I am not sure if this "Edward Rundell" was in any way connected to the name "Rundell Tiara" once worn by Queen Alexandra.
From 'The San Francisco Call' (CA) dated June 26, 1903.
CLAIM A LARGE FORTUNE LEFT BY AN OLD MISER: Two Residents of Washington Will Go To England and Lay Their Proofs before the King.
Tacoma, Wash., June 25: Mrs. W.B. Fetterman and Mrs. O.O. Beardsley of Aberdeen, Wash., claim to be joint heirs with fifteen other blood relatives in America and England to a fortune of two million dollars left to Queen Victoria by a miser named Nield in 1852. Nield was a partner of Edward Rundell, crown jeweller and grand uncle of the women named. Rundell lost his life in a fire in London and Nield appropriated the property of the firm and when he died it is said he left it to Queen Victoria. The father of Mrs. Fetterman and Mrs. Beardsley was a sergeant major in the British army and for a long time stationed in India.
Before his death in 1875 he learned of his probable heirship to the money and his heirs propose to make a fight.
On July 15 Edward G. Rundell, a banker of Ardmore, Mich., and a brother of Mrs. Fetterman and Mrs. Beardsley, will leave for England to lay claim before Edward VII for the money. Lawyers of Washington say that the money can be recovered if it can be proved that no will was left by the granduncle. Mrs. Beardsley and Mrs. Fetterman have been residents of Aberdeen for many years.
[Note: was this Edward Rundell at the top of the story the one that created this tiara which Queen Alexandra wore?]
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From 'The Salt Lake Herald-Republican' (SLC, UT) dated July 24, 1910:
SECOND COUSIN OF KING: Count Gleichen Who Recently Wedded Hon. Sylvia Edwardes, a Popular British Officer.
(Special Cable to Herald-Republican) London, July 22: Even in those democratic days a bride takes enormous pleasure in gifts from royalty, and no bride in recent years has been so favored as the Hon. Sylvia Edwardes, one of Queen Alexandra's favorite maids of honor, who was married to Count Gleichen, a second cousin of King George.
Miss Edwardes received no fewer than eight splendid gifts from the members of the royal family. Queen Alexandra's present was a gorgeous tiara of diamonds and pearls, and King George and Queen Mary presented her with a superb diamond and pearl brooch with monogram. Miss Edwardes, who for some reason or other denied her engagement to the semi-royal count when it was first announced, is a very handsome brunette, and her relative by marriage , the Hon. Mrs. Cecil Edwardes, is now making a great name of herself at Covent Garden opera house as "Madame Edvina."
Count Gleichen, in spite of his German name, is very English in every way, and he has long been one of the most popular officers in the Household cavalry. The honeymoon is to be spent motoring in France, after which Countess Gleichen will become one of the most important hostesses in town.
[Note: I read elsewhere that this count's aunt was Queen Victoria because his mother was her half-sister. Also, I wonder if Queen Alexandra's gift...a tiara of diamonds and pearls....and that of the King and Queen Mary...a brooch made of diamonds and pearls....actually were from their personal collection (or the Royal Collection) or that they just ordered them made from the crown jewellers and gave them as wedding presents without either Alexandra or Mary ever wearing them before.] Any comment?
on May 12, 2012, 3:37 pm