Royal Jewels

[T L]

Picture from a new year event in Japan. I am guessing that Princess Kiko (to the right of the empress) is wearing her wedding tiara. CP Masako was at the event, but stayed behind the scenes and did not wear a tiara.

Yes, Princess Akishino (aka Kiko)'s wearing her wedding tiara here. The whole parure, actually.
What a pity that (once again) we didn't see the Crown Princess. Do you know why we see her so rarely? I believe her daughter has problems at shcool, right?

Princess Akishino's diamond parure:

Bobby

Well, I have heard rumors, not sure if they're true, that the royal family isn't so pleased with her that she can't produce a male heir. I wonder if there's some family tension there because of that, but I don't know for sure. If it were true, I think that would be horrible.

 

[Fly Girl]

I've been reading reports that Eddy Elzas may be selling his collection of 301 fancy colored diamonds on the condition that it be given to William and Catherine as a wedding gift. It's called the Rainbow Collection and is reported to be worth $120 million. So, Kate may get a new tiara yet.

 

[JewelFreak]

Wow, $120 million wedding gift? Yowza. He obviously isn't willing to hand it over directly without a profit.

I feel very sorry for the Japanese CP. She had doubts about marrying the Prince because of the very strict court protocol. Such an accomplished girl, she went to Harvard B School or somewhere similar, spoke several languages, had a sparkling future ahead. Father was a diplomat & she had lived an outgoing sophisticated life. Turned the CP's proposals down several times. Eventually he persuaded her -- maybe promised changes he couldn't deliver.

The Palace bureaucracy in Japan is extremely powerful; has a stranglehold on the lives of the royals, who are virtually its prisoners. I wish the CP would fix that when he becomes emperor but revolution is not the Japanese style. Anyway, the Crown Princess has dealt with severe depression since shortly after their marriage. (The current Empress has had her long bouts of it too.) Major pressure to have a baby & none came along for years -- then it was a disappointing girl. Seems they have difficulty having children & I imagine the Powers That Be have made their unwarm feelings known to her, whatever consolation the family itself has (or has not) offered her. Her purpose is to Produce An Heir & she failed.

The RF there are paraded around on ceremonial occasions & otherwise seem to be stuck in the palace. Protocol is stricter than anywhere else I know of, totally unlike Europe. In Japan you don't mix with commoners. "Friends" must be vetted, right family background, correctly approved opinions, blah blah. You never ever hear of a Japanese royal going out for lunch or a shopping trip. It sounds almost like the life of a mannequin. It appears to have made at least the women miserable.

--- Laurie

 

[T L]

Her own daughter is being passed over for the Crown by her husband's nephew it seems just because a female is not allowed to be Emperor. That is so wrong.

 

[JewelFreak]

Japan is nothing if not traditional, TL. A female emperor isn't even conceivable to the average Japanese mind (male Japanese mind, at any rate). Women are barely beginning now to make slow professional inroads into managerial jobs -- but I can't picture a Japanese man easily taking orders from a woman, despite the present generation's being more liberal than their parents.

I spent a very great deal of time there in my work -- for 9 years, I took 2-week-each trips 4 times/ year, traveling around the country, mostly with Japanese (men, of course). Got to know their society well. My industry was the scientific field -- there was the extremely rare woman lab supervisor, but in meetings she would always be the one to get & serve coffee, even if she outranked some men in the room. Most people we met with were astounded & bewildered that I had authority to negotiate deals & make decisions. And wanted to know "what sort of man" my husband was, that he "let me travel away from home for work." I'm not sneering, they genuinely couldn't put their minds around it. The current generation is more open, but I'm not sure how much -- professionally they see more international customs than their forerunners, but in family life, I don't know how much has really changed. Cultural things move very slowly in the Far East -- their attitude, which has some validity -- is, why hurry, in a hundred years nobody will remember anyhow.

They just shrug & think the western world is a little screwy with heiresses to thrones even when there's a male available. And in truth, that little girl of the CPs is lucky not to be next; maybe she'll have a chance at a real life.

--- Laurie

 

[LadyMaria]

IMHO, what CP Masako has been through makes what Diana went through look easy, and we all know that what Diana went through was NOT easy.

Yes, Masako turned down the proposal several times. The line that finally sealed the deal was when Naruhito told her "I will protect you my entire life." I think he has done that. He has never criticized her and took the unprecdented step a few years ago to defend her in a press conference. Usually those press conferences are totally scripted, and the Imperial Household Agency (IHA) would never allow Naruhito to say anything that could even remotely deemed controversial.

My college roommate lived in Japan for 3 years, and some things she's read is that Masako had to submit to a gynelogical exam to prove she could bear children, and every month there is a ceremony she has to through where she tells her father-in-law that she's had her period and is not pregnant. Before having Princess Aiko, she had a miscarriage. While it has never been confirmed by the IHA, Aiko was probably concieved with help since the IHA medical staff added a fertility specialist a couple of years before Aiko was born.

The IHA are the ones behind Princess Kiko having Prince Hisahito. They had two older daugthers well into their teens when Hisahito was born. The IHA told Kiko to get pregnant again and try for a boy even thought she was already 40 years old.

After World War II, there was fall out from the royal family and a lot of things changed. The Emperor had to admit that he is not of divine descent. They also wanted to reduce the size of the royal family. One of the laws that came out after WWII was that when a princess marries, she leaves the royal family and becomes a commoner. The current Emperor's daughter, Sayako, lost her titles when she married in 2005. Thanks to the rules of the IHA, I have not heard of any contact that Sayako has had with her parents since her marriage. This is part of the deal with a male only succession...not only would the law have to change saying that females can inherit the throne, but the law that says females leave the royal family upon marriage would also have to be changed.

I admire Naurhito for how he has stood by Masako. It would not upset me at all to see him give it all up to his brother who has the precious male heir so that he, Masako, and Aiko (who has had her own anxiety issues in school) could just live their lives.

 

[autumngems]

Ok, I am looking for a picture of a ring I saw sometime back 3-5 years. It was a royal couple and it was her wedding band I think. It consisted of diamond hearts all the way around (eternity) with one ruby heart a little larger than the other hearts. Anyone have a pic?

 

[JewelFreak]

Masako had to submit to a gynelogical exam to prove she could bear children, and every month there is a ceremony she has to through where she tells her father-in-law that she's had her period and is not pregnant.

Yuck, Maria. To the monthly information session especially. Diana had to have an exam too to verify that she could have children. I hope Kate doesn't have to undergo such a medieval thing now. Am not aware of other western monarchies that require this, anyone else?

Thanks to the rules of the IHA, I have not heard of any contact that Sayako has had with her parents since her marriage.

I'm sure she must see them. Probably not publicized, though I can't imagine why. I remember when Sayako got married & the info about all that. It's unlikely all contact would be cut off -- no reason for it. Public contact & participation in RF functions but not private getting together. MacArthur made a lot of demands as a condition for retaining the monarchy after WWII -- rightly so, considering what trouble "divinity" got them into -- and reducing the size of the RF was part of that. It removed from the seat of power troublemakers with lingering ambitions for empire and shrank the money needed to support them. However, if princesses had to give up their family entirely, the country could find itself supporting a lot of spinster princesses.

I admire Naurhito for how he has stood by Masako. It would not upset me at all to see him give it all up to his brother who has the precious male heir so that he, Masako, and Aiko (who has had her own anxiety issues in school) could just live their lives.

I agree heartily. It is an inhumane way for people to live. At some point somebody is going to blow his stack & change it after watching his family go slowly nuts, as they have for 3 generations now. Good overview of the situation here: http://theroyaluniverse.com/princess-masako-useless/

--- Laurie

 

[prince.of.preslav]

Thanks to everybody who contributed to the discussion about the Japanese imperial family. Most of the things you said were new to me and interesting to learn. I feel so sorry for the way the female members of the IF, especially the Crown Princess, are treated. At lest in the XXI c. we know that not having a son is not only her fault...
BTW, there are some princesses that married other members of the Imperal Family and (naturally) retained their titles.
And I think that last year (or so) Princess Sayako attened an engagement with the rest of the family, IIRC the New Year's gala, although she was not present at the dais and did not wear a tiara.

And here's something interesting I remebered - many years ago (maybe nearly 10), a renowned Japanese jeweller came to Bulgaria and was invited to a popular evening talk show. The only thing I remember is that he showed (really) a tiara from the royal family's collection. The tiara was very old (as far as I remeber) and I believe this was the first time it ever left Japan. Wish I remembered more things about the guest and what he said...

Bobby

 

[prince.of.preslav]

Ok, I am looking for a picture of a ring I saw sometime back 3-5 years. It was a royal couple and it was her wedding band I think. It consisted of diamond hearts all the way around (eternity) with one ruby heart a little larger than the other hearts. Anyone have a pic?

I don't think I've ever seen a royal ring like that. Hope somebody else can help you. I'd also like to see it.
Anyway, do you remember which royal family it was?

Regards,
Bobby

 

[prince.of.preslav]

Today the Belgian Royal family (the royal & the CP couples) hosted a New Year reception at the Royal Palace in Brussels.
Here are two photos of The Duchess of Brabant at the event - her brooch is really nice but I fear it's not real; the earrings are beautiful and I think she wore them at her weedding.


It's nice to see her wear her engagement ring again:

Bobby

 

[prince.of.preslav]

And last but not least, here's a video with many nice and less know photos/portraits of Queen Elizabeth, The Queen Mother for all those who miss the dear lady.
Enjoy!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vzYA8vs0DdU

Bobby

 

[summerof66]

Ok, I am looking for a picture of a ring I saw sometime back 3-5 years. It was a royal couple and it was her wedding band I think. It consisted of diamond hearts all the way around (eternity) with one ruby heart a little larger than the other hearts. Anyone have a pic?

Delurking to say I believe the ring you're looking for belongs to Princess Clotilde of Savoy. The hearts are set sideways all the way around the band rather than straight up and down. It looks like a sweet row of hearts playing follow the leader all the way around her finger. Sorry, I'm such a noob...I don't know how to attach a picture

Before I go back into lurk mode I just want to thank everyone for their knowledgeable and interesting posts. I've enjoyed reading them for many months now.

Shelley

 

[Matata]

Clotilde ring -- http://www.theroyalforums.com/forums/f20/royal-rings-all-types-11706-2.html

 

[T L]

And last but not least, here's a video with many nice and less know photos/portraits of Queen Elizabeth, The Queen Mother for all those who miss the dear lady.
Enjoy!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vzYA8vs0DdU

Bobby

Thank you Bobby!! Speaking of HM, Queen Elizabeth, The Queen Mother, has anyone seen the film "The King's Speech?" I wonder if they had any reproduction jewelry in there. I love looking at repros to see how correct they get them.

Also, speaking of rare photos, the Queen has private family photo albums that are not for public viewing. I do remember one of the photos leaked, which upset the Queen. I thought it was a delightful photo showing her a bit more human. She was in bed holding a baby prince Edward, while Anne, Charles and Andrew knelt by the side of her bed. It was very sweet.

 

[T L]

Japan is nothing if not traditional, TL. A female emperor isn't even conceivable to the average Japanese mind (male Japanese mind, at any rate).

Thank you for explaining JewelFreak

To all: The photo below is a good reason why they should change their minds about female rulers. . . and this was 400 YEARS AGO in a more male dominated society than modern Japan.

Sorry to digress, I know this is a thread about royal jewels, but the subject upsets me. I won't say anymore on it.

 

[purplesilk]

Clotilde's e-ring:

 

[JewelFreak]

her brooch is really nice but I fear it's not real; the earrings are beautiful and I think she wore them at her wedding.

Bobby

Bobby, what makes you think the brooch isn't real? I'd never be able to tell from a photo, or do you know from one of your many other sources? It reminds me a little of the Jardine Star brooch of QEII. The earrings are beautiful.

Summer, welcome -- and please un-lurk for good! You have some useful knowledge, it sounds like.

TL, sometimes a digression is worthwhile; jewelry is connected to history & the family to which it belongs. Agree -- it is a bad situation, particularly stupid if what I read is true, that it's actually the male who determines sex of the baby. So they ought to be kicking princes out of the family!

--- Laurie

 

[laurensmama]

Love Clotilde's e-ring maybe because it is shown against a white background and the ruby really pops. I am more of an emerald girl myself. Does anyone have specs on it. The design is also very interesting that the hearts are on the side and not facing front/back.

 

[prince.of.preslav]

Welcome on board, Shelley! Hope to see you delurking more often.

Bobby

 

[prince.of.preslav]

Bobby, what makes you think the brooch isn't real? I'd never be able to tell from a photo, or do you know from one of your many other sources? It reminds me a little of the Jardine Star brooch of QEII. The earrings are beautiful.

--- Laurie

LOL! No, none of my sources stand behind my words. It's just that the Belgian royal family isn't known for it's extensive jewellery collection, and the Duchess is known for wearing custome/paste jewellery. I also can't tell if a piece is fake or not from pictures only. Of course a nice real (and rather substantial) addition to Mathilde's jewellery collection would be most welcome.
Maybe I should have used but I fear it might not be real, instead of but I fear it's not real.

Bobby

 

[JewelFreak]

Your reasoning makes a lot of sense, in that case, Bobby. I just wondered if you had some magic abilities that would rub off on me, lol.

--- Laurie

 

[prince.of.preslav]

Clotilde's e-ring:

How do we know that this is Cltilde's engagement ring? The photo was obviously posted on The Royal Fourms, which I consider a reliable source, but the few good handshots of her that I've seen show a nice diamond solitaire, not the ruby and diamond eternity band. Are there any photos of Clotilde wearing the ring? Maybe sb has a photo or two from their engagement?

Bobby

 

[purplesilk]

Charlene's e-ring might be photoshopped:
http://lacortereale.blogspot.com/2010/09/charlene-wittstock-e-il-mistero.html
The ufficial picture vs the real life perspective (3 ct diamond):

 

[JewelFreak]

That is astounding! Can it really be that they photoshopped it? Maybe the 2nd pic looks smaller because it's twisted around? I do have to say that stone in the "official" photo looks a lot bigger than 3 cts.

Boy, I'd love to find another confirmation of that - it's just so ridiculous & dishonest, I'm stunned. Thanks for the heads up, PS.

--- Laurie

 

[purplesilk]

Clotilde's e-ring:

How do we know that this is Cltilde's engagement ring? The photo was obviously posted on The Royal Fourms, which I consider a reliable source, but the few good handshots of her that I've seen show a nice diamond solitaire, not the ruby and diamond eternity band. Are there any photos of Clotilde wearing the ring? Maybe sb has a photo or two from their engagement?

Bobby

You're right Bobby, a good handshot would be the most reliable source, but I could find none in the net... I can perfectly remember Clotilde wearing her e-ring in 2003 as she and Emanuele Filiberto officially announced their engagement, but I wasn't able to find pictures.

 

[purplesilk]

That is astounding! Can it really be that they photoshopped it? Maybe the 2nd pic looks smaller because it's twisted around? I do have to say that stone in the "official" photo looks a lot bigger than 3 cts.

Boy, I'd love to find another confirmation of that - it's just so ridiculous & dishonest, I'm stunned. Thanks for the heads up, PS.

--- Laurie

The official photo vs the real perspective photo...I don't know which picture is the "older", so I might think Charlene kept the center diamond and just had a new sparkling setting...

 

[T L]

I was researching a bit on the Japanese Royal family, and came across this photo of Empress Teimei (Hirohito's mother). She is wearing many fine jewels and a small tiara here. Does anyone know any history on these pieces?

Larger photo on wiki here

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/bf/Empress_Sadako.jpg

Seems like a lovely lady, as a patron of the Red Cross, and she was very against her son's involvement in WWII.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Empress_Teimei

 

[prince.of.preslav]

100.000 USD for the ring is not bad...
Yes, photoshopping is what I've also herd (my sources ). First the photo of the happy couple was taken and later, when The Prince had the ring, they used modern technology to put it on Charlene's finger. Not really honest, but that's what they had to do untill the ring was delvered/chosen/whatever. That's why it looks a bit odd in the engagement photos and probably why now it's worn the other way around.

Here are two more photos of the future Princesse de Monaco with her engagement ring:


Bobby

 

[prince.of.preslav]

You're right Bobby, a good handshot would be the most reliable source, but I could find none in the net... I can perfectly remember Clotilde wearing her e-ring in 2003 as she and Emanuele Filiberto officially announced their engagement, but I wasn't able to find pictures.

Ok, I'll take it for granted that this is The Princess of Venice's engagement ring. But I do wonder why she doesn't wear it? Maybe (just like me) HRH isn't taken by the design?

Bobby