OK, perhaps Royal Collection was the wrong identity. Probably more correct would be something along the line of "Windsor Family Collection" or "Queen Mary inheritance Collection"
--Previous Message-- : : OK. It is your view. : : But I see most of these jewels as private : and personal property of each royal. : I feel sure the hoop diamond necklace was : the private property of Princess Margaret. : : [The majority of the jewels in the QD are : the private property of the private person : who happens to also have a very public life : as the Queen.] : : I do believe that we place far too much : royal connection emphasis on jewels as : though it inhibits members of that family to : give away their own property as they wish. : We might feel distress at some dispersals : but we have to live with that. : : I don't believe the Royal Collection holds : very many former private jewels anyway - I : mean jewellery we have seen worn over the : last 5 to 6 reigns. : : Things get lent to the Royal Collection for : exhibitions. : : And each "heirloom of the crown" : as Roberts called some items, is not in the : Royal Collection either. : "Heirloom of the crown" is a third : category. : : If we as private people had the wide world : poring over our private poperty to the same : extent we would be appalled. : : : --Previous Message-- : My comment meant to imply that, unless : protected by a "must be returned" : ruling, Viscount Linley would have sold the : piece. He sold a lot of things with serious : provenance, like the collet necklace. I : would say that he has been allowed to retain : it for use of his family but it remains the : property of the royal collection. This would : also protect it if his marriage was to : founder. : :