Today marks the Anniversary of the Birth of the late Grand Duchess Joséphine-Charlotte of Luxembourg, who was born on this day in 1927! The Belgian Princess who became the consort of the world’s only Grand Duchy, to mark the anniversary, we are featuring the heirloom Pearl and Diamond Fleur-de-Lys Brooch she inherited from her grandmother, Princess Ingeborg of Sweden and Denmark.
Empire Tiara | Belgian Scroll Tiara | Chaumet Emerald Tiara | Grand Duchess Adélaïde Tiara | Chaumet Choker Tiara | Emerald Peacock Tiara | Congo Diamond Necklace Tiara | Princess Ingeborg’s Pearl Brooch
A large pear-shaped pearl on top of a stylised diamond fleur-de-lys, the Brooch originated with Princess Ingeborg, a daughter of King Frederik VIII of Denmark, who married Prince Carl of Sweden in 1897. The provenance is unknown, but the piece was quite likely a wedding gift, possibly from her mother, Queen Lovisa, who had a legendary Jewellery Collection.
Princess Ingeborg was pictured wearing the Brooch with her Star Tiara quite soon after her wedding, and also seems to have once worn the Pearl and Diamond Fleur-de-Lys Brooch as a Tiara a few years later.
Princess Ingeborg usually wore the Pearl and Diamond Fleur-de-Lys Brooch with her Boucheron Pearl Circle Tiara on numerous occasions, including the Dutch State Visit to Sweden in 1948 and King Haakon’s 80th Birthday in 1952.
In the 1930s, the Pearl and Diamond Fleur-de-Lys Brooch was loaned by Princess Ingeborg to her daughter, Princess Margaretha of Sweden and Denmark, for the Wedding of Prince Christian of Schaumburg-Lippe and Princess Feodora of Denmark in 1937.
Princess Ingeborg last wore the Pearl and Diamond Fleur-de-Lys Brooch with her Boucheron Pearl Circle Tiara at the 21st Birthday Banquet of her grandson, Crown Prince Harald of Norway, in 1958, just weeks before her death.
Princess Ingeborg’s Pearl and Diamond Fleur-de-Lys Brooch was one of the few jewels inherited by her granddaughter, the then Hereditary Grand Duchess Joséphine Charlotte of Luxembourg, the only daughter of the late Queen Astrid of Belgium, who notably wore the Brooch for the Accession of Grand Duke Jean in 1964
Grand Duchess Joséphine Charlotte usually wore Princess Ingeborg’s Pearl and Diamond Fleur-de-Lys Brooch with her Belgian Scroll Tiara, and it made numerous appearances over the decades, including for Wedding Ball of Prince Juan Carlos of Spain and Princess Sophia of Greece in 1962, the Inauguration of Pope John Paul II in 1978 and Prince Henrik’s Birthday in 1994
Grand Duchess Joséphine Charlotte also notably wore the Brooch with the Empire Tiara for State Visits from her cousin, King Harald V of Norway, and her brother, King Albert II’s State Visit to Luxembourg, a symbolic family link to their late grandmother.
One final notable appearance of Princess Ingeborg’s Pearl and Diamond Fleur-de-Lys Brooch came in 2001, when Grand Duchess Joséphine Charlotte paired it with the Belgian Scroll Tiara for the Wedding of Crown Prince Haakon of Norway.
After Grand Duchess Joséphine Charlotte’s death, Princess Ingeborg’s Pearl Brooch was inherited by her eldest son, Grand Duke Henri, and was not included in the proposed auction of her jewels. The Brooch has been frequently worn by Grand Duchess Maria Teresa, not just for many Gala events at home, but also for events in Sweden, Norway, and Denmark, which have strong links to the late Princess Ingeborg. Notable appearances include King Harald’s 70th Birthday Banquet in 2007, the Luxembourg State Visit to Sweden in 2008, and the Dutch State Visit to Luxembourg in 2012, paired with the Belgian Scroll Tiara and Vine Leaves Tiara.
Another notable appearance of Princess Ingeborg’s Pearl and Diamond Fleur-de-Lys Brooch came at the Wedding of Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden in 2010, when the Brooch was paired with the Empire Tiara.
In 2018, Princess Ingeborg’s Pearl Brooch was paired with the Chaumet Choker Tiara for Crown Prince Frederik’s 50th Birthday Gala Dinner at Christiansborg Palace, a few weeks before being worn by Grand Duchess Maria Teresa with the Belgian Scroll Tiara for the Luxembourg National Day Gala.
Most recently, Grand Duchess Maria Teresa wore Princess Ingeborg’s Pearl and Diamond Fleur-de-Lys Brooch with the Belgian Scroll Tiara for the Czech State Visit to Luxembourg as well as for Luxembourg National Day earlier this year. There is no doubt we will continue to see this heirloom Brooch worn for years to come.
Empire Tiara | Belgian Scroll Tiara | Chaumet Emerald Tiara | Grand Duchess Adélaïde Tiara | Chaumet Choker Tiara | Emerald Peacock Tiara | Congo Diamond Necklace Tiara | Princess Ingeborg’s Pearl Brooch