Posted by John R on July 6, 2013, 3:52 am, in reply to "Re: Queen Mathilde"
It was a very logic decision to pass the Nine Provinces tiara, which was a national gift after all, on to Fabiola and then to Paola as they were The Queen Consorts at the time. And now Mathilde will receive it. No doubts about that! But all the other pieces are far less clear of course.
But I too have a feeling that Fabiola has already decided to give some of her grandest pieces to the main line: the future Queen Mathilde. The Spanish Gift Tiara is of course the most spectacular and versatile piece that comes to mind.
--Previous Message-- : : I think this most valuable diadem of the : Belgian royal family is at the disposal of : the King, to be worn by his spouse. The King : was Leopold III and his spouse was Princess : Lilian, Princess of Réthy. For so far : Belgium has not had a reigning Queen, so the : expression "to be worn by the reigning : Queen" can not have been used. Princess : Lilian for sure had access to the diadem, as : pictures prove, she never wore it in the : assembled form as we know best today. : : : --Previous Message-- : Princess Lillian obviously had easy access : to : the Nine Provinces, as she wore it broken : down on a few occasions. The concept that : only the queen may wear it seems a little : thin. What was to keep her from wearing it, : perhaps as a last minute idea? What could : happen? An arrest? : : --Previous Message-- : : In 1993 queen Fabiola gave the nine : provinces tiara to the new queen Paola as : far as I remember. She could have kept it : for her. : : : --Previous Message-- : Mathilde and Claire are ladies whom happen : to : be married to sons from Fabiola's late : husband's brother. With other words, there : is no any blood relationship and at best a : remote in-law relationship. : : This does not prevent Queen Fabiola to make : arrangements for her jewels, if she wants. : The relationship of the late Princess : Lilian, Duchess of Halland, to Crown : Princess Victoria of Sweden is even more : distant (Victoria is a daughter to her late : husband's nephew) and this did not prevent : the transfer of beautiful jewels to her. : : Sweden has the luck that there are no (or : very moderate) succession taxes. In Belgium : these taxes are hefty, for sure in a : situation where there is no blood : relationship. Queen Fabiola is busy with : Foundations (and undeservedly criticized for : that, she does nothing illegal) and we need : to see how this all works out. Mathilde has : nothing to 'win' with a bequest which cost : her an enormous sum in succession taxes. The : best hope is that Queen Fabiola will give : jewels as a cadeau to the new Queen, but she : could have done so to Queen Paola, her : sister-in-law, and never did. : : : : : : : : :
on July 6, 2013, 3:52 am, in reply to "