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Princess Marie of Great Britain and Ireland was born the 29th of October
1875, at Eastwell Park in England, the eldest daughter and second child
of Prince Alfred of Great Britain and Ireland, Duke of Edinburgh, Prince
of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha and of the Grand Duchess Maria Alexandrovna of Russia.
Thus, Princess Marie was a grand-daughter of both Queen Victoria of Great
Britain and Czar Alexander II.
The marriage of Princess Marie of Edinburgh and Prince Ferdinand Victor
Albert Meinrad of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen, Crown Prince Ferdinand of
Romania* took place on January 10, 1893 at Schloss Sigmaringen, the residence
of Prince Leopold of Hohenzollern, father of the bridegroom.
The wedding proceedings were three-fold, consisting, first of the civil
marriage in the Red Room of the castle of Sigmaringen; secondly, of the
Roman Catholic marriage in the town church of St. John; and thirdly of
the Anglican marriage held in an extemporized chapel adjoining the Ancestors’
Room in the castle.
"Princess Marie was dressed in a charming robe of white corded silk,
embroidered with pearls. The skirt was trimmed with bouquets of myrtle
and orange blossoms, the body being bordered with white velvet and adorned
also with myrtle and orange blossoms. The bridal veil was of the most
beautiful tulle and a gift of her mother. Her only ornaments were the
diamond necklace presented by the King of Roumania and Prince Ferdinand,
and a diadem and cross of diamonds, the gift of the Duchess of Edinburgh."
[Supplement to The Graphic, January 21, 1893, 4 - 5]
Princess Marie is pictured wearing her wedding dress and jewellery in
the full-length photograph at the top right of the page.
On top, the picture on the left and the inset picture of the parure,
Crown Princess Marie is wearing her father's gift of turquoises and diamondsv( later altered in 1904).
The many wedding gifts were displayed in a reception room at Schloss Sigmaringen.0
The following items were listed in The Graphic, Supplement to The Graphic,
January 14, 1893
a diamond and turquoise parure of tiara, necklace and earrings (from the
Duke of Edinburgh) - see above -
an emerald and diamond brooch/pendant and earrings (from Queen Victoria)
picture>>
a diamond diadem with a cross, a brooch and earrings, a large brooch of
sapphires and diamonds, two large brooches and bracelets set with diamonds
and pearls (from the Duchess of Edinburgh) - some
of this at the exhibiton in Coburg-
a bracelet of turquoises with two diamond hearts (from the Prince and
Princess of Wales)
a diamond and turquoise brooch (from the Duke of York and Princesses Victoria
and Maud)
a horseshoe brooch in diamonds and sapphires (from Princess Louise and
the Duke of Fife)
"a clasp of diamonds and pearls with an enamelled knot of brilliants
representing the Saxon House Order" (from the Duke and Duchess of
Saxe-Coburg-Gotha)
The following items were listed in The Times, “Court Circular”,
7 January 1893, page 9.
an emerald and diamond pendant and earrings (Queen Victoria)
a turquoise bracelet with double hearts in diamonds (Prince and Princess
of Wales)
a superb diamond and turquoise tiara, necklace and earrings (Duke of Edinburgh)
a diamond diadem, brooch and earrings, a diamond and sapphire brooch,
two pearl and diamond brooches, two pearl and diamond bracelets (Duchess
of Edinburgh)
a turquoise and diamond brooch (Duke of York, Princesses Victoria and
Maud of Wales)
a diamond and sapphire horseshoe brooch (Duchess of Fife)
a clasp of diamonds and pearls with an enamelled knot in brilliants, representing
the Saxon House order (Duke and Duchess of Saxe Coburg Gotha)
a gold chatelaine with pearl and diamond clasp (Countess Alexandrine de
Tolstoi)
The following items were listed in The Times, “Marriage of Prince
Ferdinand and Princess Marie”, 11 January 1893, page 5.
a diamond rivière (King of Roumania and the Prince of Hohenzollern)
a diamond and sapphire bracelet (King of Roumania) see above the crownprincess wore some bracelets
a large sapphire and diamond brooch (Prince Ferdinand)
a large sapphire and diamond bracelet (the Prince of Hohenzollern) see above on the left
a large sapphire and diamond brooch (the Tsar and Tsarina)
a diamond bonnet pin (the Empress of Russia’s children)
a diamond and ruby shamrock brooch (Dowager Princess of Hohenzollern)
a gold chain bracelet with sapphires and diamonds (Duchess of Teck)see above on the left, the crownprincess is wearing some bracelets.
a gold safety pin brooch with the Maltese cross
a gold bracelet from the officers of the 6th Thuringian regiment
The following items were listed in The Illustrated London News:
To HRH Princess of Edinburgh on the occassion of her marriage:
- a superb pendent of jeypore enamel encrusted with rubies, sapphires
and diamonds and edged with a large drop of pearls, rubies, emerald, sapphire
and moonstone. It has been obtained from Messrs Philips of Cockspur Street.
From her Majesty the Queen.
- a necklace enjewelled with clusters of fine turquoise surrounded by
diamonds and an open-work tiara mounted with turquoise and diamonds and
earrings to match. The Duke of Edinburgh’s gift. This beautiful suite
was designed and executed by Carrington Regent Street London.”
The Duchess of Edinburgh presented her daughter with
-a diamond coronet, brooch and earrings, a diamond and sapphire brooch,
-two pearl and diamond bracelets, see above in the picture- on the arms of the crownprincess
-two pearls and diamond brooches and
-a dressing-set with silver fittings, each engraved with the initial "M"
with a coronet.
The Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh gave
-a lovely china set of unique design and a beautiful china dessert services.
In her notes Queen Marie wrote about her trousseau and the jewels:
Mama gave me a wonderful trousseau, a real princess' trousseau
in keeping with that time of prosperity and abundance. There were also
innumerable wedding presents, some magnificent, some beautiful, some humble
and touching; this was all very exciting and pleasurable. I was a real
daughter of Eve and loved clothes, furs and precious gems, but I was astonished
at the masses of dresses, cloaks, hats, handkerchiefs, stockings, shoes
and fine linen that I was supposed to need. All these manifold treasures
were put out in a large room and I, with my sisters and many friends,
used to walk about amongst them, awed by their magnitude. Getting married
was certainly a stirring event.
I took a quite childish pleasure in my new dresses and beautiful jewels.
Mama had been extraordinarily prodigal, giving many of her own magnificent
Russian gems. These have all now been annexed by the Bolsheviks. It
was difficult to realize that they were all mine. It was rather the same
feeling that we had had in those far-off days when playing with old Hutchins,
when I liked to imagine I was the Queen of Spain.
And then the morning came when I awoke to the sound of bells—festive
bells—bells for my own wedding.
We had to submit to a threefold marriage, civil, Catholic and Protestant.
The ceremonies took place in the morning and ended with a huge wedding
breakfast. I remember it all as though it were a dream—a very far-off
dream in which I played a dream part.
My wedding dress was of lusterless, heavy white silk, with puffed
sleeves, of course, and bell skirt spreading out into a train. I had a
dislike of lace veils, so in spite of all the old family lace I wore tulle,
kept in place by a diamond tiara inside which a small wreath of orange
blossoms lay curled as in a nest. I was a thin, flat little maiden with
very fair hair, frizzled Queen Alexandra-wise on the forehead; my features
were immature, my eyes blue; there was not much dignity about me. I looked
as absurdly young as I was, and I felt as if I were playing at being grown
up. I cannot say that I was very much enchanted with my own appearance.
I had more romantic ideas about how a bride ought to look, but mama absolutely
disagreed with these; so I was decked out according to her taste and wore
my rather overpowering finery as best I could.
*Prince Ferdinand became Prince of Romania and Royal Highness by royal
decree signed on the 18th of March 1889.
There is also an inventory of the most important jewels that were given to Queen Marie of Romania for her wedding, birthday gifts and christening presents.
The inventory is from May 1902 with 415 items,made by Traugott Tamm.
1. a pair of heart-shaped diamond and turquoise fibulae of the Prince and Princess of Wales
2. Dukes of Coburg light and turquoise headband
3. 14-piece diamond and turquoise necklace of the Dukes of Coburg
4. pair of diamond and turquoise earrings of the Dukes of Coburg
5. diamond headband: from the Duchess of Coburg
6. cross with diamonds - from the Duchess of Coburg
7. diamond earrings - from the Duchess of Coburg
8. shiny brooch with two knotted bows - from the Duchess of Coburg
9. large brooch with turquoise, pearls and rhinestones from the Duchess of Coburg
10. hairpin with a pair of turquoise and rhinestones - from the Duchess of Coburg
11. big brooch with pearls and rhinestones - from the Duchess of Coburg
12. long brooch with pearls and diamonds: from the Duchess of Coburg
13. bracelet with diamonds and three pearls: from the Duchess of Coburg
14. large sapphire brooch with large diamonds: from the Duchess of Coburg
15. brooch with turquoise and diamonds - from her brothers Alfred, Victoria Melita, Alexandra, Beatrice
16. brooch with diamonds and turquoise (small drawing): from the Duke of York and the Princesses Victoria and Maud
17. gold bracelet with a large sapphire and diamonds, from Prince of Hohenzollern
18. Riviere,necklace with 41 diamonds of King Carol I of Romania
19. Bracelet with sapphires and diamonds of the King of Romania
20. Bracelet with sapphires and diamonds, from Prince of Hohenzollern
21. Brooch in the shape of a cloverleaf, with diamonds, three rubies and 21 pearls, by Princess Maria Antonia de Hohenzollern
22 Long brooch, with sapphires and diamonds, from the prince of Romania
23. large diamond brooch with 22 sapphires; contains one large diamond - from the Emperor and the Empress of Russia
24. Hatpin with glitter and sapphire - from the children of the land
25. agate coloured umbrella handle, gold band with rubies and diamonds from the Hessian ducal family
26, diamond bracelet, from the ladies of Plymouth, Devonport, Stonehouse.
27. Nephrit umbrella handle and gold points - from the Staal family
28. gold brooch in the shape of a Maltese cross, by Mrs L. Barron
29. gold chatelaine, a pearl, diamonds and a pendant with the sentence: Separės, mais siempre amis - by Countess A. Tolstoy.
31. Tiara with sapphires and diamonds. Removable (five sapphires, four yellow diamonds) from the Roman princes
32. Necklace with diamonds and moonstones - from the Prince of Romania
33. Necklace with diamonds and pearls - from the Duchess of Coburg
34. Small pearl and diamond necklace of the Duchess of Coburg
35. Pearl necklace (234 g) - from the Duchess of Coburg; later added with blue pencil: "Lost at Cotroceni Palace, January 1902."
36. Necklace of 39 pearls and another necklace of 193 pearls, from the Duchess of Coburg
37. Choker necklace Collier de Chien, with 30 sapphires, 30 diamonds - from the Duchess of Coburg
38. bracelet with a sapphire and diamonds (small drawing) of the princes of Romania
39. round pearl brooch, violet enamel and dated 1879- by the Duchess of Coburg
40. Diamond brooch with two crowned M, enamel and two sapphires of the Duchess of Coburg
41. light blue and white enamel brooch, letter A and diamond crown and white enamel anchor - from Queen Victoria
42 diamond brooch with a caduceus and two pearls, from Queen Victoria
43. gold brooch with safety pin, with two sapphires and eight diamonds, by Queen Victoria
44. gold brooch with safety pin, with pearls and the name Marie in diamonds, by Queen Victoria
45. four buttons with emeralds and diamonds, from the beginnings of Romania
46. six triangular pink buttons with diamonds and a diamond in the middle, from Grand Duke Boris Romanov
47. a gold chain with a diamond medallion and a sapphire in the middle, from the King of Romania.
48. a gold necklace with a pendant representing the head and flowers of a girl, from the Prince of Romania
49. gold necklace with red enamel clasp, two rubies, two sapphires and diamonds, from the Prince of Romania
50. Gold necklace with 15 jade pearls and a golden cross from the Duchess of Coburg
51. a gold necklace with ten amethysts, from the Duchess of Coburg
52. golden necklace with 16 orange enamelled hearts of Queen Victoria
53. gold bracelet with enamelled miniatures of the landscapes of Queen Victoria
54 brooch with two medallions with crown and the initials M and A, and the word Petersburg", in enamel and diamonds - from Queen Victoria
55. Silver medallion with the portrait of Frederick I of Prussia. by Queen Victoria
56. Gold bracelet with five medallions and five initials by Queen Victoria
57. One gold medallion (July 11, 1873) by Queen Victoria
58. Buttons with white and purple enamel, in the middle with diamonds,
...... golden buttons with two diamonds and two turquoises;
...... gold buttons with pearls and diamonds or with diamonds and rubies (the latter used for a diadem of the Duchess of Coburg.
59. Pendentif with the portrait of Prince Albert with crown and pearls - of Queen Victoria
60. Golden brooch, in the middle with the photograph of the Dowager Empress of Russia - Queen Victoria
61. Star-shaped brooch dated 1837-1887 - by Queen Victoria
62. Diamond star with seven turquoises - from Queen Victoria
63. Cross with amethyst in gold and multicoloured enamel - by Queen Victoria
64. Gold cross with 12 diamonds and Queen Victoria's enamel.
65. Gold cross (from Prince Carol's christening) with four diamonds from Queen Victoria
66. Gold earrings with enamel, a ruby and a small pearl from the King of Romania.
Special thanks to Laura for her generous help!
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Prachtausstellung: Der Sachsen-Coburg-Juwelen
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