Queen Mary dons new jewels

Queen Mary of Denmark donned Queen Alexandrine’s sapphire jewel in a new design at the Vietnamese state dinner.

For the first time, the Queen wore the sapphire in a new design at the Christiansborg Palace gala dinner in honour of the Vietnamese President Tô Lâm and his wife, Ngô Phương Ly.

Queen Mary was heavily involved in designing the jewel, which was originally gifted to the future Queen Alexandrine at her 1898 wedding to the future Christian X.

The Royal House ©

It was then passed down through generations of the Danish Royal Family, with changing designs to fit the fashion of the time. In 2024, the Royal Collection purchased the jewel from a private owner.

According to the Royal House, the Queen worked with the Royal Collection and jewellery designers Diana Holstein and Hanan Emquies on the creation that can be worn as a tiara, necklace or brooch. This will continue “the historical tradition of royal jewellery being adapted to the needs and tastes of new generations.”

The Royal House added of the design: “[It] respects the piece’s history and special tradition and makes it usable today.”