Happy Birthday to Gloria, the Princess von Thurn und Taxis, who turns 65 today! The impoverished Schönburg-Glauchau Countess became the extravagant ‘Princess TNT’ in the 1980s and, after being widowed young, she transformed into a successful businesswoman to save the massive family fortune, facilitated through the sale of some family jewels, but much of the collection remains intact, so to mark her birthday, we are featuring the Thurn und Taxis Ruby Tiara!

Thurn und Taxis Sapphire Tiara | Emerald Tiara | Thurn und Taxis Ruby Tiara | Emerald and Ruby Choker | Sapphire Bow Brooch | Princess Olga’s Emerald Earrings | Hesse Emerald Brooch | Thurn und Taxis Tiaras

The striking Diamond and Ruby Tiara is composed of a large base of diamond and ruby scrolls, topped with clusters of rubies and diamonds, which is likely an old heirloom of the Princely House of Thurn und Taxis. The Tiara was usually paired with a striking Ruby and Diamond Necklace and a pair of Ruby and Diamond Earrings that originated from the House of Saxe-Coburg und Gotha.

The Ruby Tiara and Necklace first appeared on Infanta Maria Anna of Portugal, the Hereditary Princess von Thurn und Taxis during the Wedding of Prince Philipp Ernst of Thurn und Taxis and  Princess Eulalie of Thurn und Taxis, at Schloss Taxis in 1929.

Princess Gloria wore the Ruby Tiara with the Ruby and Diamond Necklace and the Saxe-Coburg und Gotha Ruby and Diamond Earrings with a wild hairstyle and flamboyant costume for a Performance of La Traviata at the Paris Opera House in 1985.

That year, the Saxe-Coburg und Gotha Ruby Earrings and the the Ruby and Diamond Necklace were worn by Princess Gloria for a Gala during the Prince and Princess of Wales’ visit to Germany in 1987.

In the late 1980s, Princess Gloria wore the Ruby Tiara with more conventional couture gowns for a series of Balls and Galas, as well as numerous appearances of the pieces of the Parure.

The Ruby Tiara was not among the Jewels sold at the famous Auction of the Thurn und Taxis Jewels in 1992, and was worn by Princess Gloria for a Gala celebrating the 80th Birthday of her mother, Countess Beatrix of Schönburg-Glauchau, in 2010.

More recently, the Thurn und Taxis Ruby Tiara was worn by Princess Gloria’s daughter, Princess Maria Theresia, for a Vanity Fair photoshoot in 2015, when Princess Gloria said:

“the girls loved to get into my wardrobe and pick out my wonderful Christian Lacroix dresses. And they were able to play with the jewelry that normally stays at the vault!”

Thurn und Taxis Sapphire Tiara | Emerald Tiara | Thurn und Taxis Ruby Tiara | Emerald and Ruby Choker | Sapphire Bow Brooch | Princess Olga’s Emerald Earrings | Hesse Emerald Brooch | Thurn und Taxis Tiaras

Thurn und Taxis Sapphire Tiara

Emerald Tiara