Royal Jewels

[katebar]

This just in our papers this morning "Camilla outblilngs the Queen".
THE DUCHESS of Cornwall has out-dazzled the Queen in one of the most opulent royal necklaces ever seen.
Its five strands of diamonds covered her decolletage and made the Queen''s jewels look quite modest as they attended the Queen''s banquet for the Commonwealth Heads of Government in Kampala, Uganda, on Friday.

The Duchess added the Queen Mother''s Boucheron tiara, a set of diamond earrings and the Queen Elizabeth II Family Order, given to female members of the royal family.

 

[katebar]

This is the Queen Mother wearing the same set. I think she does it more justice but then again I am not enamoured of Camilla one iota!!!!

 

[angel_nieves]

I have to admit I like the Queen mother wearing the set better than Camilla also.

 

[DiamanteBlu]

Wow! That''s quite a collection of diamonds! It seems as though Camilla has an extra two rows!

 

[LadyAmythyst69]

Almost all of the jewels of the British RF come apart in one way or another. Brooches can be pendants or add ons to tiara, tiaras can also be necklaces, necklaces can break apart into earring and a bracelet etc...

It makes identifying the jewels pretty tricky sometimes. You think you are seeing a new piece only to realize that it is actually just an old one in a different configuration.

 

[bebe]

If you look closely at Camilla''s wrist, there looks like a red string tied on her wrist

Any guesses what that might be?

 

[iheartscience]

I love this thread! I just got caught up from page 11ish.

I think the Crown Princess of Spain Letizia is just gorgeous! She does look quite thin in some photos but she is really beautiful!

I also am starting to really like Camilla...don''t stone me, Diana lovers! She just looks so comfortable in her skin and aside from all the smoker wrinkles she has, I really think she''s very pretty! She looks so natural in the jewels and gowns she wears.

Thanks again to LadyA and all the other royal lovers for keeping me entertained and informed!

 

[AGBF]

Date: 11/24/2007 7:20:26 PM
Author: katebar
This is the Queen Mother wearing the same set. I think she does it more justice but then again I am not enamoured of Camilla one iota!!!!

katebar,

I think this is a wonderful photograph of the Queen Mother. Her looking wonderful in these jewels in no way lessens the Duchess of Cornwall''s ability to carry them off. I think Camilla wears old-fashioned jewelry with great comfort and aplomb. Many modern women couldn''t do it!

Deborah

 

[LadyAmythyst69]

Date: 11/24/2007 9:22:04 PM
Author: bebe
If you look closely at Camilla''s wrist, there looks like a red string tied on her wrist

Any guesses what that might be?

Here''s what I found about the bracelet:

"A Clarence House spokeswoman revealed that the Duchess had been given the bracelet when she attended the Diwali celebrations at the Shri Swaminarayan Mondir Temple in London on November 9 - and had worn it ever since."

 

[LadyAmythyst69]

Date: 11/24/2007 7:20:26 PM
Author: katebar
This is the Queen Mother wearing the same set. I think she does it more justice but then again I am not enamoured of Camilla one iota!!!!

I love this photo of the QM. She looks so sweet!

 

[LadyAmythyst69]

More of Camilla at the banquet in Uganda.

 

[LadyAmythyst69]

And another of Camilla.

 

[LadyAmythyst69]

And one of the whole ensemble.

 

[LadyAmythyst69]

The Queen at the banquet in Uganda. She wore the Girls of Great Britain and Ireland Tiara, the Queen Mary Cluster Earrings and the Nizam of Hyderabad necklace.

 

[LadyAmythyst69]

The Queen''s whole ensemble. I think it is hilarious that she carries a handbag!

 

[DiamanteBlu]

How old is Camilla? My arithmetic tells me Charles is 59. I thought she was a year older. Am I correct?

 

[LadyAmythyst69]

The Queen at the banquet with Prince Charles and Camilla. This visit to Uganda marks the first time that the Queen and Prince Charles have ever done a stae visit together. It is functioning as something of a job application for Prince Charles who hopes to convince the leaders of the Commonwealth countries to appoint him the head when the Queen dies.

 

[LadyAmythyst69]

Here''s a nice close up of the family order that the Queen awarded to Camilla. Since it is a private gift the awarding of the order is never announced. You just have to wait for someone to show up with it.

 

[LadyAmythyst69]

Date: 11/25/2007 6:41:57 PM
Author: DiamanteBlu
How old is Camilla? My arithmetic tells me Charles is 59. I thought she was a year older. Am I correct?

Yes, Camilla is 60. Here is the official portrait that was issued for her birthday. I love this photo. I think it shows why Charles and Camilla make such a good couple - she really seems to adore him.

 

[LadyAmythyst69]

The collect necklace that Camilla wore for ther 60th birthday portrait is stunning! She borrowed it from the Queen.

 

[DiamanteBlu]

They do seem to make a good pair.

ETA: I think I "need" that necklace!

 

[AGBF]

Date: 11/25/2007 6:48:48 PM
Author: LadyAmythyst69

she really seems to adore him.

My impression has always been that he adores her and depends on her. He has publicly referred to her as, "my darling wife". It seems to me that she knows how to take care of him and, yes, that she fits herself to his lifestyle and his desires. She is loyal. She has kept her mouth shut. She doesn't try to outshine him. She supports him and tries to give him comfort and solace.

Deborah

 

[LadyAmythyst69]

Date: 11/25/2007 5:34:37 PM
Author: AGBF

Date: 11/24/2007 7:20:26 PM
Author: katebar
This is the Queen Mother wearing the same set. I think she does it more justice but then again I am not enamoured of Camilla one iota!!!!

katebar,

I think this is a wonderful photograph of the Queen Mother. Her looking wonderful in these jewels in no way lessens the Duchess of Cornwall''s ability to carry them off. I think Camilla wears old-fashioned jewelry with great comfort and aplomb. Many modern women couldn''t do it!

Deborah

I agree. And I''m happy that these pieces are being worn rather than consigned to the royal vaults. There are some key pieces of the Queen Mum''s that I doubt Queen Elizabeth would wish to wear - especially not frequently. I think they are in general larger and more ornate than most of the pieces the Queen favors, as well as probably being so associated with her mother in her mind. But I think Camilla wears them well and it is fitting that they should be made available to her given the relationship Prince Charles shared with the QM. By all accounts they adored each other.

 

[LadyAmythyst69]

Since we are talking about Camilla and the Queen Mum, take a look at this photo I came across recently of the Queen Mum wearing the emerald cut ring that Prince Charles later gave to Camilla as her ering. It is the only photo I''ve seen of the Queen Mum wearing it.

She is also wearing the earrings that are known as Queen Victoria''s drop earrings and are closely associated with the collect necklace of Queen Victoria''s that Camilla is wearing in the 60th birthday present. The earrings were presented to QV in 1851 by the East India Company and the diamonds came from the treasury of the government of Lahore. (The Queen does have a ver similar pair of diamond drop earring in a pear cut - but I believe these are the Queen Victoria drops because they are the ones most closely associated with the Queen Mum.)

The necklace beloned to Queen Alexandra and was given to her by the Prince of Wales (Edward VII) as a wedding present. It is part of a suite with matching earrings and brooch. It was made to be worn with the Cambridge Lover''s Knot Tiara (the one worn by the late Diana Princess of Wales) which was also given to Queen Alexandra as a wedding present. She wore the suite on her wedding day. The QM was apparently very fond of this piece because she wore it constantly. I have tons more photos of it if you''d all like to see it.

 

[LadyAmythyst69]

And here''s another of the ring on Camilla.

 

[LadyAmythyst69]

Queen Silvia of Sweden on a State Visit to Austria this week.

 

[nebe]

Date: 11/25/2007 9:15:19 PM
Author: LadyAmythyst69
Queen Silvia of Sweden on a State Visit to Austria this week.

HOLY CROWN

 

[susi]

Queen Silvia is so pretty!!

LadyA, please, why, do you feel, are the diamonds in Queen Silvia's Royal order as well as the stones in her necklace....so dull looking? I know they are not cut as stones are today and were cut for flash over light return but they don't even look flashy/sparklely either

The colletes in the necklaces are often encased in metal which doesn't help....but...??

 

[mercoledi]

Is it just me, or is does the bracelt Camilla''s wearing in the 60th birthday portrait look an awful lot like part of the necklace from the state visit? Or is it just the powers of suggestion getting the better of me?

I agree that Camilla pulls off the gobs of jewels like a pro, but personally I think the long dangle earrings were a bit much with the crown and 5 strand blingy necklace.

 

[Nicrez]

Date: 11/25/2007 6:32:11 PM
Author: LadyAmythyst69
More of Camilla at the banquet in Uganda.

Is it me, or does Camilla (whom I am not a fan of) look like Candice Bergen's mother?

It just creeps me out every time I see her. Ironic how she out shone the Queen Mum in gems. Usually it's an overcompensation, like men and shiny red sports cars... I just see her as... well nevermind, I know there are those who favor her. I just find it quite uppity to outshine the Queen, no matter what. Just out of respect, I wouldn't.

Even in royals, sometimes less is best. It looks as if she's playing dress-up with the Queen's gems...

Do you think the Queen was in favor of it or was she unknowingly outshined? Maybe sort of her tactic approval of Camilla...? To give her weight in the community she normally would not have gotten? I wonder...