Jewels, as white tie or orders are "optional" in order to make everybody feel at ease, ie the people who cannot afford to wear them or do not have them (orders). Otherwise, it is the unwritten rule of the European Gotha to wear tiaras at a tiara event.
The other princesses could also have "opted" not to curtsey to the King of Sweden, and not to follow protocol in general. But this was the Court of Sweden not some Oscar party, so happily most royalty acted like royalty. Charlene of Monaco did not.
--Previous Message-- : Come on, if Mrs Obama was attending this : wedding, she would not wear a diadem or an : Order either... It does not matter if a lady : does have a diadem or not. Mrs Obama has the : financial means to purchase one, is in a : position that any jeweller will borrow her : one and there is nothing to bar a lady from : a diadem, as it is not at all required to be : a titled lady to wear grand jewels. : : Where would the Queen Mother or Camilla be : without the fantastic jewels of a brewer's : daughter (Margaret Greville born Anderson)? : The proof that anyone can wear jewels if : they want. : : It is always optional and never a : requirement to wear jewels or Orders. It : would be very unpolite to demand grand : jewels as a condition on the invitation: : then 90% of the guests can stay away. I am : surprised that the Princess of Monaco had : such a low profile but it goes to far to see : an insult or something in that. : : : --Previous Message-- : I completely agree, Tamara. It was utter bad : form, whatever her reasons. : : As for the reasons themselves, who knows - : shyness, defiance, a cry for help? It : doesn't really matter, does it? She simply : looked out of place. : : : --Previous Message-- : She wore more jewels when they were dating : than she does now after her marriage... : : After all invitation sepcifies white tie or : black tie..tiaras optional or not : tiras...its just following the hosts : rules..there is a reason why it is a white : tie wedding..so look proper. : : she could have worn sweat pants and gone to : the wedding that way...I am sure she would : have looked beautiful in them as well... : : Point is, wearing a dress without jewels its : like driving a car wituout an engine... : : : : --Previous Message-- : Maybe she is at a stage in her life where : she : does not feel she needs to gild the lily. : She is beautiful and does not need to throw : on diamonds and tiaras and sashes to enhance : her look. : : --Previous Message-- : perhaps HSH is trying to tell her husband : that : she needs more jewels (Albert is one of the : richest sovereigns in Europe so he can : afford to shower his wife in jewels) - and : what better way to show it than not wearing : any at all among the bejeweled european : royals : : : : : : : : : :