Merci for that fantastic information. To think of what so many royals hide from our eyes...
--Previous Message-- : Indeed Joye, thank you for the picture. : : It is indeed the late Duke and Duchess of : Bragança, parents of the present Duke Dom : Duarte Pio, she was born Dona Maria : Francisca de Orleans-Bragança, princess of : Brazil. Sadly she died still rather young, : of heart faillure, in the late 1960's. : : This picture is from the prewedding of : Prince Juan Carlos and Princess Sofia, in : the famous staircase of Athens royal palace. : The Duchess is wearing her favourite jewels, : the diamond bandeau (I do prefer to call it : bandeau rather than bracelet, as I never saw : it worn as such), her diamond circles : necklace, her long diamond earrings and : diamond bracelet. : This diamond bandeau is the only : "tiara" I ever saw her wear. : : The present Duchess Dona Isabel wears these : jewels at gala events, with the exception of : the diamond earrings that I never saw her : wear. : : The late Duchess also had in her possession : a magnificent set of big aquamarines : (necklace, earrings, ring), gifted to her on : her wedding day, I am not sure if by : brazilian authorities, I seem to recall they : were presented to her by the first lady of : Brazil. Dona Maria Francisca wore them along : with the diamond bandeau at King Baudouin : and Queen Fabiola's prewedding gala, I saw a : tiny black and white picture on an old PoV : magazine. The present Duchess rarely wears : them, I think she would look spectacular if : she had worn her aquamarines in the : Luxembourg gala, but she seems to find them : perhaps too ostentatious. : : The late Duchess also used to wear a big : diamond and emerald stomacher brooch, she : was portraited wearing it. It is still in : possession of the family, but Dona Isabel : never wore it. : : I never saw Dona Maria Francisca wear any of : the jewels from Queen Amélia's inheritance, : the diamond tiara (the Queen called it : "the Dom Luís diadem" because it : had been a wedding gift from her beloved : father-in-law the King) and the diamond : choker (Dona Isabel has worn this as choker : and as a tiara). The diamond tiara is : suposably part of the "House of : Bragança Foundation", is at the : Duchess's disposal but does not belong to : the family's private possessions. : : The Duchess has several other jewels: a : diamond set with a rigid necklace that she : wore twice as tiara, a diamond and pearl : set, a small set with small pearls, an : indian style gold set, a pearl and diamond : leafs brooch from Infanta Filipa... I just : wished she wore these jewels more often . : : : : : --Previous Message-- : Dear Cristina : Photo of late Duchess of Braganza wearing : bracelet tiara. : I assume this is the mother in law of : Isabel, current Duchess of Braganza : Anyhow fun to see royal ladies wearing the : same tiara the generations handing down : their jewels : : : : : : :
on October 30, 2012, 5:52 am, in reply to "