Today marks the Anniversary of the Birth of Queen María Cristina of Spain, who was born on this day in 1858! The Austrian Archduchess, from the Habsburg-Teschen branch, who become the second wife of King Alfonso XII before serving as Spain’s Regent for 17 years after his premature death, ‘Doña Virtudes’ was known for her strong religious beliefs, austerity and staidness. Despite that, Her Majesty had a great interest in jewellery, amassing a splendid collection comprising, among many others, a stunning Pearl and Diamond Brooch which we are featuring today!

Featuring two important natural pearls, the larger, button-shaped, having a yellowish tone, while the second, smaller, is drop-shaped. The first is set within a frame of 12 brilliant-cut diamonds, from which an additional brilliant diamond and the pearl drop set in cap of rose-cut diamonds are suspended. These piece is known to have been part of the collection of Queen Maria Cristina, however, it is highly probable that it was part of the Spanish Royal collection before the Queen’s arrival at Madrid’s Court in 1879. It might have belonged to King Alfonso XII’s beloved first wife, Queen María de las Mercedes, who suddenly passed away the year before.

The Pearl and Diamond Brooch features in several of Queen Maria Cristina‘s portraits and family photographs, most notably for a painting made by José San Bartolomé Llaneces around 1911, where Her Majesty was depicted wearing three similar brooches at the same time. The piece also features in King Afonso XIII and Princesa Victoria Eugenie of Battenberg’s engagement pictures taken in Miramar Palace in San Sebastián, as the Queen had it pinned on her dress.

When Doña Cristina passed away, in 1929, the Pearl and Diamond Brooch, valued in 4.250 pesetas of that time, was inherited by her only son, King Alfonso XIII. Six years later, in 1935, Don Alfonso presented the Pearl Brooch to her new daughter-in-law, Princess Maria de las Mercedes, on the occasion of her marriage to Infante Juan. The Princess’ corbeille de mariage comprised several other notable family heirloom jewels, namely Queen Maria Cristina’s Loop Tiara, the Chaumet Ruby Clip Brooches, and Infanta Isabel’s Pearl Bracelet.

The Countess of Barcelona, as Doña María de las Mercedes was referred as after her father-in-law’s passing, in 1941, wore the Pearl and Diamond Brooch quite frequently. As her husband’s grandmother did in the past, the Countess choose to wear the Brooch for several family photographs taken with her husband and children, Infanta Pilar, Prince Juqn Carlos, Infanta Margarita, and Infante Alfonso. Sometimes, Doña María wore only the top part of the piece as an alternative to the complete Brooch. It was also used as a pendant, being suspended from an historic pearl necklace.

Doña Maria also wore the Pearl and Diamond Brooch for several important family events, most notably the Wedding of King Constantine II of Greece and Princess Anne Marie of Denmark in 1964, the Christening of Infanta Cristina of Spain in 1965, the Wedding of Infanta Pilar and Luis Goméz-Acebo in 1967, and Infanta Margarita and Carlos Zurita’s Pre-Wedding Reception in 1972.

The Pearl and Diamond Brooch was later passed by Doña María to her daughter-in-law, Queen Sofía, who began wearing it around the 1980s. Like her mother-in-law, Doña Sofia has also played quite a bit with the brooch’s versatility, wearing it with and without the pendant section. On some occasions, the Queen of Spain has also suspended the pearl drop from other brooches in her collection.

Together with the Joyas de Pasar and several other heirloom jewels, Queen Maria Cristina’s Pearl and Diamond Brooch was passed by Queen Sofía to her daughter-in-law, the new Queen of Spain, following King Juan Carlos’ abdication in 2014, and in October 2017, Queen Letizia debuted the Pearl Brooch for the events marking Spanish National Day.

On the occasion of National Day, a family picture, together with King Felipe, Princess Leonor, and Infanta Sofía, was taken on one of the balconies of the Royal Palace of Madrid, which was later used for their 2017 Christmas Card.

In April 2024, Doña Letizia wore the Brooch again for a Funeral Mass of her husband’s cousin, Don Fernando Gómez-Acebo. There is no doubt we’ll continue seeing this heirloom jewel in the future!

This article was written by assistant editor, David Rato, who runs the Spanish Royal Jewels account on Instagram!

Queen Maria Cristina’s Loop Tiara