Happy Birthday to the Duchess of Gloucester, who turns 78 today! The Danish-born wife of the late Queen’s cousin, the Duchess has been a hardworking member of the Royal Family for over 50 years, and possesses an enormous collection of heirloom jewellery, bigger than some main royal collections, which includes this heirloom Pink Topaz and Diamond Necklace!
Gloucester Honeysuckle Tiara | Teck Turquoise Tiara | Cartier India Tiara | Iveagh Tiara | Diamond Necklace Tiara | Pearl and Emerald Suite | Emerald Necklace | Queen Mary’s 11-row Pearl Choker | Diamond Corsage Brooch | Pink Topaz Necklace | Emerald Necklace | Diamond Earrings | The Duchess of Gloucester’s Tiaras
Queen Mary had a striking collection of Pink Topaz/Kunzite Jewellery, which included this rectangular topaz pin with two diamond points, which was worn by Queen Mary on her hat and also as a brooch, once with a pink briolette topaz pendant.
After Queen Mary’s death in 1953, the Pink Topaz/Kunzite Jewels were among those inherited by her daughter-in-law, Princess Alice, Duchess of Gloucester, who wore the used the Pink Topaz Brooch to create a striking Necklace set within strings of collet diamonds.
The new Pink Topaz Necklace made a striking pairing with the Pink Topaz set into the Gloucester Honeysuckle Tiara, which was worn by the Duchess of Gloucester on several occasions through the 1950s and the 1960s, including a series of Dorothy Wilding Portraits, the RAF 40th Anniversary Banquet in 1958, the Wedding of Princess Alexandra of Kent in 1963, and a series of portraits by Cecil Beaton.
In 1973, Princess Alice, Duchess of Gloucester loaned the Pink Topaz Necklace to her new daughter-in-law, the then Princess Richard, for a series of portraits, which appeared on the cover of Point de Vue.
Three years later, the now Duchess of Gloucester wore the Pink Topaz Necklace for the Wedding of King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden in 1976.
Princess Alice also wore the Pink Topaz Necklace with the Gloucester Honeysuckle Tiara for the Silver Jubilee Gala at Covent Garden in 1977 as well as for the American State Visit to Britain in 1982.
The Duchess of Gloucester has worn the Pink Topaz version of the Gloucester Honeysuckle Tiara, with the Pink Topaz and Diamond Necklace on numerous occasions, including the Oman State Visit and the Dutch State Visit to Britain in 1982 as well as the Diplomatic Reception at Buckingham Palace in 1991.
The Duchess of Gloucester has worn the Pink Topaz and Diamond Necklace with the Gloucester Honeysuckle Tiara for several Guildhall Banquets, including for the Norwegian Official Visit to Britain in 2005, as well as for King Carl XVI Gustaf’s 60th Birthday Banquet.
Most recently, the Duchess of Gloucester added Queen Mary’s briolette Topaz Pendant to the Pink Topaz and Diamond Necklace for the Banquet hosted by the Lord Mayor and City of London for the South Korean President and First Lady at the Guildhall in London last year. There is no doubt that we will continue to see the Necklace worn for years to come!
Gloucester Honeysuckle Tiara | Teck Turquoise Tiara | Cartier India Tiara | Iveagh Tiara | Diamond Necklace Tiara | Pearl and Emerald Suite | Emerald Necklace | Queen Mary’s 11-row Pearl Choker | Diamond Corsage Brooch | Pink Topaz Necklace | Emerald Necklace | Diamond Earrings | The Duchess of Gloucester’s Tiaras
