds was given by 112 young ladies, acquaintances
of the bride. This “. . . lovely bracelet of brilliants, comprising
twenty-two large stones and double the number of smaller…”
was “…a flexible band of large diamonds, their circles being
squared by small ones placed at either corner of each large one. All
the stones were brilliants of the first water and the bracelet is as
flexible as silk.” It was manufactured by Messrs. Carrington.Sources:
The Scotsman, 24 Jul 1889
July 27, 1889 where it describes the preparations for the wedding of
Princess Louise of Wales with the Earl (later Duke) of Fife. .
"The Earl of Fife presents to the Queen on the occasion of his
marriage a very fine diamond brooch, in which the letters F and L are
cunningly intertwined.
The design, which embodies two coronets, is graceful and delicate. This,
and the bridesmaids’ presents, which were designed by the hand
of the Princess of Wales herself, have been made by Messrs Hancock of
Bruton-street." The
brooch>>
The bridesmaids’ gifts from the Earl of Fife are plain gold
bangles surrounded by the letters F and L, each with its appropriate
coronet of diamonds. See above on top.
Lord Fife also presents diamond pins to the Prince of Wales and to
Princes Albert Victor and George of Wales, and to the Princesses a double-heart
locket with a ruby and diamond border and with the letters F & L
in diamonds in the centre.
It's different in the Illustrated London News's wedding issue:
HM the Queen has presented to the Duke of Fife...a brooch of diamonds,
of the purest water, the design of which is formed by the letters 'L'
and 'F', most artistically interlaced, and the Royal crown with the
Earl's coronet is introduced on each side. 'The manufacturers of this
brooch are Mesrs. Hancocks and Co., New Bond Street)'
'The bracelets, presented to the bridesmaids...were designed by
the bride herself...They are in excellent taste: the centre is composed
of the letters L and F, surmounted respectively by the Royal crown and
the Earl's coronet. The diamonds are of the finest water and mounted
on a band of gold. (Manufactured by Messrs. Hancocks and Co.) -
to see on top.
Special thanks to Laura!!
