The Princess Royal's Diamonds | This wedding gift was the present
of the Corporation of the City of London.
The Lord Mayor opened a fund to which subscriptions were made, which
were not to exceed £1. The gift, a diamond chain and pendant,
was presented on February 22, 1922. The chain was 34 inches long
composed of single diamonds with smaller diamonds in between and
ten marquise-shaped motifs at intervals. The pendant was 2 inches
long. The necklace was the work of Messrs. R.G. Hennell and Sons.
It was sold at the 1970 Christie's auction where it was described
as "a highly important diamond necklace, comprising a centre
detachable diamond pendant drop composed of a fine pear-shaped diamond
in a diamond collet and diamond-pierced frame, the necklace composed
of sections of nine brilliant-cut diamond collets, each section
intersected by a diamond navette-shaped cluster" for £11,000.
The Princess is portrayed wearing the necklace in this photograph
taken shortly after her marriage. She also wore it to the wedding
of the Duke of York and Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon.
Composed of five graduated diamond-set honeysuckle panels, circa
1865 - with five brooch fittings, could be worn on a frame with
diamonds as seen in the picture above.
The tiara was sold at auction for $31,817 on 16 November 1999 at
Geneva.
The tiara was in the possession of H.M. Queen Mary (1867-1953),
wife of H.M. King George V (1865-1936) and a present to her daughter,
H.R.H. The Princess Royal, Countess Harewood, (1897-1965) and thence
by descent.
Sources: The Times, 26 November 1921; 30 December
1921; 08 February 1922; 23 February 1922; The Illustrated London
News Wedding Number 04 March 1922;