Braganza Jewels – 1995 royal weddingArchived Message
Posted by Jorge on January 30, 2014, 12:55 pm
When D.Isabel entered the Mosteiro dos Jerónimos’s church to marry the Duke of Braganza probably surprised many people with the jewels she was wearing. The earrings (that I call D.Isabel wedding earrings - I know, very imaginative) were all diamonds probably set in white gold in a classic and elegant model. About those earrings I have no information but since the wedding are used quite regularly.
However the star was the tiara that the future Braganza Duchess was wearing and that belonged to Queen Amelia of Portugal and possibly many people thought lost. That tiara was baptized by the Queen herself as Diadema D.Luis (in english D.Luis Diadem or alternatively King Luis Diadem) in honor to her father-in-law.
But let’s see a little of history around this 800 diamonds tiara.
When Princess Amelia of Orleans was getting married to the then Duke of Braganza (22nd May 1886), the future King Carlos I, the Portuguese Royal Family started preparing the wedding presents. As expected the Royal Family chose the Royal Jewelers Leitão & Irmão.
The wedding presents consisted of 5 jewels, one from each member of the Royal Family:
1.An 800 diamond tiara mounted on silver and gold as a present from King D.Luis. This piece became a very important jewel for Queen Amelia. 2.A 500 diamond mirrored necklace mounted in silver and gold from Queen Maria Pia; 3.Prince D.Carlos (the groom) offered a 300 diamonds and 23 sapphires necklace. 4.The Infante D.Afonso (D.Carlos’s Brother) offered opera glasses in tortoise shell and diamonds. 5.Finally Infante D.Augusto (D.Luis’s Brother) offered a yellow gold and diamond brooch.
As said before the Diadema D.Luis was a favorite piece of Queen Amelia that HM used a lot. However, since the Regicide (1908) the tiara disappeared from public eyes not being worn again by Queen Amelia.
The Queen died in 1951 and her will stated that her Portuguese jewels should go to the present Duke of Braganza that was her Godson. But at that time only the tiara remained from Queen Amelia wedding presents and, as far as I know, there is no information from what happened to the other jewels. The tiara saw the light of the day again in 1995 and, apart from her wedding, has been used by the Duchess only to official portraits.