Today mark the 150th Anniversary of the Birth of Queen Marie of Romania, who was born on this day in 1875! Queen Victoria’s granddaughter who became the popular Queen of the Balkan Nation, ensuring massive territorial gains after the First World War, Queen Marie received and inherited many magnificent Heirlooms which were lost in Revolutionary Russia but were later replaced with new Commissions and spectacular Royal Acquisitions from her less fortunate sisters!
Vladimir Sapphire Kokoshnik Tiara
Origin: Created by Cartier for the Grand Duchess Vladimir in 1909 using Sapphire from Empress Alexandra Feodorovna, it was smuggled out of Russia and sold by Grand Duchess Victoria Melita to her sister, Queen Marie, in 1920
Notable Appearances: Coronation of King Ferdinand and Queen Marie of Romania in 1922, De Lazlo Portrait in 1924, American Tour in 1926, and King George V’s Silver Jubilee Ball in 1935
Fate: Inherited by her youngest daughter, Princess Ileana of Romania, and after making daring escapes from Austria, Romania and Argentina it was sold to Cartier in America in the 1950. Its current whereabouts are unknown.
Diamond Fringe Tiara
Origin: A Wedding Gift to Grand Duchess Maria Alexandrovna in 1874, inherited by Princess Beatrice, Duchess of Galliera, in 1920 and sold to her sister, Queen Marie, in 1933
Notable Appearances: De Lazlo Portrait in 1936 and La Petite Entente Banquet at the Royal Palace of Bucharest in 1936
Fate: Inherited by her second daughter, Queen Marie of Yugoslavia, and sold at Sotheby’s in London in 1960. Its current whereabouts are unknown.
Romanian Massin Tiara
Origin: A Gift from the Romania Aristocratic Ladies Association to Princess Elisabeth of Wied when she married reigning Prince Carol of Romania in 1869, passed along to Crown Princess Marie in the latter 1900s
Notable Appearances: Portraits in the 1910s
Fate: Sent to Russia for safekeeping during the First World War and lost during the Russian Revolution
Cartier Pearl Tiara
Origin: Created by Cartier from a Faberge Pearl Tiara inherited by Queen Marie from her mother, Grand Duchess Maria Alexandrovna, in 1922
Notable Appearances: American Tour in 1926, Wedding Ball of Princess Ileana of Romania and Archduke Anton of Austria in 1931
Fate: Likely inherited by her eldest daughter, Queen Elisabeth of Greece, its current whereabouts are unknown.
Diamond Loop Tiara
Origin: A Wedding Gift from her mother, Grand Duchess Maria Alexandrovna, Duchess of Edinburgh, in 1893
Notable Appearances: The Wedding of her cousin, the Grand Duke of Hesse, to her sister, Princess Victoria Melita of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, in 1894, the Wedding of the Prince of Hohenlohe-Langenburg and her sister, Princess Alexandra of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, in 1896, the Coronation of her cousin, Tsar Nicholas II of Russia, and Empress Alexandra Feodrovna in Moscow in 1896, and the Wedding of the Duke of Schleswig-Holstein and Princess Dorothea of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha in 1898
Fate: Sent to Russia for safekeeping during the First World War and lost during the Russian Revolution
Sapphire Bandeau
Origin: A Wedding Gift from her groom, Crown Prince Ferdinand of Romania, in 1893
Notable Appearances: The Coronation of her cousins, Tsar Nicholas II of Russia, and Empress Alexandra Feodrovna, in Moscow in 1896.
Fate: Sent to Russia for safekeeping during the First World War and lost during the Russian Revolution
Turquoise Tiara
Origin: A Wedding Gift from her father, the Duke of Edinburgh and Saxe-Coburg und Gotha, in 1893
Notable Appearances: Portrait in 1890s
Fate: Redesigned into a new Tiara by by Kreuter & Co, Hanau in 1904 but sent to Russia for safekeeping during the First World War and lost during the Russian Revolution
Cartier Sapphire Pendant
Origin: Acquired from Cartier by King Ferdinand in 1922, for Fr. 1,275,000
Notable Appearances: Coronation of King Ferdinand and Queen Marie of Romania in 1922, De Lazlo Portrait in 1924,
Fate: Later belonged to to Queen Frederica of Greece and currently on display in the Cartier Exhibition at the Victoria & Albert Museum in London for only the next few weeks.
Grand Duchess Maria Alexandrovna’s Pearl Brooch
Origin: Inherited from her mother, Grand Duchess Maria Alexandrovna, Duchess of Saxe-Coburg und Gotha and Edinburgh, in 1920
Notable Appearances: De Lazlo Portrait in 1924, Wedding of Princess Ileana of Romania in 1931, Wedding Ball of Princess Ileana of Romania and Archduke Anton of Austria in 1931
Fate: Inherited by her youngest daughter, Princess Ileana of Romania, and likely remains with her descendants
Cartier Diamond Sautoir
Origin: Acquired from Cartier by King Ferdinand in 1922, for Fr. 1,275,000
Notable Appearances: Coronation of King Ferdinand and Queen Marie of Romania in 1922, De Lazlo Portrait in 1924, La Petite Entente Banquet at the Royal Palace of Bucharest in 1936
Fate: Inherited by King Michael of Romania and worn by Queen Helen and Queen Anne before being dismantled
Vladimir Sapphire Kokoshnik
Romanian Massin Tiara
Fringe Tiara
Diamond Loop Tiara
Cartier Pearl Tiara
Cartier Sapphire Pendant
Grand Duchess Maria Alexandrovna’s Pearl Brooch
Cartier Diamond Sautoir
Emerald Tiara
Fringe Tiara
Gold Tiara
Cartier Diamond Eagle
Greek Emerald Parure
Queen Marie of Romania’s Cartier Pearl Tiara
Cartier Sapphire Necklace
Vladimir Sapphire Kokoshnik
Diamond Scroll Tiara
Grand Duchess Maria Alexandrovna’s Pearl Brooch
Romanian Greek Key Tiara
Queen Sophie’s Diamond Tiara
Russian Sapphire Earrings
Russian Sapphire Brooch
Fleur-de-Lys Brooch
Diamond Sautoir
Schaumburg-Lippe Sapphire Tiara
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