The Royal Watcher - Prince Ricardo De La Cerda
Today marks the 88th Anniversary of the Birth of the late Infanta Pilar, Duchess of Badajoz, the elder sister of King Juan Carlos I and aunt of King Felipe VI. The late Spanish Infanta possessed a striking jewellery collection, which combined centuries-old family heirlooms and modern acquisitions and gifts, such as her Turquoise Suite!
In May 1967, Doña Pilar, the eldest daughter of the Count and Countess of Barcelona, married Luis Gómez-Acebo y Duque de Estrada, the fourth child of Jaime Gómez-Acebo and the Marchioness of Deleitosa, in a ceremony at the Jerónimos Church, in Lisbon, near the Spanish Royal Family’s residence in exile in Estoril. To commemorate this significant occasion, family members, friends, and institutions, presented her with pieces of jewellery, a kind of gift that Her Royal Highness truly appreciated.
A group of ladies from Barcelona came up with the idea of raising a public subscription to acquire a wedding gift for the Infanta on behalf of the city. They ended up choosing a Suite made of platinum, diamonds and matrix Persian turquoises, comprising a necklace, a pair of earrings, and a ring. The Demi-Parure was supplied by Joyería Roca, located in Barcelona’s renowned Passeig de Gracia.
Throughout the late 1960s and 1970s, the Duchess of Badajoz wore her Turquoise Suite at numerous gala events. Additionally, parts of the Demi-Parure were featured in a set of Christmas photographs taken at her home in Madrid with her daughter Simoneta and her son Juan.
After the Restoration of the Monarchy in Spain, Doña Pilar donned her Turquoises for various official engagements, including a Banquet in honour of the Shah of Iran’s brother, Gholan Reza Pahlavi, during his Official Visit to Spain in 1978.
On April 30, 1980, Doña Pilar represented her brother, King Juan Carlos I, at the Inauguration of Queen Beatrix of The Netherlands. On that occasion, the Infanta paired her Spanish mantilla with her Turquoise Suite.
In the late 1980s, the Duchess of Badajoz had the Demi-Parure refashioned. The earrings were shortened by removing the pendant sections, and the sixteen turquoise and diamond clusters that made up the original necklace were rearranged. The festoons were dismantled, and the clusters were placed in line at the front, along with the two additional clusters from the original earrings.
In October 2002, following Bruno Gómez-Acebo’s marriage to Barbara Cano de la Plaza, Doña Pilar gifted the Turquoise and Diamond Suite to her new daughter-in-law as a wedding present.
Since then, the Turquoises have been worn by Barbara Cano for several gala events and family gatherings. There is no doubt we’ll continue seeing these jewels in the future!
This article was written by assistant editor, David Rato, who runs the Spanish Royal Jewels account on Instagram!