Today marks the 180th Anniversary of the Birth of Queen Alexandra of the United Kingdom, who was born on this day in 1844! The Danish Princess who was the longest-serving Princess of Wales and then a trendsetting Queen Consort, one of her most iconic jewels was her spectacular Diamond Rivière!
Queen Alexandra’s Kokoshnik Tiara | Wedding Parure | Amethyst Tiara | Diamond Circlet | Turquoise Circlet | Diamond Rivière | Diamond Chandelier Earrings | Sapphire Necklace | Diamond Link Choker | Edwardian Choker | Collier Résille | Diamond and Pearl Brooch | Prince of Wales Feathers | Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee Chain
When Princess Alexandra of Denmark married the Prince of Wales in 1863, she received a magnificent Tiara and Parure from her groom, Prince of Wales Feathers Jewels from Welsh organisations, and a Diamond Rivière and pair of Earrings from the Corporation of the City of London.
The necklace . . consists of 32 Golconda diamonds (old English cut), the centre stone, from which the rest graduate, weighing 13 carats 3 1-32 grains. The beauty of this collection of stones was represented to lie in the uniformity and harmony of size, shape and brilliancy.
The earrings are equal in quality to the necklace, and consist of very large brilliant tops and drops with diamonds between, the top stones weighing 12½ carats, and the drops, which are said to be matchless, 17¼ carats, the whole weight of necklace and earrings being 171 ½ ¼ 1/16 carats.
The centre stone of the necklace was valued at £5,000, while the total value of the gift was £10,000. Both items were made by Garrard and Co.
Princess Alexandra wore the Diamond Rivière on her corsage for her Wedding to the Prince of Wales at St George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle in 1863.
As Princess of Wales, the City of London Diamond Rivière was one of the most prominent jewels in her collection, usually worn with various configurations of her Wedding Tiara for numerous Official Portraits.
The Diamond Rivière was worn by the Princess of Wales with her Amethyst Tiara for the Wedding of her daughter, Princess Louise of Wales, and the Duke of Fife in 1889.
The Princess of Wales also wore the Diamond Rivière with her Kokoshnik Tiara for the Wedding of her son, the Duke of York, and Princess May of Teck in the Chapel Royal of St. James’s Palace in 1893.
Upon becoming Queen, the Diamond Rivière was worn by Queen Alexandra paired with the larger Coronation Necklace for the Coronation of King Edward VII in 1902 and for other important occasions, like the Wedding of Prince Gustaf Adolf of Sweden and Princess Margaret of Connaught in 1905.
Queen Alexandra retained the Diamond Rivière in her possession upon being widowed, wearing it with her Diamond Circlet and Cartier Collier Résille for the Wedding of Prince Arthur of Connaught and her granddaughter, Princess Alexandra, Duchess of Fife, in 1913.
After Queen Alexandra’s death in 1925, the Diamond Rivière was among the jewels inherited by her daughter-in-law, Queen Mary, who seems to have worn the Rivière among her stack of Diamond Rivières, most notably at the Coronation of King George VI in 1937.
After several decades, Queen Alexandra’s Diamond Rivière appeared on Queen Elizabeth II on her final Tour of Canada in 2010, paired with the Girls of Great Britain and Ireland Tiara and the Greville Diamond Chandelier Earrings.
Last year, Queen Camilla wore Queen Alexandra’s Diamond Rivière with the George IV State Diadem for the State Opening of Parliament in 2023.
Queen Camilla again paired Queen Alexandra’s Diamond Rivière with the George IV State Diadem for the State Opening of Parliament earlier this year, and will no doubt wear it for years to come!
Queen Alexandra’s Kokoshnik Tiara | Wedding Parure | Amethyst Tiara | Diamond Circlet | Turquoise Circlet | Diamond Rivière | Diamond Chandelier Earrings | Sapphire Necklace | Diamond Link Choker | Edwardian Choker | Collier Résille | Diamond and Pearl Brooch | Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee Chain
Kokoshnik Tiara
Queen Alexandra’s Wedding Parure
Diamond Circlet
Amethyst Tiara
